Sony HX1
£399.00
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Sony’s 9.1Mp HX1 has a classy finish, and offers optical image stabilisation rather than the sensor-shift type found inside the other models.
Fitted with a 20X optical zoom, the Sony HX1 offers a focal range of 28-560mm with a maximum aperture of f/2.8 at the short end and f/5.7 at full telephoto. The high-hinged and sizeable 3in screen is ingeniously designed, giving a great viewing angle, with menu buttons and D-pad neatly placed beside. Scene modes can be accessed rapidly from the mode dial but these are limited to just 10.
One click further round on the mode dial and you’ll find Sweep Panorama mode. This works by firing the shutter, then panning left to right through a scene. The result is a panorama image measuring 4912x1080 (16x3.6in at 300ppi) that’s stitched seamlessly together. Other handy features on the Sony H1X include smile shutter, which won’t take a pic until a smile is detected, and a built-in stereo microphone for the soundtrack on its 1080p HD video mode. Although ISO and focal length ranges aren’t as broad as other zooms, image quality was strong, with fantastic sharpness at both wide and telephoto settings, with usable results at ISO 1600. On the whole, the Sony HX1 offers some great features, but has a high price tag of £399.
Digital Photo Silver Award
www.sony.co.uk
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