Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V 18.2 MP Exmor R CMOS Digital Camera with 30x Optical Zoom and 3.0-inch LCD (Black) (2012 Model)

There are three cameras that one should consider the Canon Powershot SX40 the Panasonic DMC FX150 and then this one the Sony HX200V. Researching these three is interesting because you will find sites listing each of the three as the very best over the other two. I think the bottom line is that any of the three will give good photos and satisfy the user. I purchased this camera because of two features that are largely ignored by the professional reviewers but to me they give this camera the edge over the others. First is Sony's proprietary optical steady shot stabilization. A good stabilization system is extremely important because no matter what the camera if you don't have good stabilization or a tripod then you have fuzzy pictures. Here is what Techradar had to say in their review of the HX200V; "We got sharp results at maximum zoom from shot to subsequent shot when it was used handheld. That's almost unheard of on rival models. On most superzoom rivals we've needed to take two or three shots of the same subject to arrive at one that wasn't soft." The reader should go to the Techradar site review and then go to SAMPLE IMAGES. The first photo is taken at wide angle and shows a long tree lined path ending at a distant white building. The next photo was taken handheld at the same spot but now at full telephoto and WOW. You now clearly see a fence that you did not see before and the paint is rusted in spots and there is an emblem on the fence that you can read. Also go to SENSITIVITY AND NOISE. Here you can see how the level of noise at different ISO settings effects the photos. Which brings me to another subject. Some professional reviewers point out that higher megapixels do not necessarily mean better photos because noise can increase depending on the CMOS sensor which is true but then they are completely baffled at why the Sony engineers increased the megapixels on this new camera. Well I'm not sure either however I am sure they didn't make the camera worse than the competition but rather better. My second reason for selecting this camera is the Superior Auto Mode. This mode shoots multiple shots of the same scene in rapid sequence and then creates the best single picture as a composite Here is what Squidoo says in their review; "Get cleaner, more dynamic pictures and fewer missed shots. The DSC-HX200V automatically recognizes the correct scene mode, then quickly shoots and combines up to six shots to produce images with greater clarity, optimum dynamic range using backlight correction HDR technology and lower image noise using 6 shots layering technology. Superior Auto intelligently detects 33 scenes for still images and movies, making it easy to get the best shot." If you Google tumblr HX200v you will see sample photos of the Superior Auto Mode which are impressive. So did the camera meet my expectations, yes it did. The stabilization worked as advertised however the lens does have limitations. It works best in bright light. The alternative would be stepping up to a more expensive and larger Digital SLR camera along with lens. For example Canon has a 800mm lens to fit the more the expensive cameras but it is 18 inches long weights 10 pounds and costs $13,499.00. The Superior Auto Mode also met my expectations. It does not improve all photos but it does make astonishing improvements in photos that would benefit from this mode such as back light etc.

This is my third Sony camera. First had the Sony W100, then upgraded to the Sony DSC-HX5V. I was looking to upgrade again for the mega zoom features and still keep the GPS feature. My review of the Sony HX5V is here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R1GTX0QZ6PRHKB/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm Over the years I've owned digital cameras, smartphone cameras keep getting better and better. I was looking to upgrade my camera to get some good zoom functionality and one day had an epiphany when thinking about my digital camera use. I carry my phone with me everywhere. It's become my main camera. My actual digital camera sits at home in its bag and only comes out to play when I travel or take vacation. Once I realized that, I wasn't so concerned about getting a camera that was small or compact because a small, compact camera is what the iPhone has basically become. After looking at all the reviews and doing lots of comparisons at snapsort's site, I settled on the Sony DSC-HX200V. I wanted to keep the GPS feature, I liked the 30X zoom, and thought the HD video recording might come in handy. I liked that the interface was similar to the W100 and HX5V that I'd gotten used to. I'm not a prosumer, or even a camera pro. I'm a guy who wants to turn on the camera, select the auto button and get good photos. The Sony does that. I have taken this camera to Kauai and Maui several times since and it's been great. Battery life has been excellent, the GPS works great and the pictures have been fantastic. The zoom feature works excellent as well as the image stabilization. It took some getting used to carrying around a bigger camera but I'm happy and it's exceeded my expectations. LIKES: Camera has a strap/cord to attach lens cover to camera body so that it doesn't get lost. This is nice. You have to remember to remove lens cap, if you turn on the camera it will kinda pop off, probably not best for it. I didn't think I'd care about the tilt out lcd screen, but I've gotten to really like it a lot. My Sony HX5V LCD screen seemed to scratch easily and I had to get a screen protector for it, but the lcd on the HX200V seems more scratch resistant and haven't had any issues. GRIPES: Sony doesn't include a battery charger anymore. I like charging the battery separate and not in the camera. In fact all three Sonys I've had the cables pretty much stay in the box. I ordered the Sony BCTRV Travel Charger -Black and it fits fine in the camera bag. GPS locking can take a little while depending on your view of the sky. The HX5V would use your last coordinates but this camera seems to start fresh each time and not use the last coordinates. You can speed up the lock by updating the GPS assis file on the camera card. There is Windows software included but I'm a mac guy but if you google sony gpsassist-updater you'll find a nice little mac program that will handle the job. GPS coordinates aren't embedded in videos but you can paste location in iPhoto on Mac. Speaking of camera bags, best one I found via someone else's review is the Case Logic DCB-304 Compact System/Hybrid Camera Case (Black) It holds the camera, has side pockets for charger and cleaning cloths and has a shoulder strap. Works great, highly recommend. Mac & Software: I've seen a few reviews griping about software and mac. People listen, you fled the pc world because of crappy software. Most camera included software is for pc because they really don't have anything better. Mac comes with iPhoto. Learn it and love it. It's better than the crap included software and works fantastic. The pro folks have already moved beyond that to Aperture and and whatever Adobe is selling this week. I have used iPhoto with all three of my Sony cameras and it works great, even with the video files. Other than the GPS assist function mentioned above, if you've got a mac, leave the sony software in the box. Video: I used the video mode this weekend for the first time. My brother had a part on stage at a program and I was way at the back of the auditorium (almost 4,000 people, big place) and I used the zoom feature to zoom in and record. I didn't have a tripod, so the camera rested on my knee and it was a little shaky, but recorded fine and I was even pleased with the audio quality. Loaded the video into iMovie on the mac and did the image stabilization and it turned out great. I noticed that Amazon is now showing that the Sony HX300B is replacing the HX200V. From what I can tell, it's bigger, heavier, shorter battery life and no GPS!!. My HX200V will be my camera for awhile, it's a keeper.

This is an excellent camera considering a point and shoot level camera. It has many smart features built in. For example, I don't have to change setting if I want to shoot a very close up object. All you need to do is keep the function selection dial at i-auto mode and bring the camera close to the object. Be careful using the zoom function because the telescoping lens may touch the object. Another nice thing this camera has is when I playback the video, I can snap shot a frame that I like to become a photo right on the camera. It comes in handy when you are bored on an airplane. The 30x feature is nice, 50x is even better. But, the size and weight become concern to me. Also, it will be harder to hold the camera still at full zoom. So it's a trade off. The thing I don't like so far is if you accidentally touch the power on button, the telescope lens will extend out to a default position, which will half way out the lens cover. It could be engineering a little better. Also, the video recording button is a little confusing. You can change the function dial to the video mode first and push a standalone red button to record, or, just just push the red button will let you record as well. Humm.. I have this camera for a few weeks now, and still learn to use it. One thing I want to point out: the seller of this camera is KNOCKOUT DEAL via amazon. Good price. But, there is no sony warranty document come with it. Also, the lens has a smear spot on it when I received the package. It looks like the seller has done something on it and repackaged. Don't know why?? Overall, I am very please with this camera so far. Oh, one more thing: Sony change the design, so I can directly connect the camera to my iPad now :)

When my backpack was stolen in May in Barcelona, I found myself in the market for a new camera. My old camera was a Sony DSC-HX1, which with only minor flaws, we absolutely loved. I never liked the fact that Sony forced you to use their memory stick, and the picture quality was acceptable, but no where near that of a DSLR. So, when I started my replacement search, I was focused more on Canons, Nikons, and the new Sony Alpha series DSLR. But because we had had such good luck with the Sony DSC-HX1, I decided to at least take a look at the new model, the DSC-HX200V. So, I did a ton of research, visited with several high-end camera shops in the Raleigh area, and spoke with a number of experienced photographers. All the research and the advice led me right back to the DSC-HX200V. My wife wants something that is simple to use and takes great pictures in "auto" mode. And the advice that one photographer gave me, pushed me over the top - he said, "If you spend a lot of money on a Nikon d5100 and leave it in auto-mode, you have wasted a lot of money!" And he was right. Almost any point-and-shoot, including the cameras built into most smartphones today, can take perfectly acceptable pictures in auto-mode. The real question is - what else do they have to offer. The answer to this question is where the Sony DSC-HX200V really shines! Like its predecessors, the camera has a built in panorama mode...just hold the shutter button down and pan left to right. The internal processor stitches the images together into a perfect shot! Don't go looking for this on any other brand camera because Sony acquired the patent when the bought the 'Minds of Minolta'. It is truly amazing technology that allows for the capture of incredible shots. To get these shots with a high end Nikon would require you do stitching in a 3rd party software on your computer like Photoshop. We liked the DSC-HX1, but its big brother has much more power and capabilities. This camera sports a 18 MP processor, and its picture quality rivals (not equals...and it never will) the DSLR. And in 'Scene' mode, they have added a few settings that I really love...like an HDR mode (three images combined to give you perfect light balance) and a "background defocus" mode, which produces DSLR-like images with shark subjects against a blurred background. And for the creative types that like Instagram, you will love the "miniature" mode, which somehow applies filters and light settings to make any picture appear as if it is a miniature model and not real. There is also a setting that will take a B&W shot with one predominant color left in...something that it takes me hours to do in Photoshop in post production. Another really cool feature this camera has is that it automatically senses when you are putting it up to your face, so it switches from the LCD image to an image in the view finder. Sweet! Add to these features the fact that this camera now comes with a 30X optical zoom, allowing you to take shots of craters on the moon (no kidding), and it is one powerful beast. Oh, and Sony got the message about the overall dislike of the memory stick, so now you can also use a standard SD card in this camera! Thanks Sony! All-in-all, this new Sony DSC-HX200v is absolutely everything we ever wanted and more! I give it a full five stars! BTW - warning to those traveling in Europe - take precautions not to fall victim to teams of crafty thieves! They will distract you, take your belongings and you will never ever know it. I suppose the silver lining in this experience for me, was being able to get this new camera!

This is a fantastic camera. I have all but stopped using my older DSLR (Nikon D70) since getting this camera. The pictures are more crisp (18mp, baby) and the 30x optical zoom is amazing. With the zoom and a tripod I got some spectacular moon shots with a ton of crater detail. The image stabilization feature works surprisingly well, especially on stuff below 20x zoom. It works OK beyond that, but you'll notice a little blur when you zoom in. Once again, this is a feature that I didn't have on my DSLR. I got some pretty cool shots of a family of loons that were aided by the image stabilization feature. And if you've ever encountered loons, they don't particularly like to get close to people. The only slight downside to this camera is its size. It is not going to fit in your pocket. So this wouldn't be a good replacement for a small point-and-shoot camera that you can stick in your jeans pocket (I have a Nikon Coolpix that goes just about everywhere with me). That being said, no camera that size will take anywhere near the quality shots that you'll get from this camera. Another huge bonus was getting this camera on sale; it was a steal at $250. Having used it for about 6 weeks now, I'd have to say that $400-450 would be a reasonable asking price for this thing. It's that good. Other items that I would purchase with this camera: -If you don't already have large capacity SD cards (16+ Gb), I'd recommend grabbing one, if not two, for use with this camera. With great image quality comes great memory usage. -I would also recommend grabbing one of the two battery/charger combos (can be found for under $30 here on Amazon). The camera does come with a charging cable, but it can only be charged via USB. The battery charger can be used with regular wall outlets or with via the included car adapter. Having a few extra batteries is key (especially if you constantly have the viewfinder on and are taking lots of pictures) as the battery will typically run out faster than the SD card will fill up.

After looking for a decent bridge camera that would do the job, I finally settled on this one. It's beyond anything I expected. This machine is so much more than a "bridge" camera. The new 18.2 MP. and the EXMOR R CMOS sensor are more than enough for even the advanced shooter who is looking to find both the scenic majesty of a wide-angle lens combined with the excellent 30X zoom and new advanced crystal clear X2 modifier capabilities. It leaves me astonished at the possibilities. This small package 1.2 lb. is a treasure, both to hold and shoot. I was swayed between this gem and the Nikon P510, Nikon COOLPIX P510 16.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 42x Zoom NIKKOR ED Glass Lens and GPS Record Location (Black) which has a 42X zoom, but has difficulty at long range focusing. Other complaints with the Nikon were the inherent noise heard in the video when zooming. I also scoped out the Panasonic FX 150 that sports a myriad of extras (including RAW files). Panasonic DMC-FZ150K 12.1 MP Digital Camera with CMOS Sensor and 24x Optical Zoom (Black) I couldn't find any negatives with the Panasonic and would highly recommend it if you don't like Sony; for whatever reason. I must add that this Sony is a real treasure, with a new ergo dynamic contour and masterfully executed menu lay-out, this thing is a pleasure to both shoot and also play with; the new added (up from the HX 100) special features, give you, the user, a great creative opportunity to shine. I would like to tell you that the accompanying shoulder strap is thin and I don't use it. I opted for a Bower leather wrist strap (from B&H Photo@$6.95) that attaches to the tripod socket and is mandatory insurance for a potential camera drop; that not only would devastate you, but the camera also... Once you hold this thing, you will agree that a wrist strap is the way to go. Add to that a new Lowepro Edit 110 camera case, Lowepro Edit 110 Camcorder and Camera Bag and not only is the camera well protected, the added storage pockets easily provide that needed extra room for batteries and memory cards. I'm very impressed with this system and can't wait to get out there and capture those far-off shots that for years have evaded me. Finally, if you have read to here, I would like to emphasize the absolute necessity of using the wrist strap. I've heard so many horror stories of people grabbing their cameras without first putting on the wrist strap AND DROPPING THEM! I can't say enough about this. By and large, this camera will astonish you and may be the last one you will ever need. I highly recommend this one.

I have been reviewing super zoom camera's for the past 2 months. I had it narrowed down to the Canon SX50, Nikon P510 and the Sony DSC-HX200V. I consider myself an Intermediate/Life events photographer and for me the DSLR's were out of the question. I eneded up going with the Sony for the meriad of fetures that none of the other camers offered. 18.2MP is great, 30x zoom with the 60x clear digital zoom is phenominal. I've always wanted a camera that could zoom in to the moon and show great detail and the Sony does just that. Although the Canon SX50 has a greater zoom (50x) it is lacking with 12mp's. My favorite feature of the Sony is the "defocused background" that will take 2 shots, creating sharp focused detail on the object shooting and blurring out the background creating a beautiful portrait that was previously only possible with a professional DSLR. The Sony is very simple to operate with several "auto modes" that are great for the quick point and shoot for your everyday use. The Video produced is a Stunning 1080/60p which is Crisp and beautiful for playback. I Love the 3D Stills options and Panorama. It takes phenominal Low light images with incredible clarity and detail without a flash. I would buy this camera again without hesitation. If there were any problems I could easily return it but Love the camera. The down side to this camera is the inability to delete photos from the Memory card with the computer. You have to do all of your photo/video management with the camera functions only. which isn't nice at all. In addition you have to charge your battery while it is in the phone, the is no external battery charger included. The instruction manual is poor to fair at best. Even with the online manual it does a poor job of specific details on how to use the many functions. they are pretty vague..for instance, if you want to use the "defocused background" all of the manuals will tell you what the function does but does not elaborate on how to actually get the function to work correctly. I select that option then aim the camera, half press the shutter button for the very fast auto focus and recognition, then full press of the button. 50% of the time it will take the picture beautifully, the other times it will say "unable to perform specified function at this time" and I have no idea why. I dont know if i am to close or to far away from the object and it does not explain it anywhere how to use this function properly. Overall though the camera is great, you wont find all these options in any other camer. it feels great. Love it

My father purchased this camera and raved about it. I tried it out by taking pictures of a Blue Heron on the dock behind his house and was amazed at the details when I zoomed in on the Heron's eyes and beak. (Keep it in mind it was a bright, sunny day). I waited for about six months before Amazon had a sale and the camera was marked down over $100. So I finally bought it and was excited when the camera arrived. What I discovered over the course of the following weeks is that the camera has some nice qualities but some flaws as well. First, the camera seems to capture the clearest picture (and the finest detail) when it is a bright environment and you are close to the object (even three or four inches). Unfortunately, the picture quality decreases significantly when there is low light or it is partly cloudy. The picture quality also decreases when you use the zoom. Next, the camera is highly sensitive to movement (even when you set the hand motion feature). I like to photograph animals in the wild and most of the shots are blurred because the animal moves slightly or I move because I am using the zoom feature. On occasion, the camera does recognize low light situations and makes adjustments accordingly. There is a camera guide that you can access on the camera itself. but it is difficult to navigate. I recently downloaded the manual from the website.in hopes of understanding the various camera features (of which there are quite a few). I may be expecting too much for the price as I realize there are digital cameras well over a $1,000. In hindsight I probably should have read more reviews and looked at other cameras in a similar price range.