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Introduction
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01.Product Tour
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02.Color
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03.Noise
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04.Resolution
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05.Video
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06.Sample Photos
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07.Playback
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08.Hardware
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09.Controls
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10.Design & Handling
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11.Nikon P90 Comparison
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12.Canon SX1 Comparison
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13.Olympus SP-590UZ Comparison
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14.Conclusion
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15.Photo Gallery
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16.Comments
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1
Previous: Page 1
Product TourNext: Page 3
NoiseColor
Color is generally accurate, albeit with some problems with blues.
Color (11.30)
Our first test looks at color. Specifically, how accurately the camera can capture color. The DSC-HX1 has three color modes: Normal, Vivid and Real. We found that the most accurate color mode was Normal, and that this had very decent color accuracy; the only problem was in the blues, which were slightly inaccurate. For this test, we shoot an X-rite color chart under tightly controlled conditions, then use Imatest software to analyze how closely the captured colors match the real ones. More on how we test color.
The table below shows the colors captured by each of our recently reviewed ultrazoom cameras in their most accurate modes, compared to the original color.
We also found that the HX1 had slightly less accurate colors than some similar cameras we looked at: all of them scored higher because they had better overall color accuracy, although all of them had their own minor issues here and there.
| Camera Color Comparisons | |||||
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| Ideal | Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 | Nikon Coolpix P90 | Canon PowerShot SX1 IS | Olympus SP-590UZ | |
| Dark Skin |
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| Light Skin |
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| Blue Sky |
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| Foliage |
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| Blue Flower |
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| Bluish Green |
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| Ideal | Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 | Nikon Coolpix P90 | Canon PowerShot SX1 IS | Olympus SP-590UZ | |
| Orange |
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| Purplish Blue |
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| Moderate Red |
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| Purple |
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| Yellow Green |
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| Orange Yellow |
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| Ideal | Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 | Nikon Coolpix P90 | Canon PowerShot SX1 IS | Olympus SP-590UZ | |
| Blue |
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| Green |
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| Red |
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| Yellow |
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| Magenta |
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| Cyan |
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Color Modes (4.00)
The HX1 offers a small number of color modes: there are options for Normal, Vivid, Real, Sepia and Black & White. Most of them do what they say on the tin, but serious photographers should avoid them: all of the effects can be easily reproduced using any image editing program, and you also get the chance to undo the effect if you don’t like it. We’d recommend you stick with Normal mode.
Shop for the Sony DSC-HX1
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