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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 2
ColorNext: Page 4
ResolutionNoise
Noise is moderate, but gets very visible at higher ISO settings.
Noise (8.16)
Noise is the curse of the digital camera: it’s the grainy look to images that sneaks in and ruins photos. We found in our tests that the HX1 didn’t have any huge noise issues, but that the images could get pretty noisy at the higher ISO settings. Most cameras offer a highest ISO setting of 1600, but the HX1 extends that to 3200. However, it does so at the cost of adding a lot of noise to the image, so this should only be used when it is absolutely required; we’d recommend sticking to a maximum of 400 where possible. More on how we test noise.
If we compare the noise in images captured by the HX1 to those captured by other cameras, there is not a lot of difference between them, although the noise does climb a bit less than the others. In particular, the Sony has lower noise at ISO 1600 than the Nikon, but more than the Canon.
The table below shows 100% crops at a range of ISOs, at both high and low light levels. The high level is about 3000 lux, equivalent to a sunny day. The low light level is 60 lux, about what you would get from decent indoor lighting.
| Noise Comparisons | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ISO 125 | ISO 400 | ISO 800 | ISO 3200 | |
| 60 Lux |  |
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| 3000 Lux |  |
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Overall, the Sony did well in this test. Although it has moderate noise, the noise is less noticeable than some of the other cameras.
ISO (5.50)
| ISO Comparisons | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 | Nikon Coolpix P90 | Canon PowerShot SX1 IS | Olympus SP-590UZ |
| ISO Low | |||
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ISO 125
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ISO 64
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ISO 80
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ISO 80
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| Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 | Nikon Coolpix P90 | Canon PowerShot SX1 IS | Olympus SP-590UZ |
| ISO 200 | |||
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| Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 | Nikon Coolpix P90 | Canon PowerShot SX1 IS | Olympus SP-590UZ |
| ISO 400 | |||
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| Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 | Nikon Coolpix P90 | Canon PowerShot SX1 IS | Olympus SP-590UZ |
| ISO 800 | |||
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| Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 | Nikon Coolpix P90 | Canon PowerShot SX1 IS | Olympus SP-590UZ |
| ISO 1600 | |||
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| Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 | Nikon Coolpix P90 | Canon PowerShot SX1 IS | Olympus SP-590UZ |
| ISO 3200 | |||
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| Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 | Nikon Coolpix P90 | Canon PowerShot SX1 IS | Olympus SP-590UZ |
| ISO 6400 | |||
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| Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 | Nikon Coolpix P90 | Canon PowerShot SX1 IS | Olympus SP-590UZ |
NOTE: The images above are not used in our testing or scoring, but are included here to show real-world examples of the differences between cameras at the various ISO settings.
Shop for the Sony DSC-HX1
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