Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H5 Digital Camera Review

by Alex Burack
Published on January 01, 2004

Navigation
Intro	Testing / Performance
Physical Tour	Components
Design / Layout	Modes
Control Options	Image Parameters
Connectivity / Extras	Overall Impressions
Conclusion	Specs / Ratings

With its $499 retail price, the Sony H5 is priced right on par with its competitors. Several other manufacturers are offering similar ultra-zoom cameras at this price point. There is always some give and take, though. Other models probably have better burst modes--but no model will have a 3-inch LCD screen. The value is always in the eye of the consumer.

 

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H2 – This digital camera is the H5’s new companion in Sony’s ultra-zoom line. Sony claims that the H2, with its 6 megapixels and $399 price tag, iis its most popular Cyber-shot camera right now with  This model has a slightly smaller frame and is about a half-inch shorter. Still, the H2 has the same chunky hand grip and large lens barrel that can accept the same conversion lenses. The lenses on the two cameras are the same: Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 12x optical zoom lenses with optical image stabilization systems and max apertures of f/2.8-f/3.7. Both cameras have the same manual modes and settings, including the nice 80-1000 ISO range. Besides the smaller frame and one less megapixel, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H2 distinguishes itself from the H5 with its LCD. Instead of the massive television screen, the H2 has a more economical 2-inch LCD monitor with 85,000-pixels resolution. This allows the H2 to take up to 400 shots per charge, while the H5 drains batteries every 340 shots. The Sony H2 is a good option for users who want manual control and don’t care about the LCD screen much. However, if manual focus is an important feature, don’t get the H2: it will be virtually useless with such poor screen resolution.

 

Canon PowerShot S3 IS – This ultra-zoom made  its debut at the Photo Marketing Association trade show in February 2006. The Canon S3 IS has a 12x optically stabilized lens on a body that is similarly sized and weighted. It packs 6 megapixels and has fully manual and automatic modes – along with everything in between. The body has a 0.3-inch electronic viewfinder that protrudes enough to keep noses from resting on the screen below. A rubber eyecup also cushions the viewfinder,  a nice upgrade from the Sony H5’s hard plastic rest. The Canon has a smaller 2-inch LCD screen, which is more prone to solarization but  does fold out and rotate. The LCD has a camcorder-esque look that carries into the movie mode concept. The S3 IS’s movie mode records video at 640 x 480 and 320 x 240 pixels for 30 or 15 frames per second and can use the entire 12x zoom range.  An interesting MovieSnap function lets users capture full-resolution still images while recording video. Sure, the video catches the sound of the shutter release button, but users get the pleasure of having still and moving pictures of the same event. The Canon PowerShot S3 IS uses four AA batteries and can get 550 shots per charge from a rechargeable set. The S3 retails for the same $499 price.

Panasonic LumixDMC-FZ7 –At a cheap $349, this ultra-zoom model offers a lot: 6 megapixels, an optically stabilized 12x zoom lens,  basically the same modes, with manual, priority, automatic, and program among its selection. A scene mode selection  has 15 different settings, including everything from High Sensitivity to Portrait. A movie mode that has its pros and cons: it can record movies in the 16:9 format to play back on that new widescreen television, but the nicely stabilized 12x Leica lens does not work while recording movies. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7 performed poorly in color and noise tests, but its resolution was decent. It has a 2.5-inch LCD screen with 114,000 pixels, which is less than half the resolution of the H5’s screen.

 

Fujifilm FinePix S9000 – The S9000 looks huge next to the Sony H5 because it measures 5.1 x 5 x 3.7 inches. Much of this measurement comes from a long Fujinon 10.7x optical zoom lens. The back of this camera has a 1.8-inch LCD screen that folds outward and tilts for better viewing on tall tripods. Fuji included a larger 0.44-inch electronic viewfinder on this model, and its view, as well as that on the LCD screen, is much smoother because of the 60 fps refresh rate. This FinePix has 9 megapixels on a large 1/1.6-inch CCD and offers manual, priority, program, auto, and 5 scene modes on its dial. The S9000 also has a movie mode that utilizes the long zoom, but there is no image stabilization system to keep movies from looking shaky.

 

The Fujifilm FinePix S9000 performed very well during testing. It produced excellent pictures with great resolution and minimal noise. It even did well in low light, but did not portray colors as accurately as it should have.. The 9-megapixel digital camera has dual memory card slots for CompactFlash and xD-Picture cards. It originally retailed for $699, but can be found for about a hundred dollars less now.

Point-and-Shooters – Consumers who are happy with automatic controls and simple functions won’t appreciate the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H5. It is easy to use when compared to a DSLR, as most cameras are. It is not easy to use at all when compared to the cameras that point-and-shooters carry around.

 

Budget Consumers – At a retail price of $499, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H5 is fairly priced. However, that price does not reflect the extras that come with purchasing a Sony. Users will have to buy a Memory Stick Pro Duo card to get the full movie mode. They will need to purchase a real software program to organize their pictures because the included one is so limited. Thus, consumers should consider the total costs before diving into this Sony digital camera.

 

Gadget Freaks – These consumers may drool on the 3-inch LCD screen or enjoy playing with the multi-burst mode, but otherwise will be bored. Sure, the H5 has lots of manual controls to tinker with, but none of its other features are really innovative and attractive to the more gadget-oriented buyers.

 

Manual Control Freaks – The Sony H5 has full manual control that can be accessed with the jog dial below the front of the shutter release button. A custom white balance mode and an adequate ISO range will attract control freaks as well.

 

Pros/ Serious Hobbyists – This digital camera is marketed towards enthusiasts, but still won’t be a main camera for professional photographers. This demographic wants cameras that can shoot in RAW format and have a little more brains behind the 3-inch LCD screen brawn.