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

 

The front of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H5 has a chunky look typical of its competitors. A large hand grip sits at left, complete with indentations and rubber material to aid in handling. At the top of the hand grip is the chrome shutter release button, with a plastic jog dial poking out beneath it. To the right of the shutter release button are two holes that act as the microphone; these are located in the valley between the grip and the lens barrel. An auto focus assist lamp to the right of the microphone  is much larger than those included on comparable models. A large lens barrel with a chrome outer rim dominates the camera’s right side. The lens extends even longer from this protrusion in a single segment. Around the outer edge are the following stats: “Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar, 2.8-3.7/ 6-72.” A large Sony logo is on the pop-up flash above the lens.

 

Back

A huge 3-inch LCD screen, with the Sony logo plastered beneath it, highlights the back of the H5. The monitor is on a platform that extends to the right just enough to provide a resting place for the thumb, then curves inward again to leave room for the multi-selector.. Above the LCD screen is a tiny viewfinder that protrudes significantly from the body; the glass is set within a plastic eyecup that looks more comfortable than it actually is. To the right of the finder segment, two buttons are  tilted between the top and the back of the H5: the circular left button is for switching from the LCD to the viewfinder, while the larger, oval-shaped right button controls playback.

 

 To the right of the LCD monitor, a smattering of buttons all seem to dodge the monitor platform. At the top is the zoom toggle; it has a slight divot in its center to distinguish the ‘W’ on the left from the ‘T’ on the right. Below the toggle are the oval LCD view and Menu buttons..

 

Beneath these is the multi-selector, which consists of a central selection button and a surrounding ring for scrolling through menus. This multi-selector looks like those found on compact Cyber-shot cameras rather than on DSLRs. It has icons in every direction: a flash icon on the top, a flower macro icon at the right, a self-timer icon on the bottom, and an exposure compensation icon on the left.

 

Below the multi-selector is another oval-shaped button with two icons next to it: an index frame icon and a trash can. From the back, the eyelets from the sides can be seen. On the left side, a port cover  pokes out toward the back.

The left side of the Sony H5 looks pregnant: the top of the camera is skinny, while the bottom rounds outward into a large lens barrel. From here, it’s easy to see the length of the viewfinder’s segment, an elongated feature which looks similar to a finder on a camcorder. In the center of the lens barrel is a shimmering Cyber-shot logo; above it is some text that flaunts the camera’s 12x zoom capability. To the rear of the Cyber-shot logo, a rubber port cover opens to reveal AV and USB jacks. A tab protrudes out the back a bit so fingers can pry the door open easily. Just below the viewfinder segment and above the 12x text is a neck strap eyelet that is very horizontal and static, unlike the one on the opposite side.

The right side is quite chunky, but certainly not pregnant looking. It is flatter and almost devoid of features. The only feature on this side is the neck strap eyelet, which is located behind the eyelet on the opposite side and moves up and down.

From this angle, the viewfinder segment looks ridiculously long  Its rear black eyecup transitions into a central silver panel with the “Super SteadyShot, DSC-H5” text, then into the charcoal gray flash top. To the right of the viewfinder are a ton of buttons and dials on a sideways ‘L’ shape. The lengthier side of the ‘L’ has a large mode dial on the right, with a chrome highlight extending from its left. On the highlight are two buttons: the circular left button activates the image stabilization system and the oval-shaped button on the right turns the camera on and off. Above the huge mode dial are two small oval buttons: the left changes the focus mode and the right enables the burst and bracketing modes. The shiny shutter release button sits comfortably on a platform at the edge of the L’s short end. Finally, the neck strap eyelets are also visible from the top.

 

The view of the bottom shows just how chunky and wide the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H5 really is. The lens barrel looks massive from here, as its barrel takes up the entire right side. At the bottom of the barrel is a little rubber pad that cushions the camera when it’s set upon a table or other surface. A hand grip with a door on the bottom occupies the left side. The door has all sorts of hinges that allow it to partially open and reveal the memory card slot. The same door can also open completely for users to change the batteries – which they will  need to do frequently with this camera. Almost in the center of the H5’s bottom is a quarter-inch tripod socket, with a built-in speaker to its left.