Huge 63x zoom camera leads Sony's new compacts (pictures)
Sony has a whole bunch of new Cyber-shot compact cameras, boasting enormous zoom lenses and new image processors that promise more detailed photos with less noise.
Andrew Lanxon
Andrew is CNET's go-to guy for product coverage and lead photographer for Europe. When not testing the latest phones, he can normally be found with his camera in hand, behind his drums or eating his stash of home-cooked food. Sometimes all at once.
Sony has taken the wraps off a whole bunch of new Cyber-shot compact digital cameras, boasting huge zoom ranges and the latest Sony image processors. First up is the Cyber-shot H400. This bridge camera has a 20-megapixel sensor and will set you back £250 ($320) when it goes on sale in April.
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More impressive than its megapixels however is its whopping 63x optical zoom lens. That's monstrous zoom will seriously come in handy for getting up close and personal with lions, without any risk of losing your arm.
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The lens starts at an ultrawide-angle 24.5mm and extends to 1543.5mm. (And, yes, there is optical image stabilization.)
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It's a hefty thing, but you just can't pack in that kind of zoom into small bodies.
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Major settings are quickly changed using the chunky button on top.
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Next up is the Cybershot HX60V, a 20.4-megapixel camera, launching for £340 in March. This model was not announced for the U.S., however.
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The HX60V boasts a 20.4-megapixel image sensor, along with Sony's new Bionz X image processor, which Sony claims provides more detailed images along with lower noise levels in low-light situations.
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It has a 30x zoom lens shoved inside, too.
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It has NFC and Wi-Fi on board as well as GPS. The Cybershot HX60 (without the V) is physically identical but doesn't have GPS, knocking £10 off the price.
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It has a 3-inch LCD display on the back.
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It has various scene modes, or you can flip it into manual mode to fine tune shutter speed and white balance.
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Lastly, we have the HX400 -- the bigger brother to the H400. Although it has a lesser 50x zoom, it makes up for it with better quality optics. It'll cost £420 ($499) in March.
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It's chunky size is very similar to the H400. You won't fit it into your pocket, but even a small handbag should accommodate its size.
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Its cheaper sibling might have a bigger zoom, but 50x is still a hell of a lot of zoom to play with.
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If you can't get close enough to your subject with that zoom, just try walking closer.
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It has a 3-inch LCD or you can use the electronic viewfinder (which saves on battery life).
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The LCD can be tilted out to help get the best view in awkward angles.
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It too has a range of shooting modes and various scene modes.
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You'll find GPS on board, too.
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It has a high-quality Carl Zeiss lens, along with a 20.4-megapixel sensor and Bionz X image processor.
