Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H9 - Expert Reviews

Review summary: The Cyber-shot DSC-H9 ($479) is Sony's top-of-the-line ultra zoom camera. It features a whopping 15X optical zoom lens, optical image stabilization, tilting 3-inch LCD display, full manual controls, infrared "NightShot" shooting, and much more. It ...

Pros: 15X optical zoom lens ; Optical image stabilization ; Large, tilting 3-inch LCD display ; sharp, with good low light visibility ; Full manual controls ; Fast focus, shot-to-shot speeds ; AF-assist lamp ; good low light focusing ; Nice continuous ...

Cons: Soft images with smudged details due to heavy noise reduction ; Strong purple fringing for an ultra zoom in 2007 ; Build quality a step down from previous models ; slippery right hand grip ; Redeye a problem, though it can be removed in playback mode ...

Verdict: What can we conclude from this chart? For one, the H9's battery life is about 20% worse than its predecessor, the DSC-H5. You can probably thank the huge LCD and anemic battery for that. In the ultra zoom group as a whole, the camera's numbers are a ...

Review summary: Sony's impeccable silvery zoomer

Pros: Great lens; HD output; Quick focusing

Cons: Flimsy-feeling build; LCD not pin-sharp

Verdict: A top snapper, but not the best

Review summary: The DSC-H9 is mighty fast, blasting more than 18 JPEGs in 10 seconds, with no shutter delay for single shots - great for sports and outdoor snaps. But this speedy camera also blurs life's details: Object edges glow and colors bleed on nearly every ...

Pros: LCD tilts up and down for extreme-angle shots. Face-recognition technology is smart enough to fire fill-flash in harsh sunlight. 15X optical zoom.

Cons: Tiny viewfinder nearly useless. No RAW support. Shadow details can be grainy even in daylight. Noise ruins darker shots.

Review summary: The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H9 digital camera is Sony's flagship model in the "super-zoom" arena and does so with quite a list of features.

Pros: Large 3 inch LCD ; Carl Zeiss 15X lens ; Diopter adjustment on viewfinder ; Good quick AF and shutter ; Face Detection ; Multiple Metering Modes ; Macro Mode ; Histogram Display ; Steady Shot (Image Stabilization) ; Flash Adjustment ; Exposure ...

Cons: Dim LCD in Bright Light ; Poor Viewfinder ; Mode Dial easily moved ; Soft details in shadows ; Image noise above ISO 400 ; No Raw Mode ; Full battery charge requires 5.5 Hours ; Aperture ranges only to f8

Verdict: Sony Electronics, Inc

Review summary: This mode combines high shutter speed shooting and intelligent continuous auto-focusing. The cameras can quickly focus on fast-moving subjects by predicting where those subjects will be in the frame. This predictive technology also helps to reduce ...

Verdict: The H9 camera takes fast-action shooting a step further. It sports a 3-inch, flip-up LCD screen so that you can shoot comfortably from nearly any position. You can hold the camera low to the ground for eye- level shots of kids, without having to ...