Latest – Review by DevHardware (added 20 February ‘08)
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3 features:
- 8.0 megapixel
- 10x Carl Zeiss® optical zoom lens
- Optical image stabilization
- 1080 HD resolution output
- 2.5 inch LCD
- Face detection
- Sports shooting mode
- ISO range up to 1600
Read More Reviews – (updated 20 February ‘08)
| DevHardware |
 |
| RegHardware |
 |
| DigitalCameraReview |
 |
| DPReview |
|
| PopPhoto |
|
| Digital Trends |
|
| Cameras.co.uk |
|
| Imaging-Resource |
|
| PhotoReview |
|
| GoodGearGuide |
|
| DPExpert |
|
| CNET |
|
 |
DevHardware – 20 February’08 – reviews the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3 and notes this camera has super fast shutter times. Here’s a summary of their review -
“Performance and picture quality are definitely above average. If you take into account speed, quality and ease of use it may not be up to the standards of a DSLR but all things considered most people will really like this camera. Pictures from the H3 are well balanced both in color and tone. Of course as one would expect its high 3200 ISO renders photos that are pretty much unusable so if you’re going to make large prints stay at lower ISO’s.”
RegHardware – 22 January’08 – reviews the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3 and feels this camera will please just about everybody. Here’s a summary of their review -
“This superzoom will keep you happy if you a little more photographic experience and looking for additional control and functionality or if you’re a newbie and want to the camera to do all the work for you. About the only function missing is manual focus.”
DigitalCameraReview – 20 January’08 – reviews the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3 and admits that the DSC-H3 has some pretty extreme barrel distortion. Here’s a summary of their review -
“they were impressed with the overall system performance and characterized image quality as “good.” Sony’s interface did however created a situation where the reviewer stumble while trying to use the camera quickly. Poor high ISO performance (shock) and irritating exposure and white balance problems also kept the reviewer challenged.
Bottom line – the camera just did not seem as refined as some of its competitors.”
DPReview – 15 December’07 – reviews the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3 and admits first looks can be deceiving. Here’s a summary of their review -
“When they first saw the camera it looked more like a toy yet after shooting for awhile the reviewer actually began to get attached to it, as in, like it. Of course it has flaws, what digital camera doesn’t? But, everything works reasonable well with decent photo quality and the image stabilization seems to efficient and stable. for a long zoom point-and-shoot the H3 was a fun take it anywhere digital camera.”
PopPhoto – 12 December’07 – reviews the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3 and notes it’s a clean and simple to use camera. Here’s an excerpt from their review conclusion -
“We wish the 10x zoom was a little wider at the wide end (and with less barrel distortion) for landscape and touring photography, but we do love the nearly 400mm (35mm equiv) reach. There are times when the light is extremely low and not getting the shot is simply not an option. In these situations, the Sony Cyber-shot H3 has a nice feature set that can help make the can’t-miss shot.”
Digital Trends – 10 December’07 – reviews the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3 and was impressed at the quality of the high ISO pictures. Here’s an excerpt from their review conclusion -
“While I liked the Panasonic DMC-TZ3, the Sony DSC-H3 has more positives such as much faster shot-to-shot times and quicker focusing. Image quality was just a tad better, not dramatically different but shooting at higher ISOs delivered less noise. I really wish the H3 had a larger LCD screen and the 28mm option because that would make it a slam dunk winner. As always do your own hands-on test but if it were my money, speed wins out—and the Sony has it to spare.”
Cameras.co.uk – 04 December’07 – reviews the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3 and emphasizes that every aspect of this camera is impressive. Here’s an excerpt from their review conclusion -
“The Sony DSC H3 ticks all the right boxes for me. The picture quality is there and shutter lag times are very impressive. I also like the design of the camera and build quality seems good too. If I was looking for a smaller, super zoom digital camera this would be the one I would buy. “
Imaging-Resource – 14 November’07 – reviews the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3 and really did not like the omission of aperture and shutter priority shooting modes. Here’s an excerpt from their review conclusion -
“Overall, the Sony H3 is a nice little camera that will deliver good shots in most lighting situations, and its extra features and extra fast pre-focus shutter lag are just enough to serve as a quality snapshot camera. However, its increased chromatic aberration at telephoto that runs across the entire frame, plus the limitation of only two aperture settings might prevent most picky SLR shooters from thinking of the Sony H3 has a true SLR replacement.”
PhotoReview – 12 November’07 – reviews the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3 and felt photo taken with the camera had better than average dynamic range. Here’s an excerpt from their review conclusion -
“If you can manage with limited wide-angle coverage and do without a viewfinder, a full range of exposure adjustments and widescreen video recording, the DSC-H3 is a nice little camera that delivers good quality pictures for the money.
We found image noise to be well controlled, making higher ISO settings usable – an unusual feature in a small-sensor digicam – although we recommend staying below ISO 1600 wherever possible.”
GoodGearGuide – 07 November’07 – reviews the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3 and was very impressed by the large feature set. Here’s an excerpt from their review -
“The other nifty thing about this model is the design. Most ultra-zoom cameras are fairly hefty, but by removing the viewfinder and keeping the controls fairly minimal, Sony has managed to keep the H3 down to a manageable size. It is still larger than a standard compact camera, but considering the features and lens we were impressed by how slim it is.”
DPExpert – 05 November’07 – reviews the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3 and warns that to improve picture quality it’s necessary to turn the multi-zone autofocus system off. Here’s their review verdict -
“This could be a camera to take on a holiday. The Panasonic TZs have the advantage of a 28mm focal length at the wide end of the zoom, which would sway us towards that camera, but the Sony is better in the image noise department, producing slightly cleaner images. The high definition image format, in which the pictures are recorded with 1920X1080 pixels, is excellent. This camera is part of the trend to merge still photography with television displays, which means we can expect the return of Uncle Arthur’s slide show any night now. Canon’s new PowerShot SX100IS will soon join the Sony and Panasonic in this compact superzoom category.”
CNET – 17 September’07 – reviews the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H3 and writes;
“If you want a long zoom lens in a camera that’s smaller, if not lighter, than most superzooms, Sony’s DSC-H3 is a decent choice. Since this is a new category, it’s hard to draw comparisons, but when Canon’s Powershot SX100 hits the market in October, we should be able to get a better idea of how this Sony compares with the competition.
The bottom line: If you don’t like EVFs, but want a superzoom, this Sony packs a 10x zoom lens and 8 megapixels into a tiny package, but image quality at higher ISOs is a bit lacking.”
Sample Test Photos
[Sample Test Photos at RegHardware]
[Sample Wide Angle Test Photo Showing Barrel Distortion at DigitalCameraReview]
[Sample Test Photos at DPReview]
[Sample Test Photos at Cameras.co.uk]
[Sample Test Photos at Imaging-Resource]
[Sample Test Photos at PhotoReview]
Specifications
[Official Sony Specifications]
Owners Manual
[Download Owners Manual (PDF)]
Press Release
SAN DIEGO, For parents looking to capture and re-live their children’s back-to-school memories, Sony is introducing a super-zoom digital camera small enough to carry to any school activity.
The new 8-megapixel Cyber-shot DSC-H3 camera has a powerful 10x optical zoom lens for those close-up shots you don’t want to miss, and yet features a super compact form so you can take the camera along anywhere.
High-Definition 1080 HD Output
The model features high-definition component output, putting a high-resolution spin on the family slideshow. By connecting the new camera to any HDTV set with Sony’s VMC-MHC1 high-definition component cable (sold separately), families can see their digital photos the same way they watch their favorite TV shows in full 1080 HD resolution. The camera is equipped with a built-in slide show function so you can view photos, complete with transitions choreographed to your choice of programmed music clips or by adding your own.
Photo TV HD with Sony BRAVIA® Televisions
When the camera is connected to a new Sony BRAVIA® television, photos are optimized for television viewing with Sony’s new “Photo TV HD†mode. This mode brings the look of actual printed photography to the television set, reproducing high-quality digital photos by fine-tuning image parameters, like sharpness, gradation and color specifically for photographs.
Designed to Capture Great Photos
The DSC-H3 model includes a variety of features to ensure parents can document their kids’ activities, from football games to dance recitals and spelling bees. To begin, the new camera features a powerful Carl Zeiss ® 10x optical zoom lens, which makes it ideal for capturing every expression when shooting little stars from the audience. It also includes a long-range flash that lights up subjects farther from the camera. For group shots, moms and dads will appreciate the model’s face detection technology. It identifies up to eight faces in the camera’s 2.5-inch LCD screen, and automatically adjusts for correctly exposed, sharp photos.
Great for Action / Sports Photography
To capture every touchdown, the high-zoom camera also includes Sony’s advanced sports shooting mode, which combines high shutter speed shooting and intelligent continuous auto-focusing. The camera will quickly focus on fast-moving subjects by predicting where they will be in the frame. This technology also helps to reduce shutter lag — the time it takes for the camera to focus and shoot.
Sony Super SteadyShot® Optical Image Stabilization
To reduce chances of blurry photos, the H3 model incorporates Super Steady Shot® optical image stabilization that minimizes blur caused by camera shake. This is an important feature when shooting at slow shutter speeds at full zoom. The unit’s high sensitivity (up to ISO 3200) will also capture well-exposed, natural-looking photos, even in challenging low-light conditions.
Sony’s Dynamic Range Optimizer
Equipped with Sony’s Dynamic Range Optimizer, originally developed for the Alpha digital SLR system, the new camera can analyze captured image data, and instantly determine the best exposure and tonality of each picture before JPEG compression. Other helpful in-camera functions include red-eye correction and photo retouching effects with filters.
Price and Availablity
The Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-H3 camera will ship next month for about $300. Additional accessories will include wide and telephoto conversion lenses, filters, batteries, travel chargers, sports packs and cases. The VMC-HD1 high-definition component cable is currently available for about $40. All can be purchased online at sonystyle.com, at Sony Style® retail stores (www.sonystyle.com/retail), at military base exchanges, and at authorized dealers nationwide. Pre-orders begin on Aug. 23 at www.sonystyle.com.
Current Price Info At Amazon.com
