Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V 10.2MP CMOS Digital Camera with 10x Wide Angle Zoom with Optical Steady Shot Image Stabilization and 3.0 inch LCD
- “Exmor R” CMOS sensor for stunning low-light performance
- iSweep Panorama Mode captures stunning panoramic images
- Fast capture with 10fps at full 10.2-megapixel resolution
- 10x optical zoom Sony G-Lens with 25mm wide angle; 1080i AVCHD Movie records high-quality HD movies
- Recording Media : 45MB internal Flash Memory, optional Memory Stick Duo Media, optional Memory Stick PRO Duo Media, optional Memory Stick PRO Duo (High Speed), optional Memory Stick PRO HG-Duo, optional SD/SDHC media
Capture stunning low-light images and sweeping panoramic views with the DSC-HX5V featuring an “Exmor R” CMOS Sensor. Plus catch fast action shots with up to 10 frames per seconds shooting. Full HD Movie Mode9 records amazingly detailed video and a 25mm equivalent wide angle 10x high-zoom G Lens allows you to take captivating images. featuring an “Exmor R” CMOS Sensor. Plus catch fast action shots with up to 10 frames per seconds shooting. Full HD Movie Mode9 records amazingly detailed video and a 25mm equivalent wide angle 10x high-zoom G Lens allows you to take captivating images.
Price:
Nikon Coolpix S8100 12.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 10x Zoom-Nikkor ED Lens and 3.0-Inch LCD (Black)
- 12.1-megapixel CMOS sensor for high-speed operation and low-light performance
- 10x wide-angle optical Zoom-Nikkor ED glass lens
- 3-inch Ultra-High Resolution (921,000-dot) Clear Color Display
- Full HD (1080p) Movie with Stereo and HDMI Output
- Capture images and video to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)
Nikon CoolPix S8100 12.1MP 10x-Black 26219. Supplied with AN-CP19 Strap; UC-E6 USB Cable; EG-CP16 Audio/Video Cable; EN-EL12 Rechargeable Li-ion Battery; EH-68P Charging AC Adapter; COOLPIX Software Suite CD-ROM
List Price: $ 299.00
Price: $ 299.00
Also Recommended:
Fujifilm FinePix S1800 12.2 MP Digital Camera with 18x Wide Angle Optical Dual Image Stabilized Zoom and 3-Inch LCDFujifilm FinePix S1800 – 12MP, Fujinon 18x Wide Optical Zoom (28 – 504mm), 3.0″ LCD + Viewfinder. Other features include: Face De…
Canon PowerShot SX130IS 12.1 MP Digital Camera with 12x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom with 3.0-Inch LCDThe Canon PowerShot SX130 Digital Camera is more than up to the challenge: it’s got a 12.1MP sensor, a 12x zoom lens (28-336mm equ…
Canon PowerShot ELPH 100 HS 12.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 4X Optical Zoom (Silver)Canon PowerShot ELPH 100 HS 12 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 4X Optical Zoom (Silver)…
Find More Digital Camera Products
Worth the Wait,
I’ve been waiting since late summer for the Canon 4500 and the Nikon s8100 to be released. The Canon came out first, about three weeks ago, and I immediately bought one.I played with it for a week and decided it just didn’t live up to my expectations (in auto mode: flash too bright and uncontrolable, images NOT razor sharp, 36mm lens too narrow). I returned the Canon 4500 and ordered the Nikon s8100 last week.
What a difference! If picture quality is your main concern (which is, of course, every photographers main concern) this little baby really shines. In auto mode, images are razor sharp and super bright with or without flash and throughout the full range of the zoom. I don’t know if it’s the Nikor lense or the auto focus system but these pictures are superior to any point and shoot I’ve ever played with. The Cannons image quality was similar to a lesser priced digital point and shoot. The Nikon is a full step above this.
There are a few small negatives: the worst being the rediculous placement of the pop-up flash. Each time I’ve attempted to take my first flash picture of the day my finger has been over the flash which prevents it from fully opening. At least a note comes on the monitor which tells you that the flash is not fully up. Once the flash is up it stays up until you manually push it down, so it’s not like this problem occurs every time you take a flash photo. I’m sure I’ll find a different way to hold the camera to avoid this annoying problem…but it’s certainly not a deal breaker.
This camera does not have as many manual controls as the Canon 4500 but if I want to get super creative I’ll use my SLR.
It’s also a tad thicker than I’d like (about the size of a cigarette pack) but can still fit in your pocket. However, both the lens and the monitor are not recessed or protected in any way and scratches will be hard to avoid. I’m using a soft suede pouch when it’s in my pocket to protect it.
Overall, I’m very happy with the Nikon s8100 and highly reccomend it for anyone looking for super high quality photos in an easy to use reasonably priced camera.
UPDATE: Took camera out for first extended shoot on Halloween night. Did not perform as well as I’d hoped for. All pix shot in low lite (outdoors, night) in auto mode with flash. Flash way too bright to the point where some pix were washed out with too much lite. Will try previous commenters suggestion of playing with the limited manual controls to attempt to correct this problem. Images NOT as sharp as day time shots without flash.Will update again very soon as I’m taking out the camera again today for day AND night shots.
Was this review helpful to you?
|S8100 was worth the wait!,
OK, I was really wanting the RED Nikon S8100 but apparently only black is available unless you buy it directly from Nikon. I decided to go black because I live in Oregon where there is no sales tax, and Nikon was going to tax me and add $10 to the shipping. Black isn’t all that bad looking anyway and it matches my Cooler Master HAF-X PC case.
I’m upgrading from a Sony DSC-V1. The size of the Nikon is a hair wider, a hair shorter and about half as thick. The DSC-V1 had a po-pup flash in the same area as the S8100 so I was used to holding the camera the correct way already. For those of you that can’t think outside the box, the proper way to hold this camera is to make a gun with your left hand, thumb pointing up, then bend your wrist so the gun is pointing to your right, then place the camera in the gun. RTFM. This tip is printed (and pictured) in the quick start booklet that came with the camera. Once you get used to it, you won’t mind pop-up flashes at all. The only issue you will have is when your dense friends take pictures of you with it and hold the flash down, not knowing any better.
The downgrade from the S8000’s 14 megapixel CCD to the S8100’s 12 megapixel CMOS sensor is no downgrade whatsoever. Megapixels are nearly irrelevant to point and shoot cameras above 12 anyway, and the image quality increase, and low light shooting improvements you get with the CMOS sensor EASILY trump a 2 megapixel increase. I am continuing to be surprised how good my pictures keep turning out, in all light levels.
The 10x optical zoom is great, but what is amazing is how clean the digital zoom is beyond that. I am used to fuzzy or blurry shots when using the digital zoom, but this camera somehow gets around that. The placement of the zoom lever forces you to use your right forefinger instead of your thumb which I’m used to. It felt kind of odd at first, but makes complete logical sense from an ergonomic point of view when you are holding the camera properly. On the opposite side, the macro function floored me. For a point and shoot camera, I never expected a macro this good. It macro shoots better than my Cannon DSLR. I can rest the lens up against the object I’m shooting and the image will still focus good.
The LCD screen on the back is a typical 3″ screen, but a very untypically high quality resolution. It has the highest resolution screen of any point and shoot I could find. You can really see the detail of what you are about to shoot with it. It’s bright and the colors are accurate.
The 1080p video this camera produces is better than I expected. Far better. You can use the zoom feature while rolling AND take stills simultaneously. It also records in stereo sound. Great stuff.
Some people complained that this camera is still a bit too large for their liking. If it was any smaller that it is now, you would not be able to hold it without accidentally pressing a button or something, and it fits in my pocket just fine. Those people must have toothpick fingers or don’t realize that size much smaller than the S8100 really isn’t much of an advantage unless you are some kind of top secret spy or something.
The camera has all the basic features you would want, and several that are kind of neat. Manual on the fly brightness, hue, and vividness adjustments can be handy, the skin softening feature turns your subjects into super models, and the ISO sensitivity range is above average. It has a wind noise reduction option while taking video, and all the features you would use the most are easily and quickly accessible.
I know I’m sounding like a Nikon fanboy now but I’m just so happy with this camera. The only thing I can think of I don’t care for is the rubber stop that plugs the USB port on the bottom of the camera. I prefer a flip door, but this is just my preference.
It comes with surprisingly good full version photo editing software, and even a panoramic stitching program that I’ve yet to try. The full manual is on a CD that comes with it though I prefer a book to look at. The start-up speed (power on to photo ready) is just under 2 seconds. Holy cow batman!
One feature that I haven’t taken advantage of yet but look really useful in action shooting is the high-speed shooting at five full resolution frames at up to 10 frames’per’second, and a pre’shooting cache that records up to two shots before the shutter’release is fully pressed. This will really make it easy to get the action shot you really want. The other feature that I’m very impressed by is the advanced Night Landscape mode which combines a series of five consecutive shots taken at a fast shutter speed into a single image with reduced noise when taking hand held shots. Dark backgrounds turn out very visible without over lighting the subject. Very cool technology idea.
In summery, I feel like the $299 I paid for…
Read more
Was this review helpful to you?
|Nice,
I’m comparing this camera to my most recent camera: Canon SD1000 and Sony TX1. I’m just a casual photographer. The most surprising thing about this camera is the weight. If you’ve owned some high end Sony or Canon PowerShot cameras then holding this camera doesn’t “feel” normal, it’s way too light for it’s size…but that’s a good thing….sort of. They achieve this weight reduction by using plastic for many of the body parts (the SD1000 and TX1 are mostly, if not all metal). The back is definitely plastic, I’m not quite sure about the front. The mode dial (although very welcome) feels cheap.
That’s about it for the bad news. The good news is the GPS locks FAST out of the box and the picture quality is very good, on par with 10-12 mega-pixel cameras. The Sony “extra” features such as panorama and 1080 HD video work as advertised and add value to the Sony versus the only current competitor (with GPS and a mega-zoom) the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 which has not been released yet. You can compare images between the two cameras on the Imaging Resource site as well as some others.
I’m was going to purchase both this camera and the Panasonic to see which one I liked better, however I’m going to be keeping the Sony. I’m very happy with the ease of use, picture quality and the Sony extra features (such as panorama).
For a case, I’m using the Case Logic TBC302. It fits the camera perfectly with barely enough room in the front pocket to hold a spare battery. The Case Logic TBC303 is much larger but not too useful, for example you can’t put the battery charger with the camera. It could hold some credit cards or papers, though.
Update: Software
I usually never install the included software because it’s so bloated or just not very good to use. However, the Sony PMB (which is on a CDROM or on the internal camera memory when plugged into your computer) is VERY good. Good in that it’s not bloated and it just works. You can do everything you expect such as organize and edit your photos or even update/assign GPS data. Also you can download updated GPS data (which helps the camera lock to GPS faster). I would dare say the software is nicer than Picasa or iPhoto due to the speed and built in GPS features. Some other things you can do but I have not tried yet: you can burn a video DVD (either a normal DVD or a AVCHD DVD with 1080i quality, but you need a PS3 or compatible player to watch those).
Update: GPS
I’m happy to report the GPS function works very well. I took a drive while snapping pictures as a test and then examined the recorded locations. The location was being actively updated because it was able to differentiate my position between shots taken seconds apart going about 40 MPH. Very pleased.
Update: Picture Quality
On closer inspection, the picture quality is a bit soft..I wish I could have the camera automatically adjust the sharpening inside the camera (make it more sharp) but this is not a big deal as the PMB software has easy edit controls. You can also manually unsharp after you take the photograph. The low light performance is remarkable, especially the low-light modes that actively combine multiple images (hand-held twilight and back-light HDR modes do this). As long as you’re steady and you’re not shooting a moving subject you can get some pretty remarkable, low-noise images at night.
Other final comment: when you turn the camera off, there is a slight delay (fraction of a second) before the lens retracts. Not really an issue but just something I’m not used to with my previous cameras and something I just noticed as I’m usually taking quick impromptu photos, on..photo…off. The interface, although totally functional, is not as “refined” as on my Sony TX1 (with touch screen), the LCD resolution is noticeably lower but, again, totally functional.
The mode dial is still bugging me, I feel it’s the first thing on this camera that will go…But only time will tell.
Was this review helpful to you?
|Every Feature You’ve Wanted in a Compact Camera,
I’m usually a digital SLR user, but I’ve been waiting for a camera like this to come out so I have something to put in my pocket. The features that really made me decide to buy this camera were:
1. AVCHD 1080i FULL QUALITY video. Check the bitrate — it’s the same as the camcorders. Better than the flip or handheld ‘HD’ bitrates
2. Wide Picture Stitching. I am astounded by the quality of these pictures. Dumbfounded. Check out the ones I’ve posted.
3. GPS Tagging. Yep- been waiting for this since iPhoto introduced the feature into its software.
4. Low-light performance. For a point-and-shoot, you’re not going to beat this. Sure, it’s no DSLR, but it’s pretty great for the price.
5. Price- a zillion features and a totally reasonable price!!!
Mac Compatibility:
I tried out the camera with iMovie, and it worked seamlessly!!! I imported 2 minutes of low-light video footage AVCHD in about 30 seconds from an SDHC Class-6 card. Also used the camera with iPhoto and Aperture, and everything worked great.
Update: I’ve had time to play around with the different settings — you can see some of my results in the customer uploaded images. The panoramas today came out great! I am still awed by this feature (amazon’s tiny photos don’t do it justice). Shooting inside in the MOMA was excellent. Outside, I tried the HDR mode, with limited success (still need to experiment, but see what I got). The handheld twilight mode does what it is supposed to, impressively.
Was this review helpful to you?
|