Well, its quiet surprising to see that, not many people here in mouthshut.com are writing any reviews about bridge camera’s in India. May be it is because this segment is seeing tough competition and there are many websites dedicated to photography & review sites for photo equipments.
Anyways, here is my personal review for all those people like me who trust Mouthshut.com & look for reviews & opinions in it before buying anything thats going to matter them the most.
Let me brief about my photographic interest:
I’m not a professional photographer but I do posses a very keen interest in photography and cameras hence i’ve used many cameras so far. I have always been a DSLR fan but in recent times these bridge cameras have drawn my interest towards them as they come with huge optical zooms and full manual controls with impressive picture quality.
I’m a proud owner of Canon SX40 HS which is there with me since last 2 years. But the Sony’s Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V(launched after I bought my camera) has highly impressed me. My friend bought it last year based on my recommendation and he is very happy with its excellent performance. I’ve been using this camera a lot & quiet extensively and every time it manages to impress me with its impressive results.
Since you can get endless technical reviews out there on various websites, here I wish to keep it simple & non technical for all kind of readers to understand.
Good things I found about Sony Cyber-shot HX200V:
This 30X zoom camera helps you in taking pictures at long distance with crisp & sharp image quality, all thanks to its 18 megapixel image sensor and awesome optical image stabilization system.
The colors of the picture look bright & vivid on its high resolution screen and it is equally eye pleasing when you upload it on computer.
You would really enjoy using features like 360 degree sweep panorama & 3D panorama including GPS when you are touring various places on holidays.
This camera is fast in clicking photos one after the other and has got a very good image processing capability.
You can also use this camera for capturing videos in full HD resolution.
The most important aspect of this camera is that it is easy to use and hassle free to handle.(various control buttons may feel little complicated at the beginning but it will get a lot easier with the increased learning curve).
Performance wise its a very good camera that takes clear images & videos both indoor and outdoor. If you are able to use its vast features and utilize its full capacity then it is really a value for money product.
Last but not the least and the best thing I liked, it is the only Bridge camera that comes with a manual zoom adjustment ring over the outer lens barrel. It really makes us feel like using a DSLR.(though it is only for zoom and not for focus).
Some negative aspects in my opinion:
High price! n that is common with all good bridge cameras in the market. Though you can find some good alternatives at much cheaper price but nothing compared to this one.
Image quality though good but it still lags somewhat behind it’s competitor Canon SX40 hs & their latest Canon SX50 hs which are prices at even higher side. You can only find this image quality difference while printing the image.
It is not for those who are looking for a pocket sized camera. It looks more like a DSLR and the size being somewhat similar, it will take space in your Language. So go for it only if you are sure to manage it.
Well, other than this I’ve hardly come across any negative thing in this camera so far. I would suggest those interested in Sony Cyber-shot HX200V to personally visit the camera store and experience it, since what you read on review sites would make no sense if you don’t feel comfortable while handling it. Also considering its price, you dont purchase such products regularly so make sure you are clear about your final decision.
I hope this review helps you as i’ve tried my best to keep it simple & straight to the points that matter while buying such camera and by avoiding all technical jargons.
Final Verdict:
"There are many good alternative cameras in competition so you can compare this product with any of those. Finally it is your preference and choice over features and various other aspects of photography that leads to a camera buying decision. I personally have used different bridge cameras that are currently in the market but have found this one to be the best camera that suits overall requirements. Though the price is slightly on the higher side(current selling price Rs. 24500/-), it gives you full return for your investment in the form of wonderful features and stunning images."