Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-H1 Digital Camera
- Digital Zoom: 2x
- Camera Type: Standard Point and Shoot
- Weight: 1.01 lb.
- LCD Screen Size: 2.5 in.
- Resolution: 5.1 Megapixel
- Optical Zoom: 12x
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A high quality point and shoot camera, but does not compare to a DSLR.
Pros
Excellent manual modes and settings, you can attach 58mm filters and add-on lenses.
Cons
Quality is not up to SLR standards.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
Do not buy this camera as a replacement for a DSLR. If you don't need DSLR quality, this camera will make good prints up to 8x10.
I have had my DSC-H1 for nearly 2 years now, and I have to say it has been a great learning experience. This is a great learning camera because it is one of the few "point and shoot" digital cameras that features fully manual operation.
My interest in photography began around the year 2000 when I acquired a fully manual Nikon F 35mm SLR camera from the 1960's. The process of learning how to use a manual camera was a crash course in the mechanics of photography, and it helped my composition immeasurably. When I was ready to step up to the digital realm, I would not settle for anything less than a camera that was capable of the fully manual photography that I had become accustomed to. The DSC-H1's manual capabilities are excellent for a point and shoot camera. You get modes like "programmed mode", "aperture priority", "shutter priority", and "full manual". There are also a set of automatic programs that you can choose from for things like nightime and backlight conditions, as well as a high-speed sports mode. You can manually set your ISO speed, white balance, color saturation (a great feature that I use a lot), contrast, and sharpness. You can also focus manually if you like, although it's a bit cumbersome.
I am a backcountry explorer. I hike, ski, snowboard, climb, you name it. I like to bring my camera into the backcountry to get photos that are beyond the range of most photographers who prefer to set up their tripod next to their car. My old Nikon F was a burden in the backcountry; the camera and lenses were very heavy. So for my next camera I wanted high-quality photos without a lot of weight. The Sony DSC-H1 seemed to be exactly what I wanted. The large zoom range and fairly high-quality image sensor meant I could get the photos I wanted in a small size and light weight package with no interchangeable lenses to fool around with.
This really is a good outdoor camera for a point and shoot. Under a bright sun in perfect weather conditions, this camera takes photos about as well as a decent Digital SLR. But as conditions become less than perfect, the DSC-H1 demonstrates that point and shoot cameras are still no match for a good SLR. As the amount of light drops, photos begin to look grainy even at the lowest ISO setting (ISO 64). ISO 64 and 100 are about the only usable speeds on this camera, faster ISO's are very grainy by current photography standards, even in good light. A "grainy" photo means that there are little dots of different colors (and black) in the darker parts of the image, instead of everything being smooth and realistic looking. Indoor photos are really hit and miss with this camera; if the light isn't just right, they come out pretty bad. The flash tends to distort the colors quite a bit, so I try not to use it as much as possible. These are all failings common to point and shoot cameras, so I wouldn't say this camera is any worse than the competition. Just don't expect results comparable to a professional photographer.
Over time, my photography began to exceed the capabilities of this camera. I began using filters, and when I would use a polarizer to get the sky tone that I wanted, the sky would appear extremely grainy. Now keep in mind that you can't even attach filters to most point and shoot cameras, so this model is still a one-up on many, as long as you don't over-do the effect you are trying to produce.
The problem is that the image sensor is just not comparable to the more expensive DSLR cameras. It is much smaller and can only capture so much detail. A lot of the price of the Digital SLR's is in the image sensor, and in that regard, I have not found a point and shoot camera that can compare. I have begun to sell my backcountry photography, so I now have to upgrade to a Digital SLR to capture the type of images that really sell. I have been able to sell a couple photos that I created with the DSC-H1, but the quality could really be better, so it's time to move on.
When I bought the DSC-H1, I was hoping for a small and light alternative to a Digital SLR, and unfortunately I learned that point and shoot cameras really haven't got the quality right just yet. Maybe in time, point and shoot cameras will match DSLR's in quality, but that time is not here yet. But if you are only interested in snapshots, this will take better shots than most cameras out there.
My interest in photography began around the year 2000 when I acquired a fully manual Nikon F 35mm SLR camera from the 1960's. The process of learning how to use a manual camera was a crash course in the mechanics of photography, and it helped my composition immeasurably. When I was ready to step up to the digital realm, I would not settle for anything less than a camera that was capable of the fully manual photography that I had become accustomed to. The DSC-H1's manual capabilities are excellent for a point and shoot camera. You get modes like "programmed mode", "aperture priority", "shutter priority", and "full manual". There are also a set of automatic programs that you can choose from for things like nightime and backlight conditions, as well as a high-speed sports mode. You can manually set your ISO speed, white balance, color saturation (a great feature that I use a lot), contrast, and sharpness. You can also focus manually if you like, although it's a bit cumbersome.
I am a backcountry explorer. I hike, ski, snowboard, climb, you name it. I like to bring my camera into the backcountry to get photos that are beyond the range of most photographers who prefer to set up their tripod next to their car. My old Nikon F was a burden in the backcountry; the camera and lenses were very heavy. So for my next camera I wanted high-quality photos without a lot of weight. The Sony DSC-H1 seemed to be exactly what I wanted. The large zoom range and fairly high-quality image sensor meant I could get the photos I wanted in a small size and light weight package with no interchangeable lenses to fool around with.
This really is a good outdoor camera for a point and shoot. Under a bright sun in perfect weather conditions, this camera takes photos about as well as a decent Digital SLR. But as conditions become less than perfect, the DSC-H1 demonstrates that point and shoot cameras are still no match for a good SLR. As the amount of light drops, photos begin to look grainy even at the lowest ISO setting (ISO 64). ISO 64 and 100 are about the only usable speeds on this camera, faster ISO's are very grainy by current photography standards, even in good light. A "grainy" photo means that there are little dots of different colors (and black) in the darker parts of the image, instead of everything being smooth and realistic looking. Indoor photos are really hit and miss with this camera; if the light isn't just right, they come out pretty bad. The flash tends to distort the colors quite a bit, so I try not to use it as much as possible. These are all failings common to point and shoot cameras, so I wouldn't say this camera is any worse than the competition. Just don't expect results comparable to a professional photographer.
Over time, my photography began to exceed the capabilities of this camera. I began using filters, and when I would use a polarizer to get the sky tone that I wanted, the sky would appear extremely grainy. Now keep in mind that you can't even attach filters to most point and shoot cameras, so this model is still a one-up on many, as long as you don't over-do the effect you are trying to produce.
The problem is that the image sensor is just not comparable to the more expensive DSLR cameras. It is much smaller and can only capture so much detail. A lot of the price of the Digital SLR's is in the image sensor, and in that regard, I have not found a point and shoot camera that can compare. I have begun to sell my backcountry photography, so I now have to upgrade to a Digital SLR to capture the type of images that really sell. I have been able to sell a couple photos that I created with the DSC-H1, but the quality could really be better, so it's time to move on.
When I bought the DSC-H1, I was hoping for a small and light alternative to a Digital SLR, and unfortunately I learned that point and shoot cameras really haven't got the quality right just yet. Maybe in time, point and shoot cameras will match DSLR's in quality, but that time is not here yet. But if you are only interested in snapshots, this will take better shots than most cameras out there.
