digital camera Archives

Awesome Camera Under $500: Sony High Zoom H Series Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V

April 17, 2012 by Momstart 5 Comments

My favorite Sony cyber-shot for the zoom is the Sony High Zoom H Series Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V. This camera is spectacular and even better than my Canon just because I don’t have a lens that zooms this far. The Sony High Zoom H Series Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V zooms up to 30x optical zoom, 60x virtual zoom via Clear Image Zoom” technology. You will not believe the quality until you try it. Check out this view from my room:

“Full-featured, ultra high zoom (30x)”

A little closer

A whole lot closer:

Here are more reasons to love the HIGH-ZOOM H SERIES CYBER-SHOT:

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V

The Features:

· Photo Creativity interface and 9 “Picture Effect” options for creating unique, custom-styled photos and video

Sad on my part, I didn’t know this camera had the picture effect features when it was my turn to use it. I should have explored the camera better while I was playing with it. I was so enamored with the zoom on this beauty that I never uncovered how much this camera could do. But with all the other cameras I used, I loved the photo creativity interface and this camera could have only been better than the others right?

· GPS geo-tagging functionality

I don’t always want people to know where we are, but when traveling this is data I love to have. Remember when looking at old photos, actual photos not digital, and you have to write the date and location on the photos, and the ones you didn’t write on you have no idea where they were taken. I look at old photos my parents have and have no clue where or when they were taken. Digital photos can store all kinds of information along with the photo, and this camera adds GPS tagging to your photos. So I’ll always remember these trees were in Sedona.

· 27mm equivalent Carl Zeiss™ Vaio Sonnar T lens with 30x optical zoom, 60x virtual zoom via “Clear Image Zoom” technology

As I mentioned above, AMAZING. I was so distracted by the zoom on this camera that I forgot about everything else the camera might be capable of doing.

· Lightning-fast AF speed of approximately 0.1 second in daylight, 0.2 seconds in low-light

· Full HD Movie Shooting capability (1920×1080/60p) and three-way Optical image stabilization with “Active Mode”

I took some video using the camera, I also took some 3D photos. I was sad to find out that I couldn’t view them unless I had a 3D TV.

Other Features you might find interesting

· 3.0-inch (8.3cm) Xtra Fine™ 921k dot LCD screen

· “Extra High Sensitivity” technology enhances low-light shooting capabilities

· Captures 13.5 MP still images while shooting video via “Dual-Record”

· 18 MP “Exmor R” CMOS sensor

· Manual Focus ring for adjusting focus accordingly

The Sony H Series Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V is available in black for approximately $480

Sony paid for all travel expenses to Sedona.

Our Favorite Little Point & Shoot: The Sony DSC-WX9 Cyber Shot Camera

December 29, 2011 by Momstart 12 Comments

I always joke about being remembered as the blogger with the big camera. I remember meeting people as I started traveling for MomStart and then people would say Oh yeah, you’re the blogger with the big camera. You see, I have a Canon 50D and I love it, but it’s huge and heavy, so I’m always looking for a little point and shoot camera that meets my needs but I’m always disappointed. Until I met the Sony DSC-WX9 Cyber Shot!

Sony’s DSC-WX9 Cyber-shot camera is as lightweight as it is functional. With easy-to-use features like automatic snapshots it is truly user-friendly and portable, perfect for those “mini-photographers” out there. This rechargeable WX9 prides itself on a high performance video mode, with features such as “Sweep Panorama” mode and a “Superior Auto” mode and has an ultra, high-resolution 921,000-dot screen for crystal clear images. The WX9 starts at $199.99 and comes in red, silver and black.

That’s the sales pitch and here’s what I like:

The Sony Cyber Shot takes great shots and works faster than any other point and shoot we’ve ever tested. My kids are used to the instant camera and getting them to sit still for other cameras is impossible. I love that we’re still able to capture them with this camera. I also love how small and compact it is. I can put it in my purse. The kids can carry it and they can take really great photos with it all by themselves. My husband’s favorite photo now is this one that my daughter took with the Sony Cyber-Shot.

Plus Miles took this one

The camera also performs very well at night. While I was out of town they all went to Bellevue for the snow, and captured great shots of the fun and sent them to me so I could see what they were up to. For low-light environments, the back-illuminated "Exmor R" CMOS sensor delivers stunning performance and increases sensitivity by 2x to reduce noise. With a built-in backlight correction feature, this camera intelligently analyzes the image and adjusts its settings automatically.Intelligent Sweep Panorama^™ HR mode reaches beyond the traditional wide angle lens in incredibly detailed high resolution.

Basically the AUTO on this camera is amazing. The Auto on the Sony Cyber Shot is better than the AUTO on our Canon 50D.

For my husband it’s great that it has the stabilization he has really shaky hands. The Optical SteadyShot™ image stabilization uses a built-in gyro sensor to detect camera shake and automatically shifts the lens to help prevent blur without sacrificing image quality. In addition to the stabilization is the Anti-motion blur mode. When set in Anti-motion Blur Mode, the DSC-WX9 captures six images in a fraction of a second with higher shutter speed and combines the data from all six to create a single image of extraordinary detail and dramatically reduce subject blur, beyond the capability of traditional cameras.

The Sony WX9 Cyber Shot actually takes great HD video too. you can transfer full 1080i clarity and smooth motion. You can record crystal clear movies at the highest resolution available with capabilities for 60i in 1080 AVCHD. This provides stunning, fast motion video with less distortion for playback on your HD TV.

Here’s what I don’t like.

Of course with any smaller point and shoot it’s going to be slower, but it is the fastest I’ve ever used
I also dislike the red eye that it seems to pick up and it doesn’t charge over USB, we think it should.

Overall we’re very happy with the Sony Cyber Shot! My husband loves this camera and whenever he LOVES a piece of technology I feel that’s a HUGE stamp of approval because he stays up to date with all things techy!

We received a camera to review from Sony.

The Cake That Broke My Camera

September 4, 2011 by Momstart 26 Comments

This is a picture of the cake that broke my camera.

It’s so ugly it broke my camera. Yes I’m serious my camera is broken, but that’s now how it happened. It’s my husband’s birthday this week. So the family made a cake (it’s tradition to make a cake with the kids), and I’m quite excited to share the recipe and experience with you but first I have to break the bad news. My camera is a little bit broken. (The cake tastes really good just so you know)

I’m a little bit sad, my camera is sick, ok, my camera flash is actually dead. It’s the external flash and any of you that have met me probably know my camera. It’s an extended addition to the being/blogger known as Momstart. In fact, I’ve often been recognized as the blogger with the big camera.

I have some trips coming up and I HAVE to have a working camera, I was thinking about learning to use my camera without the flash but I just don’t’ think I could learn how to use it in all it’s glory without a flash in three weeks. So I ordered a new flash and a few new accessories to go with it.

This is on the way!

Canon Speedlite 430EX II Flash for Canon Digital SLR Cameras

Stofen OM-EW Omni Bounce For Canon 430EX White

Opteka SB-1 Mini Universal Studio Soft Box Flash Diffuser for Canon EOS, Nikon, Olympus, Pentax, Sony, Sigma, & Other External Flash Units

Yes, I’m making my big camera even bigger. I’m a little excited about it, but sad at the same time. I hate spending money. And it’s all thanks to that silly cake. I forgot to tell you what happened. The camera was dropped in the process of taking the final photos of the cake. We think the flash sacrificed itself in order to save the camera. Thank God the camera didn’t break.