Sony’s Cyber-shot HX50V: A 30x Optical Zoom in a Small and Light Camera

Dan Cohen

11 years ago

Gear Diary is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn More.

Sony's Cyber-shot HX50V: A 30x Optical Zoom in a Small and Light Camera

When the smartphone market exploded the point and shoot camera market went into a nosedive. That's not a surprise since, for many of us, our iPhones or Galaxy 3 does a perfectly good job of letting us grab shots on the go. In addition, thanks to powerful applications and ubiquitous connectivity we are now able to play with our pictures on the go and then share them… In seconds. Still, there is a market for cameras that are small and powerful and sit somewhere between a smartphone camera and a big, bulky DSLR. Songs been doing some nice things in this market and they just keep getting better and better. Take, for example, the impressive new Cyber-shot HX50 camera compact camera. Boasting a high-resolution 20.4MP Image sensor, it packs Wi-Fi and much much more. The Cyber-shot HX50 camera is small. It measures just 4.4”x2.6”x1.2” and weighs just over 9.5 oz. That makes it the world’s smallest and lightest camera with 30x optical zoom capability.

Despite the emergence of smart phone cameras in today’s market, the HX50V model gives photographers plenty of reason to invest in a dedicated pocket camera. It’s wide-ranging 30x optical zoom gives users more freedom to pick their shooting subject and position, and its extensive, advanced imaging capabilities give shooters the peace of mind that image quality will never be compromised – every scene will be given the color, detail and clarity that it deserves. This powerful combination of size and performance makes the HX50 an especially unique, versatile camera.

The Cyber-shot HX50V includes numerous features to help you take great shots on the go! It packs Optical SteadyShot image stabilization to reduce camera shake and blur at all ranges, has a high-resolution 20.4 megapixel sensor and a powerful BIONZ processor. This allows the HX50V camera to produce high-resolution, high-quality images in all types of lighting conditions.

Onboard Wi-Fi capabilities let the camera utilize Sony’s PlayMemories Mobile application. This, in turn, allows a connected device to be used as a wireless remote. (It is available for both Android and iOS app platforms.) to wirelessly transfer photos and videos to a connected smartphone or tablet.

One of the advantages of the HX50V is its simplicity. It will let people take great pictures on the fly. At the same time the camera isn't JUST for people who want simplicity. The camera has a dedicated exposure compensation dial and a P/A/S/M model dial for adjusting other manual shooting settings. A Multi Interface Shoe lets you attach compatible accessories such as an electronic viewfinder, flash, or microphone.

The HX50V also makes a great, pocket-sized camcorder. It shoots full HD (60p) movies that “benefit from Optical SteadyShot Active mode”. This helps reduce shake and image blur if the camera is in motion. And if you like playing with your pictures the HX50V has you cover too, offering Pop Color, Partial Color, Soft High-Key and more.

The Cyber-shot HX50V compact digital camera will be available next month for about $450. You,can learn more here on the Sony Style blog.