Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H50B

Author's product rating:   

Picture Quality	Excellent
Range & Quality of Features	Excellent
Ease of Use	Easy
Durability	Excellent
Overall Look & Design	Excellent
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	state - of - the - art optics, big tilting screen, optical stabilizer, face&smile detection
Disadvantages:	awkward jog dial, lens hood ridiculously big

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Just bought the H50 several days ago. Having had the H1 for some years, this was a natural move for me - I trust the quality and the longevity of Sony products, and when I saw the H50 advertised with all its benefits, I knew it was the best upgrade for me.

I am impressed with it, to say the least. The camera is as I expected and more. Compared with H1, it's sleeker, easier to work with, smarter in terms of menu and options. It's also very intelligent and intuitive, with numerous presets and creative modes. Sony have also made a clever decision bringing some of their Alpha line features into this camera.

There are a lot of qualities in the H50, but these make in my opinion the top of the list:

1. LCD screen - it's bright, big (3 inches) and tilting. It tilts only up and down (not left and right), which is still perfect for taking pictures at ground level or in crowded places, over people's heads. Also, the screen shows plenty of useful information, as you might expect, including a live histogram, if selected.

2. Sony's proprietary face / smile detection - very nice features. The camera can detect faces and smiles and can help synchronizing the perfect "kodak moment". Tried to use the face detection on my dog, just for the fun of it, but it was a bit of a stretch :)

3. optical zoom - it goes as far as 15x, which means a range from 31mm to 465 mm (35mm equivalent) - not bad at all. The zoom is also fast and precise. I was surprised to see that the result is accurate even at the long end of the zoom, with very little fringing or vignetting - probably thanks to the zeiss optics.

4. image stabilizer - this camera comes with super steady shot, Sony's optical stabilizing mechanism. It is said to be more effective than the electronic stabilizer, but I couldn't quite test it yet.

5. in-camera picture editing - there are several in-camera picture editing options, which makes it easier to be creative with a photo in the absence of a computer and specialized software. For instance, there is an option in which you can add a starburst effect to the bright dots in the picture, creating a fairytale feel.

6. supplied accessories - the camera comes with a number of useful accessories, including battery and charger, lens hood and remote control. I am particularly happy with the remote, considering that I like taking pictures at night with slow shutter speeds, which requires the camera to be in absolute stand-still.

Weak points:

1. H1 had a very useful jog dial placed in front of the camera, just below the shutter release button. Sony have decided to move this dial on the back of the H50, surrounding the up-and-down-left-and-right control button that has become so usual on digital cameras (and remote controls) lately. This makes it awkward to work with both the multidirectional controls and the dial.

2. the lens hood is flower-type and is too big for this camera. I am sure it's this big for a reason, but still…

Nevertheless, for all the reasons above, I believe the H50 to be the best camera on the market within its segment - SLR-like, ~400$ price range. I recommend it to anyone, whether more or less advanced.