Sony DSC H5 Review

The Sony DSC H5 is a super zoom digital camera with a long 12x optical zoom lens. Compared to other similar digital cameras the seven megapixels it offers places it towards the top end in this category. The long lens is supported by image stabilisation and the DSC H5 also offers a very large 3" LCD screen.

It has a number of advanced controls similar to those you would find on a Digital SLR camera. Therefore it is likely to appeal to someone who is serious about their photography, but does not want the expense of buying a Digital SLR.

I was impressed with just about all the images produced by the DSC H5. What I like the most is the vividness of the shots. All my test shots are bright and colourful. Another feature I like is the level of sharpness in each of the shots. Focusing is very good and the DSC H5 also manages to retain sharpness levels up to the edge of each picture.

Looking at the first outdoor shot it is certainly sharper than I am used to seeing. The brickwork and tiles on the roof of the building stand out well. Other highlights of this shot include the way the camera manages to handle glare from the sun and the way it is able to pick out detail in general. All in all this is a well balanced photo.

The next outdoor shot is taken without using any zoom at all. The DSC H5 makes a good attempt at focusing in this photo. Many cameras really struggle with this photo, but here the end result is pleasing. Levels of darkness in the corner of the photo and in the darker area under the trees to the left of the photo are also handled well.

Purple fringing shows up quite strongly in the third outdoor shot. This occurs around the edges of bright objects. This was also noticeable around the edges of some of the trees in the second photo where they met the sky. Purple fringing is where a thin purple line is added to the edges of light coloured objects.

The outdoor and indoor portrait shots are of a decent standard too. As with many Sony digital cameras I would like to see a touch more colour in the outdoor portrait shot. I think the skin tones could do with boosting up a bit. Indoors the camera takes an excellent portrait. There is no red eye and the photo is well lit and also very sharp. This is one of the better ones I have managed to take.

Likewise the camera produces a very bright photo of the beer bottles. This is taken in more or less complete darkness and suggests that the camera will work well in lowlight conditions as long as you are not too far away from your subject. The photo is pleasingly sharp considering the conditions.

Not surprisingly the dedicated test for colours produces a strong result. I think it is the depth of colour the camera is able to produce that helps to lift the photos taken with the DSC H5 above the ordinary.

The macro shot is a real winner. I have noticed that other larger digital cameras tend to outperform some of the more compact models when it comes to close up shots. The bright, clear shot taken by the DSC H5 helps to uphold this reputation.

At higher ISO ratings the camera puts in an average performance. It is a shame that the camera does not quite hit the target here and there is a fair bit of deterioration in picture quality at ISO 400. This is even more in evidence at ISO 1000.

I was able to take a single shot in 0.23 seconds and five shots in 6.95 seconds. Both of these are fast times and you should have little problem with shutter delay issues with the DSC H5.

You can compare this camera to other models by taking a look at the Shutter Lag Comparison Table.

The 12x optical zoom lens has a focal length equivalent to 36 - 432mm. 2x digital zoom is available too. The camera also offers smart zoom. The maximum amount of smart zoom available is 57 times. This is only available at the lowest possible resolution and the amount of smart zoom available decreases as you use more megapixels.

For focusing you can select from 3 Area Multi-Point AF, Center AF and Flexible Spot AF. Manual focusing is also available. For close up work the camera can focus from 2cm away from the subject.

For composing images there is a 3" LCD screen. This is an excellent size and makes composing images and controlling the camera very easy. There is also an electronic viewfinder.

The pop up flash unit has a maximum range of 16m. This falls to nine meters when the zoom lens is in use. This is a very powerful flash. You can also increase and decrease the level of flash when you need to. Flash modes are Auto, Forced On, Forced Off, Slow Synch. Red eye reduction can be turned on and off.

To help you take the best possible photos there are a small number of pre programmed scene modes. These are Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Portrait, Landscape, Beach, High-speed shutter and High Sensitivity. When you select a scene mode it indicates to the camera the type of photo you are about to take. The camera will then use what it considers to be the optimum settings for the shot.

Colours can be changed. You can choose between vivid, sepia and black and white. Levels of contrast and sharpness can also be adjusted.

For when you would like to appear in a photo there is a self timer. This has a delay time of two or ten seconds.

To take greater control over the way your photos will look fully manual, aperture priority and shutter priority modes are available. Shutter speeds work in the range 30 seconds to 1/2000 seconds. Apertures work in the range f2.8-8.0 (W), f3.7-8.0 (T), 10-step f2.8-8.0.

There are a number of other advanced features. These include ISO sensitivity (Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1000), white balance (Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent, Incandescent, Flash, Manual), metering (multi, spot and centre) and exposure compensation (±2.0EV, 1/3EV steps).

Three types of burst mode are available. The first is a standard mode. This allows you to take up to five shots at a rate of 1.1 frames per second. Next is a low resolution mode where you can reel off up to 100 shots. Finally there is a multi burst mode. This takes sixteen mini pictures and combines them inside a grid within a single image.

Movies can be recorded at a maximum resolution of 640 x 480 pixels. The top shooting speed is thirty frames per second. Movies with sound can be recorded up to the capacity of the memory card. Zoom is available whilst the movie is being recorded.

Sony supplies all the necessary cables and software to connect the DSC H5 to a television, computer and a PictBridge compatible printer.

The camera has a filter diameter of 58mm. An adapter is supplied. The camera is also compatible with a small number of conversion lenses.

I tend to think that Sony digital cameras are pretty easy to use in general. Although the DSC H5 has the extra complexity that comes with a set of manual exposure controls the camera itself keeps it simple. The menus are easy to use and you should find all the necessary buttons and dials in the right places on the top and back of the camera.

You can pick up a Sony DSC H5 for around £285. This compares to around £285 for a Canon Powershot S3 IS, £215 for a Panasonic DMC FZ7 and £235 for an Sony DSC H2.

There is not a lot to choose between many of the leading super zoom digital cameras. I still feel the Canon Powershot S3 IS has the edge in terms of general features, but the Sony DSC H5 offers an extra megapixel, is easier to use and has a larger screen. There are also very few differences between the DSC H2 and DSC H5. The DSC H5 is a fair bit more expensive than the DSC H2. If you do decide to go for this camera you will get a large LCD screen and an extra megapixel. Otherwise there is not a lot to choose between them.

In terms of design this camera is modeled quite close on a Digital SLR. It felt good in my hand and is a good size. It comes in black and silver. If I had a criticism it is the fact there are quite a few buttons crammed into a tight space on the back of the camera. A lot of this stems from the amount of room the screen takes up. This meant from time to time I found I had accessed the menu system, changed the screen display and even zoomed in when I had not planned to.

The dimensions of the camera are 113.2 x 83 x 94 mm. It weighs in at 406g.

Two AA batteries are used to provide power to the camera. Sony supplies two rechargeable batteries and a charger with the DSC H5 as standard. I think that is a decent bonus. They also estimate you should be able to take around 340 shots before the batteries need to be replaced.

32mb of memory are built into the camera. I was able to take 11 shots before the memory was full. The DSC H5 is compatible with Memory Stick Duo cards. You will need to pick up a high capacity one of these before you can really start to use the camera in earnest.

Click here to save money on Memory Stick Duo.

Sharp images
Low shutter lag
Picture quality
Easy to use considering the features

Noise problems at ISO 400

The Sony DSC H5 is a very good super zoom digital camera. When it comes to image quality this is one of the best digital cameras you are likely to find in this category. It is easy to use, takes a good photo and has a good shutter response. Recommended.

Front View

Back View

Top View

Sample Menus

Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information on this site, please make sure you double check the feature set and specification at the point of purchase.

Sony DSC H5