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| Sony Cybershot H9 shown here. Click photo for more images of the Sony Cybershot H9 and Sony Cybershot H7. |
Sony has introduced two new 8.1-megapixel electronic viewfinder (EVF) cameras. The Cyber-shot DSC-H7 and DSC-H9 both offer an optically stabilized f/2.7-4.5, 31mm-465mm (35mm equivalent) 15x Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar zoom lens. The 13-element lens includes one Extra-low Dispersion (ED) element to reduce optical flaws, and is compatible with wide and telephoto conversion lenses. Like many of Sony's other new consumer cameras, the H7 and H9 use the company's Bionz image processing engine -- first implemented in the Alpha SLR -- which Sony claims improves speed, image quality, and battery life.
There are only a few major differences between the two cameras: The H9 has a flip-up 230,000-pixel, 3-inch LCD and a 230,000-pixel EVF, while the H7 offers a fixed 115,000-pixel, 2.5-inch screen and a 115,000-pixel EVF. Only the H9 includes Sony's infrared NightShot mode for capturing photos in almost total darkness.
Both of the new H-series cameras offer a useful range of exposure controls, including manual and priority modes, automatic exposure bracketing, a live histogram, and spot and center-weighted metering modes. They have a shutter speed range of 1/4000 to 30 seconds and a top light-sensitivity setting of ISO 3200. For flash exposures, there are three selectable output levels, rear- and front-curtain sync, and redeye correction. Sony's Double Anti Blur feature extends the cameras' flash range along with giving the ISO and shutter speed a boost. Exposure problems can also be addressed through image processing by Sony's Dynamic Range Optimizer, which opens up dark shadow areas.
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For automatic shooting, the H7 and H9 provide nine scene modes, including an Advanced Sports Mode that speeds up autofocus. These two cameras are being marketed toward amateur sports and action photographers, and can capture a series of 100 full-resolution shots at 2.2frames per second. They also offer nine-point autofocus and intelligent continuous autofocus.
Other automatic tools include a face-detection mode that can identify as many as eight faces in a photo and accordingly adjust exposure, focus, flash intensity, and white balance. Sony has added four new photo effects to the H-series models as well: fisheye distortion, a star filter, a partial color filter that retains color in the subject and converts the background to black-and-white, and a soft-edge filter that blurs the background. Both cameras record smooth VGA video with sound, and they can play photo slide shows with music and customized transitions.
The $480 DSC-H9 and $400 DSC-H7 will be available in April 2007. They are compatible with Sony's new VMC-HD1 high-definition component cable for 1080i photo output to an HDTV. The cable will be available in April 2007 for about $40.
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