Sony HX5v first impressions

[mf15]

Sarah: The squirrel is at full zoom, but I am only 10 feet or so distance, the other pictures loose detail at distance. Can someone offer a technical explanation. Is it the resolving power of the lens. I was only about 30 feet from the Robin, big difference between the two pictures.
Also in certain close up photos of my grandchilds hair there is loss of detail/softness.
Old Mike

[Birger]

Originally Posted by mf15

Sarah: The squirrel is at full zoom, but I am only 10 feet or so distance, the other pictures loose detail at distance. Can someone offer a technical explanation. Is it the resolving power of the lens. I was only about 30 feet from the Robin, big difference between the two pictures.
Also in certain close up photos of my grandchilds hair there is loss of detail/softness.
Old Mike

Mike, I don't know what you would expect from a P&S camera, but one of the weaknesses with the small sensors is particularly obvious when looking at hair. That's true even with the most expensive ones. Hair is so revealing and should be used more in reviews. When you compare with a DSLR it's obvious how inferior even P&S like Canon G11 or Panny LX3 are. Not to mention speed.

But to get back to the HX5v, it obviously has its weaknesses and some of them may be adjustable, but some you would have to decide if you can live with. Going back to my TX5 I know its limits when it comes to print size and that it's very dependent on ISO used. If I must have a certain quality for larger prints I simply have to use my DSLR.

Except for shooting and filming underwater, in that case my TX5 is superior to my DSLR..

[dottcomm1]

cybertron: i'm impressed how clean some of those last pics are, especially the one with the purple flowers and the rocks on the beach.

[mf15]

Birger, I guess I will have to live with what it can do, my daughter gave it to me.
But there are many fun things you can do with the camera,here is one.
Mike

[Ric01]

Originally Posted by Birger

Mike, I don't know what you would expect from a P&S camera, but one of the weaknesses with the small sensors is particularly obvious when looking at hair. That's true even with the most expensive ones. Hair is so revealing and should be used more in reviews. When you compare with a DSLR it's obvious how inferior even P&S like Canon G11 or Panny LX3 are. Not to mention speed.

But to get back to the HX5v, it obviously has its weaknesses and some of them may be adjustable, but some you would have to decide if you can live with. Going back to my TX5 I know its limits when it comes to print size and that it's very dependent on ISO used. If I must have a certain quality for larger prints I simply have to use my DSLR.

Except for shooting and filming underwater, in that case my TX5 is superior to my DSLR..

I concur about the trade-off/sacrifice that we, P & S owners, have to face. I settled for a small P & S, Hx5V for its ultimate portability, knowing that due to its smaller sensor compared to DSLRs, there will be weaknesses displayed by Hx5v as aptly described by many.

Though somewhat disappointed that my Hx5V can't really give me what a DSLR can provide, I can live with the P & S weakness because portability is KING. Hx5v takes "reasonably" (subjective) good still shots in my opinion, especially HHT and very respectable 1080 video in reasonably good lightning conditions.

Yes, a $2,000 to $5,000 DSLR (body and lens) will give a perfect shot every time (distant, zoom, macro whole 9 yards) but I am asking myself, what kind of stamina would I need to lug around this couple of pounds DSLR camera everywhere I go... my arms will be sore, my shoulder will be sore.. and I will leave it at home most of the time and only use it for special occasions like weddings, birthdays and funerals and holidays.

With my Hx5v, I can inconspicuously strap on my belt everywhere I go, and chances are I will be able to capture good candid shots and great 1080 video of my surroundings as I go about enjoying life versus if I only have a DSLR camera.. when I notice a beautiful rainbow that will not be there for long, I have to rush home to get my DSLR camera.

My 2 cents and I am sure someone else will have a different opinion

[CyberTron]

Originally Posted by dottcomm1

cybertron: i'm impressed how clean some of those last pics are, especially the one with the purple flowers and the rocks on the beach.

Hi and thanks!

Yes I am quite amazed myself, I used P mode (with centered focus) those two days, and almost all my pics where perfect I have some pics on my two boys that are so clear in detail that even their hair look fine even at 100% (see below)
Those pics and the ones I posted earlier are almost perfect even in 100%.

[Birger]

Originally Posted by mf15

Birger, I guess I will have to live with what it can do, my daughter gave it to me.
But there are many fun things you can do with the camera,here is one.
Mike

I know! As I've said I ordered the HX5v but had to settle with the TX5 since I wouldn't get my hands on the big one before going to Greece this Friday.

But I'm totally in love with all the fun things you can do, many of the extras of our to cameras are the same. I take lots and lots of panoramas and think that's a feature I will continue to enjoy (never had the patience to make them in a computer). The 10 fps in full res is great for fast action to get the best shot. The iAuto is so smart, and the twilight and HDR modes produces great shots too. Video, though with lower resolution than yours and mono sound, is quite OK even on a 32" TV.

And at low ISO as I said the IQ is really OK, that's why I think you're right about the decreasing quality at the tele end of your zoom, my little lens "only" reach between 25-100. If you want the best quality your camera can produce you may have to settle for a shorter range and get closer, at least to your grandchildren..

So, I'm quite satisfied with my Sony, in good conditions the IQ is really good as Cybertron shows, and I can do something you guys and girls can't:
bring it underwater..

[Jan851]

You said that you used Center Focus. Do you always use that when taking general kid pictures? I haven't tried it, but by the looks of that picture, I'm thinking that I should.

What focus was used on the squirrel?

Thanks!

[CyberTron]

Originally Posted by Jan851

You said that you used Center Focus. Do you always use that when taking general kid pictures? I haven't tried it, but by the looks of that picture, I'm thinking that I should.

What focus was used on the squirrel?

Thanks!

Hi!

I have begun experimenting with Center Focus, and it actually seems to get better pictures (those that are not unfocused atleast) it is more difficult 'cause it forces you to have the object in the center. Today, just about 5 minutes ago the sky opened and it is raining alot! so, I stood in the doorway and experimenting with spotfocus and spotmetering, quite fun to see the results!
(i did not caputre what I wanted, but now I believe I know when to use what...)Try it!

The difference, i believe (please correct me if I am wrong), is the depth of field, if I use center focus I can control where my focus is (to a certain degree), if in auto the camera can choose different focus points in the picture making the whole picture look "in focus", which makes the depth of field enormous instead of small which you may wanna have to make your children look more important.
of course, I am absolutly no expert on cameras, or dof for that matter, i just read, and experiment ...


the best way to know the camera is to take pictures, and take a lot of them! I have taken over 3000 pics with this camera so far, some good some bad, in total I have taken 25000 pictures in about 6 years which means I take around 11 pictures every day of the year. (i started taking alot of pictures when my first kid was born. and I save EVERY picture I take, not just the good.) And I am accelerating! just because it is so fun to learn !

[xsimplicity]

I took a few outdoor shots with my HX5V the other day. The colours seem pretty accurate from the photos since it was a sunny day. Here's a photo (no editing was made, just slightly sharpened and resized) followed by a 100% crop.


the following photo is a macro shot in another photo (resized only)...


Maybe its just me.. but the macro doesn't seem that great on the HX5.. it switches to macro mode automatically.. I don't see a menu allowing manual switch to macro mode.