Packing a Punch
Bridge cameras, or super-zooms as they are sometimes called, can be considered budget alternatives to interchangeable lens systems owing to incredibly high zoom ranges and comparatively low prices. These cameras incorporate advanced technologies such as Optical Image Stabilisation and intelligent modes. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC HX300 is a 20.4 megapixel model featuring 50x optical zoom.
Design and Build Quality
The Sony HX300 is built sturdy with a polycarbonate body. The camera looks similar to the earlier HX200, with a protruding lens which extends
while zooming. The HX-300 features a mode dial on the top panel and a multipurpose ring around the lens. This ring can be used for manual focus or autofocus and zoom. The LCD is tiltable. The HX300 features an electronic viewfinder in additional to the LCD. The grip is deep with a rubber lining. The tripod receptacle is made of metal.
Key Features
The 20.4-megapixel Sony HX300 uses a 1/2.3-inch Type (6.16 x 4.62mm) Exmor R CMOS sensor for imaging, along with a BIONZ processing engine, which promises better low-light performance and faster autofocus. The camera uses a 26-1300mm equivalent f/2.8-6.3 Carl Zeiss Vario Sonnar T lens with Optical Steady-shot image stabilization. Aperture ranges from f/2.8 to 8 at the wide-angle end and f/6.3 to 8 at the telephoto end. The lens focusses from approximately 1cm to infinity at the wide-angle end and approximately 240cm to infinity at the telephoto end. Focus modes available are Multi-point, Centre, Spot, Flexible Spot, and Manual. Exposure can be compensated up to +/-2.0 EV in 1/3-EV steps. Metering modes available are Multi-pattern, Centre-weighted, and