Sony DSC-H1

I wrote a preview on the DSC-H1 5 months ago. After reading all the reviews from experts and users, Trendy and I decided to purchase this 5.1 Megapixel digital camera, DSC-H1, with 12X optical zoom by Sony. For me, DSC-H1 is a big upgrade from my 2 year old Sony DSC-P8.

The H1 features the following:

• 5.1 effective megapixel Sony Super HAD imager
• 12X zoom (36-432mm 35mm equiv)
• Super Steady Shot image stabilization
• Large 2.5-inch color LCD with 115,000 pixels
• MPEG VX 640x480 movies
• Powered by two standard AA type batteries
• 32MB of internal memory
• MemoryStick Pro card slot

At first I was reluctant to purchase a camera that is bulkier and less portable than my DSC-P8 which took great pictures. But I wanted more optical zoom. I know that I have to sacrifice portability for optical zoom.

After testing the DSC-H1 at Six Flags' Magic Mountain, I am very pleased with my new camera. Yes, it is slightly more troublesome to carry, but the image quality and optical zoom greatly surpass the capabilities of my old camera. I included some sample photos which cannot be captured using a 3X optical camera under similar conditions. DSC-H1 truly brings you closer to the action.

I bought the H1 online for $401 without sales tax. The prices of digital cameras have decreased so much since I bought my P8 for almost the same price, $400, 2 years ago. I cannot believe that the H1 and the P8 cost almost the same. Actually, the H1 is cheaper if you want to get super technical and add inflation into the mix.

Some of the accessories I bought for the camera include a 1 GIG SanDisk MemoryStick Pro, a SanDisk PCMCIA 6-in-1 memory card reader, and lots of rechargeable AA batteries. I also purchased a case to carry the camera and its accessories.

Steve's Review on H1

DP Review on H1

DCRP Review on H1