Sony DSCHX90V/B Digital Camera with 3-Inch LCD (Black)

For years, I've been a dedicated DSLR user, with my Canon 40D and a slew of lenses being my "serious" camera. I have also become quite adept at producing some surprisingly good pictures from my iPhone 6S, which I have often used as my travel camera. Looking for something much smaller than my Canon DSLR, and more versatile than my smartphone, I purchased the Sony HX90V. It was a toss-up between this camera and the Panasonic Lumix, but I did not need RAW shooting and thought the GPS on the Sony was a nice feature, and one not offered in the Panasonic. I have now put this camera through a couple of weeks of use and, I must admit, am quite impressed with its feature set and image quality. Using either of its two "auto" modes, the images are crisp with excellent exposure, focus, and color saturation. It has a variety of shooting modes available, and all seem to work well. I was surprised at how simple things were, with macro and anti-shake functions engaging when needed. The control ring on the lens is smooth and acts as a manual zoom in auto mode. It's function changes with the mode being used, and it works well as a manual focus ring when in that mode. The pop-up EVF is clear and has a simple diopter adjustment. It can be set to activate when it senses your eye next to it, which is the default setting. It can also be set to turn off the camera when closed. The EVF must be pulled to the rear after it's opened, which can be awkward. The buttons on the rear of the camera are rather small; much smaller than any other camera I've used. This means that the easiest way to access the functions you want is with a fingernail rather than just pressing a button with your finger. It is different, but not very difficult to adjust to. The on/off button is recessed, and also really requires a push with a nail. The wifi software provided is enough to pair your phone with the camera, but it is anything but intuitive to use. With an IOS device, it requires several steps. The Fn button on the camera must be pushed while in view mode, and a picture or pictures selected for transfer. After you initialize the transfer process, you must then go to your phone's settings menu and select the Sony SSID. After that is checked, you then close your settings and open the Sony app on the phone. At that point, the pictures will start loading on to your iPhone. The transfer itself is very fast, and the new photos show right up in your All Photos folder. The Sony app to remotely control your camera is very awkward and not at all user friendly. One excellent feature is the "selfie" feature, which i part of the pivoting LCD screen. When you flip the screen up fully, the "selfie" mode is enabled and a time delay is part of that mode. It is quite clever. Low light shooting is this camera's supposed Achilles heel, but I have yet to experience any significant noise at higher ISO settings. In normal shooting, and at reasonable ISO levels, this is a non-issue anyway. The 30x optical zoom is amazing, but I would advise against using the extended digital zoom, which can degrade or crop the image. In any case, it can be quite challenging to keep this tiny camera steady at very high zoom ranges. I think this is a fantastic little camera, offering virtually every feature any photographer would want. I don't see the lack of RAW format as a real disadvantage for this camera's intended audience, since most would find the JPEG quality to be more than acceptable. One recommendation to anyone buying this camera would be to immediately go to the Sony online manual for this camera. It is a very inclusive and well written description of every function of this camera. The documentation with the camera is basic and not very informative. Small size, formidable zoom, excellent image quality, versatile preset modes, manual controls, GPS, a very usable EVF, and wifi image transfers make this one of the finest compact cameras in its class. In my opinion, it is worth the price and produces images that can rival the finest DSLR cameras out there. It gets my strong recommendation.

My camera cam last night and so far it is very impressive. I'm wring this review to help people with downloading some of the features as it was a very frustrating process (Shame on Sony!) and I want to try to help. I also comment on the viewfinder as I wear bifocals and am questioning whether it was worth the extra $100. When you buy the camera give yourself 2 hours if you want to get apps downloaded and know that you're probably going to have to connect to a computer to do it. Apps that should have been included on the camera need to be downloaded and it isn't as easy as it should be in a plug and play world. Many people are going to want to do this because the sync to cell phone feature seems attractive for travel and so does the ability to take remote photos for group photos. To download the apps you first need to register with the Playstation network and download the Sony PlayMemories app to you telephone, tablet and/or computer, so you'll need a smartphone, tablet or computer, and patience as it wasn't the clearest process and involves verifying your e-mail. None of it worked as smoothly as other things I've registered for. Next, I tried to use my new account to download the software through the camera - BIG MISTAKE! You have to enter your e-mail address (not your user name) and password, and the connection to the network doesn't work, so each time you try you have to enter it again. This never worked for me after multiple tries! (I want the name and telephone number for the software engineer who set it up this way to give him/her an earful.) Thankfully I was able to connect the camera to the computer, download software to the computer and register online. Next, I tried to download the apps via Google Chrome, which did not work. Using Firefox I was able to download them slowly and one at a time. Instructions weren't very clear to me, possibly because of age, but any event it worked. Also the webiste was buggy and didn't let me go back easily to the page with the others apps to download, but I finally realized you have to go through path message to get back to the page with the other apps you may want to download. MY MESSAGE TO SONY - MAKE THIS AUTOMATIC ONCE A CAMERA OWNER CONNECTS TO A WIFI NETWORK OR COMPUTER!!! THE LITTLE BIT OF USER INFORMATION YOU ARE GETTING CAN BE OBTAINED THROUGH REGISTRATION AND WITHOUT FRUSTRATING THE BUYER!!!!!! Connecting the camera to an iphone works, but might not be intuitive to you. One place referred how to connect using my iphone as a network hotspot, a feature I don't use on my iphone. Luckily I found the instructions that tell you to USE THE CAMERA AS NETWORK ON YOUR WIFI setting on the iphone (SETTINGS, GENERAL, WIFI ...). When I first tried it, it wasn't there, but after a little while it popped up. You then need to enter the password the camera displays in the PlayMemories app, not the settings. Another thing I noticed is that the sync to telephone feature defaults to auto sync, which means when you turn off the camera it tries to connect to your telephone and sync the photos. If you are on a wifi network it won't work and the camera will keep looking for the connection burning through battery. The reason is that you need to go into settings and turn on the camera is the wifi network for this to work. (Obviously if you already had the camera as the wifi network this should work fine.) I turned the auto sync feature off. Everyone I talked to said get the viewfinder for sunny days. I listened. I wear bifocals and so far I have mixed impressions. I'll post on this once I use it more. I will say that I wish that the viewfinder was a little more rigid in place and that the diopter adjustment was easier. It works, but because the camera automatically switches back and forth between viewfinder and display, it is a pain. Also, I wasn't able to adjust it enough to use without glasses although that might be the solution for other people. I'm glad that the camera gives me some options about use, and I may just need to change settings. I also found the electrical viewfinder to be very different than the SLR and rangefinder cameras I've used in the past, as well as the older Olympus and Nikon digital cameras I used in the past. Once I use it for awhile, I may edit this and provide more info. The display and viewfinder do have an unbelievable amount of information available. I dimmed the display to save on battery life and it may have also dimmed the viewfinder - I can't tell yet. The pop up flash works and I understand the value of having it higher above the lens, but I still might prefer a flash I don't have to pop up.

My first review of this camera was all glowing - the photos taken with it fantastic even as a semi-professional photographer. I have it on my body or in my purse almost daily just in case one of those once-in-a-lifetime photos happens along. However, after having it for two years and encountering known problems with it, I suggest that anyone interested in this little Cyber-shot be wary. They are prone to collecting dust on the sensors. And, since that accumulation comes over time, rarely are they in warranty when you need them cleaned. The cost of cleaning the sensor in mine by Sony is about half the cost of my camera, thus eliminating that avenue of help. So, be careful and be aware of the problems prior to purchasing. The Zeiss lenses are worth every penny, and the photos are excellent and out-shoots my Nikon D5200 SLR. But, you end up paying more in the long run.

I am heartbroken. I have owned the camera a week and it does not capture sports pictures. The specs before I bought it are so wonderful, but it takes a maximum of only 10 frames in continuous shooting mode before it previews and processes the pictures. This piece of information is not in the manual that arrived with the camera, it is buried in the User Guide that you have to print off the web. My old Cybershot did not have this limitation. So it will shoot as fast as 10 frames per second in full resolution or 2 frames per second in slow continuous mode, but then it pauses to process for a maddening couple of seconds. This means in fast mode I can capture only 1 second of action and in slow mode only 5 seconds before a big delay. My daughter is standing at the end of the diving board when I press the shutter and I cannot capture the whole dive before the camera kicks out. What kind of sports photography is this if you can only capture one second of the action and you have to know in advance exactly which second you want to capture? Even worse, the electronic view finder kicks out as well, it is very sunny poolside so I chose this camera specifically for the view finder. I am standing there holding the shutter down and the camera stops taking pictures, the view finder goes dark, and I don't even see my daughter complete the dive. $429 on Amazon and I probably cannot return this camera. Everything else about the camera is wonderful, but this flaw is just not to be overlooked. A point and shoot camera with a super long zoom and a view finder but you cannot use it for sports, it is a cruel joke.

Purchased this DSC-HX90V and the DSC-RX100 IV with the same seller and at the same time. The following review (after this one) is about the latter. That said, I am happy with the great zoom ability of 30X - about dectuple that of the 1" sensor model. It is of course a tradeoff (in a 'lower CyberShot league') with a small 1/2.3" size, but surprisingly, in spite of such differences, the quality of photography is near that of that other model. Noise reduction is appropriate and does really well on the 18 megapixels, something that all other compact 'super-zoom' cameras come nowhere close. Pros: + Great for distance photography, such as wildlife on the lake, lunar shots - even at night. + Decent video quality during the day, and zooming is very fast (default setting is normal). + Unlike the DSC-HX60V model, the new 50 mbps codec is available, but you must have a supported card. (See cons.) + Half the price of the DSC-RX100 IV (much better overall value). * Fits easily in even a shirt pocket. * Better battery life than on the DSC-RX100 IV (this is obviously due to processing requirements, so this con is acceptable given the laws of the camera's physics). * Excellent focusing ability and accuracy (still a problem on all RX100 models). * Oustanding photo quality found on the DSC-HX60V (even though that model is 20 megapixels). Cons: - Poor video performance in low-light because of the f3.5 aperture (again, a tradeoff with the extreme zoom and small sensor size). - Cannot record 4K (this is actually UHD - 4K is true on another camera, such as Panasonic GH4). - Cannot take still photos during movie-recording as on the DSC-RX100 IV (does not have the new DRAM chip; stacked sensor). - Flash barely tilts enough for even flash lighting as on DSC-RX100 IV. - Viewfinder needs pulled out after ejection-up unlike DSC-RX100 IV (the image size is far too tiny; you do not even need to do this on that other model). - Must choose high display quality to see WYSIWYG results in photos and videos (this is misleading because the concept is like preview quality over actual render quality in a video editor on a computer). - Very low aperture of f3.5 at wide angle at night (for example, clouds passing by, stargazing, and so forth). - No internal memory (even Panasonic no longer includes it in their upscale cameras) and no memory card; same with the other model. - No still capture during movie-recording. - Need specific card class to shoot in the new 50 mbps movie-record setting (this is not a requirement on Panasonic DMC-FZ1000, even though it caused a rare malfunction yesterday afternoon). - No UHD recording support, but a camera of this type would not be powerful enough anyway. I really like this camera and recommend it over the DSC-RX100 IV if you do not do much night videography, do not need advanced video capabilities, and need great photo quality. Distance shots are the strongest selling point for me on this camera (whether at a park, buildings across a lake, amusement park close-ups of roller coaster tracks, and so on). Even though it may be great for sports shots at a ballgame, it probably won't be ideal for clouds rolling on by at night because the aperture is too small. The price is very attractive too. Given the technical compromises for such a small body and retail value, I issue this a 5-star review. Great for what it can do, and what it cannot do I have no complaints. In most respects, I prefer it over the DSC-RX100 IV for most purposes, when best quality and wide-angle-only shots (during the day) are less necessary. Be sure to read my upcoming review on that model if you have not already done so. Thanks for reading, and good luck. - Matt Eye

I should probably say first that I am a huge fan of Sony cameras. I have a Sony DSLR and 2 previous HX models. First, if you are wanting this camera to perform like a DSLR, this camera will not do that. It is still a point and shoot with a small sensor. As long as you are aware of this limitation, then you will probably be pleasantly surprised. I purchased this camera mainly for use at concerts, going to places like Seaworld, video recording my daughters dance performances, and just general photography. I do have a DSLR but I find that its size and weight prevents me from using it very often. There is nothing wrong with my other HX models but the 30x optical zoom on this camera in a small body was just too much to pass on. My favorite feature of this camera is the control ring. I thought it would be the zoom, but it's definitely the control ring. I find myself shooting in S mode quite often at concerts and the control ring allows me to easily and quickly make adjustments in the dark. This is wonderful!! My least favorite feature is how the pop-up viewfinder works. It pops up but then you have to pull part of the eye piece towards you to get it to work. Its a little cumbersome, but not terrible. The size is nice. Since this was going to be my main concert camera size was extremely important. Most venues do not allow any camera with a detachable lens or one where the lens extends beyond a certain length. My larger HX (sorry, I dont know the model number off the top of my head but its in the "bridge camera" size range) would often give me issues. I would have to explain that no, the lens does not detach but sometimes they still didn't want to let me in with it. I am confident that I will not have that problem with this camera. I know there are lighter and smaller cameras out there but I'm not sure if any of them pack so much into them. The grip took a little getting used to as the body is slightly different than my other HX model, but that was nothing significant. The record button for video recording is in a much better position now and can be found easily in the dark. The menus and scene selections are very intuitive, particularly if you have ever used a Sony camera before. The battery life is as expected. I had no problems during a 3 hour concert taking stills and videos about 40% of the time. The picture and video quality was what I would expect from Sony and this type of camera. It works excellent in great lighting, struggles a bit in low light. I'm not one of those that zooms in at 100% and looks for purple fringing, noise, and so forth. I also don't do large prints - 8x10 maximum, but mostly 4x6. I found the concert images were better than expected. This is really putting the device to its maximum capabilities. I know I'm not going to get perfect images when you zoom in at 30x optical from really far away. But I could tell who I was taking pictures of and wide angle shots caught some really beautiful mood pictures of the overall stage. I was impressed that the camera was able to capture the colors in almost the same hue as I was seeing with my eyes. I've noticed that at concerts cameras tend to not be able to capture the stage lighting well. Purples come out as blue, and so forth. With some experiments with the settings, this camera did a pretty decent job. The tilting screen is nice to have on such a small camera. I kind of wish that it rotated in the opposite direction so that you could hold the camera above your head and use the lcd screen, but this is a minor issue. It worked well for taking a selfie. Overall I am very pleased with this camera. I would definitely recommend it to others.

The Sony HX90V offers great functionality and a nice shooting experience but ultimately, even considering its sensor size, image quality falls short with detail smearing down at the lowest ISOs when blown up to anything larger than web size photos. While I realize that they have decreased the MP slightly on this model, I still think 18MP is way too much for a camera with a 1/2.3" sensor. I kind of feel, for an enthusiast-oriented megazoom, they should've gone with something like 12MP like Panasonic did for its Lumix ZS50. Detail smearing due to noise reduction is visible at reduced sizes at base ISO. Most pedestrian point and shoot cameras these days should at least be able to give you the ability to blow up your prints at ISO100. RAW capture is also not available on this model, which is unfortunate, because you can customize the level of noise reduction applied and potentially get better photos than what they out of camera JPEGs display.To balance this out, color and exposure are pretty good. The camera doesn't blow out highlights as badly as some of its peers. It's unfortunate that image quality falls short because, otherwise, this is a nice camera to use. The autofocus is fast and mostly on target. The image stabilization works well. And the viewfinder is actually very nice, despite being a lower resolution than the ones found in the RX100 series cameras. Battery life is also pretty good. The LCD screen on back is pretty good as well. I have not shot with the Panasonic ZS50 so I can't really comment on overall image quality compared to this camera, but, the fact that you can shoot RAW gives it a leg up over the Sony. If you never really blow up your photos at all, then this might be an alright choice. But if you at least want to make larger prints from images at base ISO in good light, I would look elsewhere.

Just received camera and first impressions. My regular camera is a Fuji XT-1 which takes fabulous pictures and has a wide selection of lenses. However, it does take some space when I travel. I was looking for a small, quality, more compact camera, for when I travel as a back up or primary in certain situations. First, this camera is small for what it offers. One of the major reasons I decided on it was the EV pop up eye viewfinder. It is small and one has to treat it gently and remember after it pops up to pull out towards you the eye piece. It works well and really helps in bright sunlight. For its size the viewfinder is sharp and shows a lot of information. I have more difficulty with the pop up flash unit. You pull on a small slider to pop it up and the slider requires using your fingernail to adequately move it. As others have noted the buttons are small and sometimes close to one another but again manageable. I took some sample shots and they came out quite good for my needs. They are sharp and have good colors for different scenes. My most significant recommendation is to go to Sony's website and download the full PDF manual for the camera and PRINT it. Must easier to read and use in printed form. Read this with your camera in your hand and try out each feature. If you do this you will find the camera has a lot of features and you will be able to use them as needed. For me manual focus is imperative, particularly with telephoto shots. Once I read the instructions I was able to use manual focus with ease. It has a feature that enlarges the area you are focusing on to help you focus. After using it for two days I find this camera is a keeper and it will replace my Fuji XT-1 when space is a premium in traveling.

Great alternative to the more costly RX100. This is a camera that works well under good light. In dim conditions, the quality of the pictures suffer. Overall, a recommended camera for recreational use and portability.

Nunca me llegó, espere por 3 semanas y nada. Muy mal, no he vuelto a encontrar el producto. Una pena

Great camera, we love it and fit in a pocket.

Sony Cams are the best Good quality and easy to use

Very nice camera I really like it.