Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H55 Review

May 24, 2010 | Gavin Stoker | Rating star Rating star Rating star Rating star

Introduction

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H55 is a new travel-zoom camera, boasting a 10x optical lens with a focal range of 25-250mm and Optical Steady Shot image stabilisation. Other highlights of the Sony H55 a 14.1 megapixel sensor, 3 inch LCD screen, 720p HD video recording, Self portrait timer and Smile Shutter technology, plus Sony’s trademark Sweep Panorama feature that lets you capture panoramic photographs effortlessly. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H55 is available in black and silver for about £240 / $250.

Ease of Use

Described as a stylish super zoom with high end features by its manufacturer, we couldn't, on first impressions, claim to disagree with Sony's assessment of the Cyber-Shot DSC-H55 digital compact. It marries a high performance 10x optical zoom lens backed up with optical SteadyShot image stabilisation to impressive 14.1-megapixel effective resolution from a Super HAD CCD (as opposed to Exmor R CMOS) plus 720p HD movie recording, yet it still manages to squeeze unobtrusively into a trouser or jacket pocket.

As such this big zoom, small-ish form factor compact (with dimensions of 102.9x57.7x28.9mm) does battle for your pennies with a growing number of rivals. These include Panasonic's TZ series, Canon's PowerShot SX210 IS, plus Casio's Exilim EX-H15 to name a few. There's no question that a bigger than average zoom affords a greater wealth of compositional opportunities - from landscapes and group shots to candid close ups - and, high pixel count aside, this is the camera's main lure. With a focal range that stretches from a 35mm-equivalent 25-250mm, the price, surprisingly for a Sony compact, also feels rather fair at around £249. With a more conventional layout than recent Sony snapshots, complete here with top-mounted shooting mode dial, the camera pulls off the usual trick of feeling solidly built whilst relatively lightweight when gripped at 200g with battery and removable media inserted.

Like the more expensive albeit waterproof DSC-TX5 fashion compact we had in to review simultaneously, the H55 features several of Sony's recent technologies, including the operationally impressive sweep panorama function. This takes a rapid burst of images as the user pans with the camera and automatically stitches them together to provide a single letterbox-format image - so there's no need for Photoshop expertise post-capture to achieve similar. Face Detection, Smile Shutter - the camera automatically firing when a smile is detected in the frame - and intelligent auto modes also feature, further ensuring point and shoot simplicity. Active SteadyShot image stabilisation can also be deployed when shooting video to enable smoother imagery if filming whilst walking for example. Macro shooting is possible as close as 5cm from your subject.

Seemingly having all operational bases covered, such thoroughness extends to choice of recording media. With the Cyber-shot DSC-H55 Sony is offering users the choice of recording to removable Memory Stick Pro media or the more widely available SD or SDHC cards. Like the TX5 there's only one slot for both, located within the battery compartment at the camera's base. The obvious problem here is that the different media are of different physical dimensions, so in practice we found it fiddly to wiggle a Memory Stick into (and out of) the wider SD-shaped slot. Fair enough it works, but parallel slots (as usually offered by digital cameras that boast compatibility with more than just the one card) might have been a more practical solution.

Canon PowerShot A2100 IS Canon PowerShot A2100 IS
Front Rear

Battery life is good for 310 shots according to official CIPA testing, a performance that is neither great nor bad - in fact it's respectably average for its class. In practical terms, we took the camera away for a week and a half's holiday using it every other day and only had to recharge it on our return.

As mentioned at the outset, the faceplate of the metal and plastic build H55 is fairly conventional looking, given a dose of sophistication courtesy of its all-black livery. It is dominated by the large G series Sony 10x optical zoom lens, protected by an automatic cover when not in use. Though it can't obviously compete with ultra slender 3x or 4x zoom models in terms of portability, helping to keep dimensions as compact as possible the majority of the H55's lens is also concertinaed within the body when the camera is inactive.

Top left of the lens (if the camera is viewed face on) is a lozenge-shaped window for the built-in flash, and, over at the top right hand side of the lens, a porthole window for built-in self-timer/AF assist lamp. The flash positioning means that it's all too easy for fingertips to creep in front of it when gripping the camera firmly, a compromise we have to put up with in return for overall compactness. On a more positive note, a slightly rounded edge to the side of the camera welcomingly provides more purchase for the fingers to snake around than slender pocket snapshots. There's also a thoughtful indentation at the top right edge of the camera back that provides a comfortable resting place for the thumb.

The top plate of the camera continues the impression of a conventional operational ethos, featuring as it does the aforementioned mode wheel set into the top of the grip, an adjacent large and springy shutter release button encircled by lever for operating the zoom - a raised lip falling under the pad of your forefinger - and smaller on/off button. Unlike the other two controls this power button is recessed into the bodywork to help prevent accidental activation when placing into or retrieving the H55 from a pocket.

Canon PowerShot A2100 IS Canon PowerShot A2100 IS
Front Top

The shooting mode dial meanwhile feels slightly loose; ranged around this are intelligent auto, program, manual exposure, sweep panorama and video shooting modes, joined by dedicated 'easy' mode and separate scene mode settings.  The 11-strong options presented on the latter feel distinctly weedy in number when compared with the 40+ options on Casio's also 10x zoom, 14MP EX-H15 rival, but in truth feature all the essentials. So with the Cyber-shot we get pre-optimised High Sensitivity, Soft Snap (defocused background for portraits), Sports, Landscape, Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Gourmet and Pet modes, plus Beach, Snow and Firework options.

Press the on/off button and the camera powers up in just under two seconds, rear 3-inch, 230,400-dot resolution LCD displaying the Cyber-shot logo before revealing the scene/subject before the lens, the optic extending to maximum wideangle setting from its former resting place within the body. As expected there's no optical viewfinder alternative - the screen itself does all the work. A half press of the shutter release button meanwhile and the H55 determines focus/exposure more or less immediately, central AF point highlighted in green. Go on to take the shot, and maximum resolution JPEGs are committed to memory in 2-3 seconds; another standard showing for a camera of this class.

Examining the back of the camera, to the right of the screen there is a minimal quartet of buttons - all relatively small in size and seemingly needlessly so. Topper-most is an immediately identifiable playback button, with just below it a four-way directional control pad featuring centrally located set button. At 12 o'clock on this dial and moving around it in a clockwise direction are a way of manually adjusting the LCD display from normal (default) brightness to 'bright' setting, a further 'bright plus exposure info' setting (i.e with a live histogram on screen), plus finally, the brighter setting again but now with all other screen icons turned off. Moving around to three o'clock we have a means of adjusting the flash settings - basically to either on or off if shooting in one of the fully auto modes. Switch to program mode and auto and slow synchro options are added.

At six o'clock on the dial is a means of selecting self-timer options. Here we find the usual two or ten second variations joined by two face detection-linked options - the camera firing two seconds after it detects either one or two faces in the frame, making it suitable for self-portraits. At nine o'clock on the dial is the familiar to the Sony range smile shutter option. As expected the camera responds instantly to all such adjustments and settings, making operation a fluid process.

Canon PowerShot A2100 IS Canon PowerShot A2100 IS
Memory Card Slot Battery Compartment

Below this four-way control pad is a final pairing of buttons - with a menu control to the left, and an always very useful dedicated delete button to the right to save having to otherwise dip into menu folders. A press of the 'menu' button summons up a Canon-like toolbar which graces the left hand side of the H55's LCD screen. Using the control pad users can tab up or down and select highlighted options with a central press. Its here that, when shooting in Program or Manual mode, users can adjust image size, from the full complement of a 14 megapixels, 4:3 ratio image down to 640x480 pixels in the same ratio, or 11 or two megapixels in 16:9 widescreen format if so desired for reviewing on a flat panel TV or widescreen monitor. Next down the tool bar there is a means of switching from single shot to burst shooting, and next down again, we find a chance to bracket for both exposure and - separately - white balance.

Fittingly then, the next item on the LCD's tool bar allows adjustment of exposure compensation (-/+ 2EV), then ISO (ISO80 through ISO800), white balance, focus (multi area, central or spot AF), and metering (multi zone, centre weighted or spot again). Subsequent toolbar options let the user govern the camera's sensitivity to detecting a smile - firing the shutter only on a slight, normal or big smile for instance. Face detection and dynamic range optimizer also get their own toolbar settings - the latter allowing the user to either turn off the shadow detail/exposure enhancing feature, again set it to 'standard' optimisation or maximum DRO Plus setting. At the very end of all these toolbar options there appears a toolbox icon denoting the camera's set up folder.

Here, as on the TX5 snapshot we examined at the same time as the H55, the user has access to four further sub folders governing further shooting settings, main settings, media card and clock settings. It's amongst the former settings that photographers can turn red eye reduction on when shooting with flash, activate the AF illuminator (or turn it off) plus summon up compositional grid lines. Basically providing the degree of control you'd expect from a camera of this ilk.

While that's it for the camera back, the right hand flank of the camera if examined from the rear provides a lug for attaching the wrist strap included in the box, while the opposing side is free of any controls whatsoever. The base of the H55 meanwhile features an unprotected slot for the attachment of the composite AV/USB cable provided, and, over to one side and just left of the lens (rather than directly below) a screw thread for attaching a tripod. At the other side of the camera base is a slide open, spring-loaded catch protecting combined battery and media card compartment. Though this can be easily slid open with the thumb it doesn't feel like it might just pop open unexpectedly.

So while that's it for the H55 in terms of operation, let's next examine how it fares for image quality. Can the shots match the scope suggested by its lens and feature set?

Image Quality

All of the sample images in this Review were taken using the 14 megapixel Fine JPEG setting, which gives an average image size of around 5.5Mb.

In terms of image quality, there is inevitably some barrel distortion visible when shooting at the ultra wide 25mm equivalent wide-angle setting - especially when photographing the usually straight edges of man made structures - but it's not to a degree that ruins the shot. However good edge to edge sharpness is maintained by Sony's high performance G series lens, with none of the tell tale corner softening that has affected high zoom rivals such as Casio's EX-H15.

Purple pixel fringing between areas of high contrast (tree branches against a bright featureless sky for example) is however just as much in evidence as its close rival - something that has blighted Sony digital compacts since the very beginning. In truth you'll only notice it when zooming into the image, but you won't have to look too closely.

In terms of visible image noise, up to and including ISO 800 there's not a pronounced jump in the visibility of grain in shadow areas. Though detail is softening at ISO 1600 - most notable when looking at edges - we'd argue the setting is still perfectly usable. At top ISO 3200 setting however detail is beginning to break up and the overall image take on a familiarly smudgy watercolour effect.

Noise

There are 7 ISO settings available on the Sony CyberShot DSC-H55. Here are some 100% crops which show the noise levels for each ISO setting.

ISO 80 (100% Crop)

ISO 100 (100% Crop)

   

ISO 200 (100% Crop)

ISO 400 (100% Crop)

   

ISO 800 (100% Crop)

ISO 1600 (100% Crop)

   

ISO 3200 (100% Crop)

 
 

Sharpening

Here are two 100% crops which have been Saved as Web - Quality 50 in Photoshop. The right-hand image has had some sharpening applied in Photoshop. The out-of-the camera images are a little soft and ideally benefit from some further sharpening in a program like Adobe Photoshop. You can't change the in-camera sharpening level.

Original (100% Crop)

Sharpened (100% Crop)

   

Chromatic Aberrations

The Sony CyberShot DSC-H55 handled chromatic aberrations quite well during the review, with purple fringing evident around the edges of objects in certain high-contrast situations, as shown in the example below.

Example 1 (100% Crop)

Macro

The Sony CyberShot DSC-H55 offers a Macro setting that allows you to focus on a subject that is 5cms away from the camera when the lens is set to wide-angle. The first image shows how close you can get to the subject (in this case a compact flash card). The second image is a 100% crop.

Macro Shot

100% Crop

Flash

The flash settings on the Sony CyberShot DSC-H55 are Auto, Forced Flash, Slow Syncro, No Flash, with a Red-eye Reduction option in the Main menu. These shots of a white coloured wall were taken at a distance of 1.5m.

Suppressed Flash - Wide Angle (25mm)

Forced Flash - Wide Angle (25mm)

ISO 64 ISO 64
   

Suppressed Flash - Telephoto (250mm)

Forced Flash - Telephoto (250mm)

ISO 64 ISO 64

And here are some portrait shots. Both the Forced Flash setting and the Red-Eye Correction option caused a small amount of red-eye.

Forced Flash

Forced Flash (100% Crop)
   

Red-eye Reduction

Red-eye Reduction (100% Crop)

Night Shot

The Sony CyberShot DSC-H55's maximum shutter speed is 2 seconds, which is not good news if you're seriously interested in night photography. The shot below was taken using a shutter speed of 1/10th second at ISO 400. I've included a 100% crop of the image to show what the quality is like.

Night Shot

Night Shot (100% Crop)

Sweep Panorama Mode

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H55 allows you to take panoramic images very easily, by 'sweeping' with the camera while keeping the shutter release depressed. The camera does all the processing and stitching and now even successfully compensates for moving subjects. The main catch is that the resulting image is of fairly low resolution.

 

Sample Images

This is a selection of sample images from the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H55 camera, which were all taken using the 14 megapixel Fine JPEG setting. The thumbnails below link to the full-sized versions, which have not been altered in any way.

Sample Movie & Video

This is a sample video from the Sony CyberShot DSC-H55 camera at the highest quality setting of 1280x720 pixels at 30 frames per second. Please note that this 14 second movie is 15.4Mb in size.

Product Images

Sony CyberShot DSC-H55

Front of the Camera

 
Sony CyberShot DSC-H55

Front of the Camera / Lens Extended

 
Sony CyberShot DSC-H55

Isometric View

 
Sony CyberShot DSC-H55

Isometric View

 
Sony CyberShot DSC-H55

Rear of the Camera

 
Sony CyberShot DSC-H55

Rear of the Camera / Image Displayed

 
Sony CyberShot DSC-H55

Top of the Camera

 
Sony CyberShot DSC-H55

Bottom of the Camera

 
Sony CyberShot DSC-H55

Side of the Camera

 

Sony CyberShot DSC-H55

Side of the Camera

 
Sony CyberShot DSC-H55

Memory Card Slot

 
Sony CyberShot DSC-H55

Battery Compartment

Conclusion

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H55 is one of the more sophisticated big (or 'high') zoom compacts out there at the moment. For us though it doesn't quite trump the 14 megapixel Canon PowerShot SX210 IS though for both results and positive (and moreover fun) user experience, nor Casio's competing EX-H15 for the breadth of its feature set.

Still, in its favour the H55 is a good £100 cheaper than the Canon, and identical in price to the Casio (if you go by what the manufacturers have themselves suggested), so you pays your money and makes your choice. The sweep panorama function certainly provides the H55 with a wow factor, though images are softer than results shot in alternative modes - they more closely resemble video grabs in fact. Yet couple this with a decent lens delivering sharp results under normal circumstances and the DSC-H55 is still worthy of your further investigation.

The wider than average lens will also allow more of the scene than usual to be squeezed into frame - and that 10x optical reach is not to be sniffed at, since again this is a camera that can be slipped readily into the pocket of your jeans and is affordable with it. So while it may not be the ultimate travel camera, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H55 won't let you down when you have need of it or irritate you with its annoying little habits en route.

4 stars

Ratings (out of 5)
Design 3.5
Features 4
Ease-of-use 3.5
Image quality 4
Value for money 4

Specifications

Lens
Optical Zoom 10x
Precision Digital Zoom Approx.20x(Total)
Smart Zoom up to 67x(with VGA)
F 3.5-5.5
Focal Length (f= mm) 4.25-42.5
Focal Length (f=35mm conversion) 25-250
Macro (cm) iAuto(W:Approx.5cm(0.16') to Infinity, T:Approx.100cm(3.28') to Infinity)
Filter Diameter (mm) NO
Conversion Lens compatibility NO
NightShot NO
NightFraming NO
Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar Lens NO
Sony G YES
Image Sensory
CCD Type Super HAD CCD
Size (Inches) 1/2.3 type(7.76mm)
Camera
Effective Pixels (Mega Pixels) Approx. 14.1
Bionz Processor YES
Face Detection YES
Smile Shutter YES
Clear RAW NR YES
Auto Focus Method (Single) NO
Auto Focus Method (Monitoring) NO
Auto Focus Method (Intelligent) NO
Auto Focus Method (Continuous) NO
Auto Focus Area (Multi Point) 9 points (Under Face Undetected)
Auto Focus Area (Centre weighted) YES
Auto Focus Area (Spot) YES
Auto Focus Area (Flexible Spot) NO
Manual Focus NO
Focus Preset NO
Focus Preset (m) NO
Aperture Auto Mode YES
Aperture Priority Mode NO
Aperture Manual Mode YES
Shutter Speed Auto Mode (sec) iAuto(2" - 1/1,600) / Program Auto(1" - 1/1,600)/Manual(30"-1/1600)
NR Slow Shutter YES
Hand Shake Alert YES
Exposure Control +/- 2.0EV, 1/ 3 EV step
White Balance Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent1, Fluorescent2, Fluorescent3, Incandescent, Flash, One Push, One Push Set
Automatic White Balance YES
Light Metering (Multi Pattern) YES
Light Metering (Centre weighted) YES
Light Metering (Spot) YES
Sharpness Setting NO
Saturation Setting NO
Contrast Setting NO
ISO Sensitivity (REI) Auto / 80 / 100 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600 / 3200
Scene Selection 8 modes (Twilight / Twilight Portrait / Twilight using a tripod / Backlight / Backlight Portrait / Landscape / Macro / Portrait)
AF Illuminator YES
Flash Mode Auto / Flash On / Slow Syncro / Flash Off
Distance limitations using Flash (m) ISO Auto: Approx.0.25-Approx.4.1m(Approx.0.82'-Approx.13.5')(W) / Approx.1.0-Approx.2.6m(Approx.3.28'-Approx.8.53')(T), ISO3200: up to Approx.8.2m(Approx26.9)(W) / Approx.5.2m(Approx17.06')(T)
Pre-flash YES
Red-eye Reduction YES
Auto Daylight Synchronized Flash YES
Super SteadyShot
Super SteadyShot capability NO
SteadyShot capability NO
Optical SteadyShot capability YES
Auto Focus System
AF Illuminator YES
Built-In-Flash
Flash Mode Auto / Flash On / Slow Syncro / Flash Off
Red-Eye Reduction YES
Auto Daylight Synchronized Flash YES
LCD/ Viewfinder
LCD Screen Size (inches) 7.5cm / 3"
LCD Total Dots Number 230.400
LCD Monitor Type TFT
Auto Bright Monitoring YES
Optical Viewfinder NO
Electrical Viewfinder NO
Recording
Recording Media Memory Stick™ Duo(still only), Memory Stick PRO Duo™(Mark2 only for movie). Memory Stick PRO Duo™ High Speed (Still only and no Speed Advantage), Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo™ (No Speed Advantage),
Recording Media II SD/SDHC/SDXC Memory Card (Class 4 or Higher for movie), internal memory (45MB)
Recording Format JPEG
Memory Stick™ Pro Interface Parallel
DCF (Design rule for Camera File System) YES
DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) YES
Burst Mode (shots) 1.84 fps(4 shots****)
Burst Interval (approximately sec) 0.69 sec.(4 shots)
Still Image size (14 Mega 4320 x 3240) YES
Still Image size (13 Mega 4224 x 3168) NO
Still Image size (12 Mega 4000 x 3000) NO
Still Image size (10 Mega 3648 x 2736) YES
Still Image size (9.0 Mega, 3456 x 2592) NO
Still Image size (8.0 Mega, 3264 x 2448) NO
Still Image size (7.2 Mega 3072 x 2304) NO
Still Image size (5.0 Mega, 2592 x 1944) YES
Still Image size (3.1 Mega, 2048 x 1536) NO
Still Image size (VGA, 640 x 480) YES
Still Image size (16:9 mode, 1920 x 1080) YES
Still Image size (16:9 mode, 3648 x 2056) NO
Still Image size (16:9 mode, 4320 x 2432) YES
Still Image size (3:2 mode, 4000 x 2672) NO
Still Image size (3:2 mode 3648 x 2432) NO
Still Image size (3:2 mode 3456 x 2304) NO
Panorama 7.152 x 1.080(244deg) / 4.912 x 1.080(168deg) / 4.912 x 1.920(168deg) / 3.424 x 1.920(117deg)
Moving Image Size (1280x720 30fps Fine Approx.9Mbps) YES
Moving Image Size (1280x720 30fps Standard Approx.6Mbps) YES
Moving Image Size (640x480 30fps Approx.3Mbps) YES
Moving Image Size (AVCHD 1920 x 1080(50i, Interlace) Approx.17Mbps(Average bit-rate)) NO
Moving Image Size (AVCHD 1440 x 1080(50i, Interlace) Approx.9Mbps(Average bit-rate)) NO
Moving Image Size (MP4/AVI 1440 x 1080 Approx.25fps Progressive) Approx.12Mbps(Average bit-rate)) NO
Moving Image Size (MP4/AVI 1280 x 720 Approx.25fps Progressive) Approx.6Mbps(Average bit-rate)) NO
Moving Image Size (MP4/AVI 640 x 480 Approx.25fps Progressive) Approx.3Mbps(Average bit-rate)) NO
Playback/ Edit
HD (High Definition) Playback YES
Slideshow Playback YES
Slideshow with Music YES
Trimming YES
Resize NO
Playback Zoom YES
Divide (MPEG) NO
Cue & Review (MPEG) YES
Index Playback YES
Image Rotation YES
Auto Image Rotation YES
General
Battery Remaining Indicator YES
Histogram Indicator YES
Exposure Warning Indicator YES
Disk / Memory Stick remaining indicator YES
PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol) YES
Print Image Matching YES
PictBridge YES
Shop Front Mode YES
Start up time (approximately sec) 1.9
Menu Language English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Danish, Finnish, Polish, Czech, Hungarian, Turkish, Greek, Croatian, Romanian, Bulgarian
Jacks
Multi use Terminal with HD YES
Multi use Terminal YES
AV Out YES
USB 2.0 Hi-Speed YES
Power/ Others
Battery System Lithium G
Supplied Battery NP-BG1
Stamina (battery life) with the supplied battery(s) in normal shooting condition 310 shots, 155min (CIPA standard with LCD screen on)
Battery for Clock Manganese-Lithium (MS614SE)
Weight (g) Approx. 170g (6.0oz.)
Weight with Accessories (g) Approx. 200g (7.1oz.)
Supplied Software Picture Motion Browser Ver.5.0(Windows only)
Supplied Accessories Rechargeable Battery Pack(NP-BG1), Battery Charger, Multi Connector Cable, Power Cord, Wrist Strap, CD-ROM
Dimensions
Width (mm) 102.9
Height (mm) 57.7
Depth (mm) 28.9

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