Sony HX1 review

The headline-grabbing feature of Sony's new 9 megapixel superzoom compact is its ' sweep panorama' mode. Simply press the shutter and pan the camera to create a 224 degree horizontal or 154 degree vertivcal panorama where all the frames are stitched for you as you go. It's quick and simple.
In practice, we found it had a few wobbles, with a few stuttering stitches and elongated blends, but we were testing a pre-production model handheld without any guidance from a user manual. It's very enjoyable and accessible for all though. the maximum resolution for an horizontal panoramic image is 7152x1080.
The DSC-HX1 is also capable of capture bursts of up to ten frames per second using its 1/2.4 inch EXmor CMOS sensor and high-speed mechanical shutter. Each frame is at full 9.1MP resolution of the sensor, so there was some processing time from capture to on screen display in our brief test, but it does provide a very flexible system. Sony also claims that compared to images ' shot with traditional sensors', the HX1 model ' takes clearer images with about 50 percent less noise when in handheld twillight or anti blur modes'.
Other notable features include a 28 - 560 mm (35mm equivalent) 20x zoom and 1080 high definition movie capture, with stereo sound capture via a built in microphone. Optical SteadyShot comes as standard, while a 3" LCD monitor, face-detection modes and nose-reduction technology that uses the high speed shutter to capture six shots within a fraction of a second and superimposes them into one picture in order to improve sharpness and clarity, should ensure it appeals to gadget fans and photographers alike.

What's in the Box?

The DSC-HX1 has an average bundle. Inside the box, you'll find:

• The 9.1 effective Megapixel Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 camera
• NP-FH50 rechargeable lithium-ion battery
• Battery charger
• Lens cap w/retaining strap
• Shoulder strap
• USB + A/V cable
• HDMI adapter
• CD-ROM featuring Picture Motion Browser software, Cyber-shot handbook and Step-up Guide
• 74 page basic manual (printed) plus 176 page full manual (on CD-ROM)