Sony DSC-HX1 9-megapixel Digital Still Camera

Provided by OneCall

9.1 Megapixel Super Exmor™ CMOS Image Sensor
The HX1 features a 9.1 megapixel Exmor™ CMOS image sensor that brings out the full resolving power of the camera’s precision G-Lens to deliver extremely fast speed, high resolution, and stunning low-light sensitivity with improved image clarity and drastically reduced noise. With 9.1 megapixels, you can create stunning, photo-quality prints up to A3+ (13x19”) size, or crop your images and still come away with high resolution shots.

Professional Quality G-Lens
Designed and manufactured to the highest standards of optical performance, the Sony G-Lens is optimized to perfectly complement the advanced image sensors and image processing technology in Sony’s cameras. G lenses are used in top of the line digital single lens reflex (DSLR) cameras and advanced pro-sumer HD Camcorders. Capture the action up close with the 20x optical zoom, and with the 28mm wide angle lens the HX1 even allows you to capture more of the scenes in landscape or group portraits. The HX1’s G Lens has a six blade aperture capable of producing a beautiful bokeh (beautifully defocused backgrounds with a soft natural feel). The aspherical lens elements made from ED (extra-low dispersion) minimize chromatic aberration common to high-magnification lenses.

20x High Zoom
20x optical zoom extends your reach and helps bring you closer to the action – a real benefit for sporting events, wildlife, distant landscape views and dramatic portrait shots.

28mm Wide Angle Lens
Widen your view and capture more of the city, landscape, or group with a 28mm wide angle G lens.

3.0" Clear Photo LCD™ tilt display (230k pixels)
Compose and show off your images on the large 3.0”1 (230K) Clear Photo LCD Plus™ display, which tilts up or down approximately 90 degrees for easier high and low angle shooting and features a special anti-reflective coating for sharp visibility, even in bright sunlight.

CMOS Sensor
Enjoy extremely high resolution, fine tonal gradation and fast speed that faithfully reproduces every detail of your subject and reduces visual noise. The Exmor™ CMOS sensor brings out the full potential of the lens to ensure clear, high-precession image quality.

BIONZ™ image processor
The BIONZ™ image processor delivers the high resolution and fast performance you expect from a Sony® digital camera.

High Speed Shooting (10fps)
The HX1 is the world’s first digital still camera that can capture full 9.1 megapixel resolution images at up to 10 fps, helping to ensure you never miss the decisive moment. What’s more, the HX1 employs a mechanical shutter that helps reduce distortion when continuously shooting moving subjects.

Sweep Panorama Mode
Reach beyond the traditional wide angle lens, and capture more breathtaking shots with the world’s first Sweep Panorama Mode in a digital still camera. Simply press the shutter button and sweep the camera in the desired direction (horizontal or vertical), and the camera continuously shoots at a high speed and then seamlessly stitches the images together with automatic position adjustment to create one stunning panoramic image in the span of a second. Available in wide and ultra-wide options, the camera can take panoramic shots of up to 224 degrees, which is wider than a fish-eye lens. Now capturing wide landscapes or church spires or skyscrapers are as easy as press and sweep.

Handheld Twilight Mode
Capture cleaner and sharper night shots without using a tripod. When set to Handheld Twilight Mode, the HX1 captures six images in a fraction of a second with one press of the shutter, keeping the moving object from one and superimposing the rest of the frame from the 6 images doubling the sensitivity to create a single optimized image with 50% less noise than an image shot with a camera with a traditional image sensor.

Anti-Motion Blur Mode
Anti Motion Blur mode with allows you to capture shots with reduced noise and less blur., ideal when subject or object moves, in dim light environment or when using telephoto, This is made possible by the fast speed of the Exmor™ CMOS sensor with High ISO and the power of the BIONZ™ processor which allows the camera to detect subject movement and camera shake which might blur the main subject. Six images are taken in a fraction of a second and are layered into one, creating the optimal image with approximately 50% less noise (compared to image shot with camera with traditional sensor).

HD Movie (1080p)
Capture your movies in stunning 1080p HD resolution and with the built in stereo microphone record audio that is crisp and clear. Continue to extend your reach, and use the 20x zoom to capture those moments at a distance. The HD movie files are recorded at 30fps (1440x1080) in the high quality, high compression MPEG4 AVC/H.264 format, for easy sharing on a compatible PC, and when uploaded on to the web. Maximum recording time per movie is 29minutes, limited to available capacity on storage media. HX1 also has HDMI™ connectivity that allows images can be shared in high definition on a compatible HDTV5.

Intelligent Auto Mode
Intelligent Auto (iAuto) mode goes beyond traditional auto settings by recognizing and adjusting to scene conditions and lighting, enhancing natural skin tones, and reducing blur. By incorporating advanced features such as Intelligence Scene Recognition, Face Detection technology, and Optical SteadyShot™ image stabalization, iAuto lets you take advantage of the latest Sony Cyber-shot technology without leaving auto mode. Whether you’re shooting expansive landscapes, capturing playground action, or taking pictures at a birthday party or wedding shower, iAuto will optimize your camera’s settings to help ensure you come away with a great shot.

Intelligent Scene Recognition
Intelligent Scene Recognition (iSCN) Mode automatically detects eight different types of scenes and, within just 1/30th of a second, selects the appropriate camera settings: Backlight, Backlight Portrait, Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Twilight using a Tripod, Portrait, Landscape, and Macro. iSCN has two modes: Auto and Advanced. In Auto Mode, the camera takes a single shot using the optimal settings. In Advance Mode, the camera takes a photo with the standard automatic settings and, if in difficult lighting (low light or back light) immediately takes a second photo with optimized setting so you can chose which to keep.

Face Detection technology
Face Detection technology detects up to eight individual faces and controls flash, focus, exposure, and white balance to deliver accurate, natural skin tones with reduced red-eye. It can also give priority to children or adults. Newly added Face Motion Detection adjusts ISO sensitivity and accelerates the shutter speed when facial movement is detected, reducing blur in the subjects face.

Selected Face Memory
Optimizing focus, exposure, and white balance for a specific face is easier now with selectable facial memory, even when the subject leaves the frame. This feature is perfect at weddings and other events where the goal is always to focus on a certain person.

Anti-blink Function
It's frustrating to think you've captured that perfect shot, only to review it later and discover one of your subjects blinked just as you pressed the shutter. The Anti-blink function works to help counter blinking and squinting. When the camera is set to Portrait, the Anti-blink function captures two images, recording only the photo with less squinting. If a blink is detected in other shooting modes, a warning will be tilt displayed after you take the shot.

Smile Shutter™ Technology
The popular Smile Shutter™ technology automatically detects and captures a smiling face. Simply activate by pressing the Smile Shutter button and the camera will capture a smile the moment it happens. You can also select subject priority (Adult or Child Priority or touch subject on screen) and indicate the degree of Smile Detection Sensitivity to high (small smile), medium (laugh) or low (grin). Smile Shutter also makes a great substitute for the self timer. Just smile once everyone is ready, and the camera will automatically capture the shot.

Double Anti-blur Solution
The combination of Optical SteadyShot™ image stabilization and High ISO sensitivity helps compensate for shaky hands, minimizes blur, and allows flash-free shooting to preserve the mood.

Optical SteadyShot™ Image Stabilization
Optical SteadyShot™ image stabilization uses a built-in gyro sensor to detect camera shake and automatically shifts the lens to help prevent blur without sacrificing image quality.

High Sensitivity Mode (ISO 3200)
High ISO allows for faster shutter speed, so you can take photos indoors or in low light without the need for a flash. In addition to High Sensitivity Mode (ISO), you can select up to eight ISO settings (Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200) when shooting in Program Auto Mode to adjust sensitivity to your shooting conditions.

Dynamic Range Optimizer Standard and Plus
Dynamic Range Optimizer (DRO) Standard and Plus uses a sophisticated algorithm to determine the best exposure and contrast settings for almost any shooting environment. The result is more natural images with clearer details that more closely match what your naked eye sees. DRO is particularly effective when shooting backlit portraits or any scene with a dramatic contrast between background and foreground lighting. DRO Plus allows for even greater optimization by analyzing each region of an image and performing additional image processing.

Convenient Photo Modes
Choose from 13 convenient photo modes to quickly adjust for specific shooting conditions. Photo modes include iAuto, Easy, Program, and Scene Selection such as High Sensitivity, Landscape, Soft Snap, Twilight Portrait, Twilight, Beach, Snow, Fireworks, Underwater and Gourmet Mode. Gourmet Mode lets you capture mouth-watering culinary creations with all the color and clarity of images you see in gourmet magazines.

9-Point Auto Focus
Because an off-centered subject can make your shot more interesting, a 9-point auto focus system measures nine precision focus points, giving you greater creative freedom to compose your images.

Function Guide
This beginner-friendly optional function helps navigate through the various functions and settings tilt displaying the description of chosen functions or settings on the LCD screen.

Intelligent Auto Focus
Auto Focus has become more intelligent, too. Cyber-shot automatically detects the changing situations such as subject brightness or zoom ratio, and activates the auto focus before the user presses the shutter button.

Functional Button Layout
The HX1 draws on the functional layout of Sony® a (alpha) digital SLR cameras with the incorporation of a jog dial for easy, one-handed selection of settings, as well as a custom button that can be programmed to access one of three commonly used settings – Smile Shutter™ technology, white balance, or metering mode.

Easy Shooting Mode
With Easy Shooting Mode, even beginners can take great photos. In Easy Shooting Mode, easy-to-understand basic instructions are tilt displayed on the LCD screen and the camera switches to all automatic settings with iSCN so you can just take the photo without worrying about settings. The menu is also simplified on playback to provide limited but straight forward operating functions for those afraid of choosing wrong settings.

16:9 High Resolution Mode
Using the 16:9 High Resolution Mode, you can record high resolution images in the 16:9 aspect ratio favored by HDTVs. This setting is ideal if you plan to view your images on a compatible HDTV6 and invite friends and family members under for a slideshow.

Stamina® Battery Power
Provides extended battery life and shooting capacity when using a fully-charged lithium-ion battery. The included battery supports up to 390 shots7.

Easy Image Management
Easy Image Management takes the hassle out of sorting through large volumes of image data, so you can quickly select and view your desired photos. Photos can be browsed in four convenient ways: by Standard Folder view, Date view, Event view, and Favorites showing only user-selected images. You can also harness the power of Face Detection technology to filter by face type (choices include All People, Children, Infants, and Smiles).

HDTV Compatibility
HDTV Compatibility: View your photos and videos in glorious high definition on a Sony® BRAVIA® or similar HDTV using the optional VMC-MHC2 HD output adapter cable (sold separately).

BRAVIA® Sync™
When connected to a BRAVIA® Sync™ enabled BRAVIA® HDTV via HDMI™ output on the supplied HDMI adapter (HDMI™ cable required, sold separately), the Cyber-shot® HX1 camera playback screen will automatically display, and you can control camera playback using your BRAVIA® HDTV remote control8. Just press the Sync button on the remote to display a dedicated menu. Such easy operation makes viewing your photos and videos on a large-screen TV even more enjoyable.

PhotoTV HD
PhotoTV HD: Bring your photos to life and enjoy highly detailed, high definition images with PhotoTV HD-capable Sony® BRAVIA® HDTVs2. PhotoTV HD fine tunes settings on your HDTV, such as sharpness, gradation, and color to tilt display images that look more like actual printed photos.

Wide Zoom tilt display
To use the entire image area of the compatible HDTV screen (sold separately), Wide Zoom tilt display automatically expands standard 4:3 and 3:2 images to 16:9.

PHOTOMUSIC feature
PHOTOMUSIC3 combines images with music (5 minutes per track) to produce fun and entertaining slide shows. The standard visual effects (Simple, Nostalgic, Active, and Stylish). Select from pre-loaded tracks on camera or transfer your own from your compatible PC (sold separately).

In-Camera Retouching Tools
Retouch and enhance your pictures on the go with 10 in-camera editing functions: Trimming, Red-Eye Correction, Soft Focus, Partial Color, Fisheye Lens, Cross Filter, Radial Blur, Retro, Happy Face and Unsharp Masking effects.

Multi-purpose Resize function
The Multi-purpose Resize function lets you change the aspect ratio of an image right in the camera, so you can adjust images as necessary, whether you want to tilt display them on a compatible HDTV5, or e-mail them / upload them to a blog4.

Picture Motion Browser ver. 4.2.02
Sony® PMB (Picture Motion Browser ) PC software11 provides a simple, easy-to-use way to transfer video and still images to your PC, as well as sort, edit, and output to data disc and the Web (compatible PC with internet connection required). Finding your images with PMB is easy with Calendar view and Face Search. Face Search allows you to filter by faces (one or many) and also a specific person’s face. Share images and videos on popular sharing sites with Media Services function.


Footnotes:
1.Viewable area, measured diagonally
2.Compatible BRAVIA® HDTV, and component cable (sold separately) required for PhotoTV HD viewing. Specifications of the BRAVIA HDTV shown vary according to market region.
3.Four preset music tracks stored in internal memory. Imported music tracks can be up to five minutes long. When using Music Transfer to download music, tracks longer than five minutes will be reduced to five minutes when uploading to the Cyber-shot® camera.
4.Requires Windows 2000 Professional SP4, Windows XP SP2, or Windows Vista. Not supported by Mac OS.
5.HD Viewing requires an HD output adapter cable (VMC-MHC2), sold separately.
6.Maximum of 29 minutes continuous recording per video clips, limited to available capacity on storage media.
7.Under average conditions; when fully charged, actual results may vary based on camera settings and conditions of use.
8.Requires BRAVIA® Sync™ feature in each product. Please refer to BRAVIA and/or Remote owner’s manual to determine compatibility.
11.For uploading movies to Internet sharing sites, movies can be converted to SD image quality with Picture Motion Browser, or record in VGA resolution (640 x 480, 3Mbps).