The Sony Cybershot DSC H20 is one of a number of digital cameras launched in the spring of 2009 offering some extra zoom inside a relatively compact body. You only need to look back about two years to see that the 10x optical zoom Sony has built into the Cybershot DSC H20 was about the maximum you could find on any digital camera. Now that the most advanced models can offer up to 24x zoom a gap has opened in the market. This is being filled by these smaller cameras offering what was not so long ago considered to be maximum zoom.
When it comes to the zoom available you have extra options with the Cybershot DSC H20. If you are planning to make smaller prints, you can reduce the amount of megapixels you are shooting at from the maximum 10. This allows additional zoom to become available. At its smallest resolution up to 57x zoom becomes available to you. On top of this you can also opt to buy conversion lenses to increase the telephoto or wide angle capacity of the lens. The lens comes with a 58mm thread for fitting a conversion lens via a lens adapter or for using filters.
You have the choice of using the Cybershot DSC H20 as a point and shoot camera or you can opt to use the manual exposure mode to give you more control over the way your final photographs will look. When you place the camera in manual mode you gain access to shutter speeds between 30 and 1/2000 seconds and aperture sizes between f/3.5 - 8 (wide) f/4.4 - 10 (tele).
As I mentioned above there have been a number of advances in the last two years when it comes to length of lens. This is the same with video modes. The Cybershot DSC H20 is capable of shooting High Definition movies. One area where this camera has the edge over the majority of other digital cameras is that it is able to record sound in stereo. You can also apply zoom while you are shooting movies.
Sony has included image stabilisation, face detection and a smile shutter. These three features are almost commonplace on digital cameras, especially with this length of lens. Also included is a 3 inch LCD screen, although you need to make do without a viewfinder.
When it comes to picture quality I had few complaints. The extra physical size of the lens found on this type of camera tends to make picture quality more standard and there is little to choose between different cameras. The Cybershot DSC H20 is able to handle most photo opportunities well and it can also take a good macro shot for close up subjects. Compared to other brands I felt the colours were a little subtler. How strong you like the colour to be in a photograph is something of a matter of taste, but this does help to create a difference between the cameras in this niche.
The cameras all look a little different to each other as well. I like the design of this camera. It is certainly compact and the unfussy style with a matt black finish suggests a well made camera with a touch of quality.
Cameras like the Sony Cybershot DSC H20 are often marketed as good choices for travel and holiday. This is because you get the extra lens power, but there is no large, bulky camera to lug around with you. So if you are planning a holiday for the summer of 2009 take a close look at this camera.
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