Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX300 Pro Reviews

The HX300, with its monster Carl Zeiss zoom, can easily handle landscape/scenic photography, wildlife photography, event photography (festivals, concerts, parties, family gatherings), and travel photography. A DSLR shooter would need a camera bag full of very expensive lenses to cover the same range as that amazing 50x zoom. If you don't need a touch-screen LCD, GPS, or Wi-Fi (and you can live with the non-intuitive menu system) the HX300 produces the best image quality of any ultra-zoom P&S camera that I've used to date. The HX300 would be an almost ideal choice for an aspiring photographer on a budget, an excellent choice as a family camera, and a very good choice for travelers who have the space and want a tough easy to use digital camera with lots of reach.

As we felt with its predecessor, the Sony HX200V, we think the Sony HX300's strengths far outweigh its limitations, making this all-in-one superzoom a solid option for anyone who wants a camera to do a little bit of everything. The HX300's 50x optical zoom lens is a huge upgrade and an incredible tool, offering 24-1,200mm equivalent coverage. It's extremely versatile, allowing users to photograph a wide range of subjects, from close-ups of people riding a faraway zip-line to wide-angle shots of cityscapes. The HX300 handled these photo tasks smoothly and efficiently. Unless you're willing to pay tens of thousands of dollars for DSLR lenses, there are few alternatives that can do what the Sony HX300 can do, especially for such a relatively low pricetag. Boasting an incredible 50x optical zoom (24-1,200mm equivalent) reach, the all-in-one Sony HX300 showcases one of the most versatile built-in lenses we've ever tested. This bridge camera's relatively small 1/2.3-inch imaging sensor means its image quality won't rival the output of a DSLR or premium compact -- especially in low light -- but it's definitely capable of capturing photos few other cameras can. Packed with features including Full HD video at up to 60p in a comfortable, ergonomic body, this superzoom is ideal to take on any photo trip when you need to travel light.

Better for videos than for photos, but still a strong contender

The Cyber-shot HX300 is a camera designed with one purpose in mind - to provide an extraordinarily long zoom range. To look at it another, more cynical way, it's Sony's competition for the Canon SX50 HS. There's no denying that having a hugely powerful zoom at your fingertips provides the opportunity to get the kind of close-in, tightly framed shots that owners of more more moderate super-zooms can only dream of. For that, with its massive range, bright maximum aperture and excellent stabilisation, the HX300 is the ideal tool, but do closely compare the feature-set with Canon's SX50 HS to see which best suits your needs. But before even that, ask yourself if you really need the power of a 1200mm telephoto. Because if you don't there are numerous other options that might suit you better. The first place to look would be the 30x Sony HX200 or the GPS equipped Sony HX200V. In return for a shorter zoom with a 'mere' 810mm telephoto, you gain longer battery life, an eye sensor, and a built-in ND filter in a smaller, lighter and cheaper body. There's also the Sony HX50V which packs a 30x optical zoom into a pocket body, or of course the Panasonic Lumix FZ200 which may 'only' have a 25-600mm equivalent zoom, but boasts a constant focal ratio of f2.8 throughout the range. So while I can Recommend the HX300, there are a lot of compelling alternatives, most obviously starting with Canon's SX50 HS, but including many others.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX300 ultimately suffers in comparison to the Canon PowerShot SX50 HS, Fujifilm FinePix HS50 EXR and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200 by not offering enough prosumer features, especially when you factor in its high price-tag. In a crowded marketplace with less well-specified models available at cheaper prices and better-specified alternatives for the same kind of money, it's difficult to more whole-heartedly recommend the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX300, even thought that 50x zoom lens is literally hard to ignore.

Like the Nikon Coolpix P520, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC- HX300 is more a point-and-shoot than a full-fledged bridge camera, such as the Fujifilm FinePix HS50EXR or Canon PowerShot SX50 HS. The Sony is just a step ahead of the Nikon in terms of performance and it's a better option for snapshooters. Plus, it's got a longer lens.

The Sony Cybershot DSC-HX300 is the most expensive 50x optical zoom camera on the market, you can save around £100 by purchasing the Fujifilm FinePix SL1000, so is the extra price justifiable? They share many of the same features, but the body has a little more quality to it and so have the pictures. Sony have managed to pack the 50x zoom lens into a much smaller body. This camera is ideal if you want the features of a DSLR, without the bulk of carry many lenses to achieve a similar focal range.

The Sony Cyber-shot HX300 is a quality superzoom camera from a use and performance point of view, but its high-resolution image sensor drops the ball when it comes to image quality finery. We've achieved some cracking shots using the camera - and that considerable 50x zoom with optical stabilisation is a great enabler - but close-up inspection reveals a variety of imperfections. There's plenty on offer here for the £419 asking price and, while not cheap, this is one of only a handful of cameras with such a considerable zoom lens. It's a great all-rounder - we only wish the megapixel obsession would do an about turn and head the other way for the benefit of image quality.