Sony CyberShot DSC-H100 Point & Shoot Camera

I’m a 17 year old with a passion for photography who needed a camera that shoots good quality pictures & acceptably good video. Being on a budget (and as I simply don’t have the time nor the energy to carry a DSLR kit everywhere), I decided on a point & shoot with advanced features. And this camera fitted the bill perfectly.nFirstly, let me inform you that I did NOT buy this from Flipkart. The local Sony World had it priced identically and they offered a Sony 4×Battery+Charger set and a case for free. (The in-the-box batteries are regular alkaline)nSince then, I have been rigorously putting this camera through its paces & I must say it fails to disappoint me. Here’s an in-depth review on why – nThe Good Stuff – n• The camera is exceptionally sturdily built; all buttons & knobs feel firm in hand. Also the button layout is great, it’s almost impossible to pick it up without your hand automatically getting a good grip and thumb & index finger finding a ergonomic position (unlike some Nikon cameras that I’ve used). That said, it’s a big camera & if you have small hands, you might not be very comfortable with it.n• It has a 16.1 megapixel, 11.04 mm Super HAD CCD Sensor. Has great sensitivity range (ISO 80 to 3200). The BIONZ processor is quite good and keeps images relatively clean even at ISO 800. The lens quality is great and absolutely no chromatic aberration (colour splitting) takes place at the edges of the picture even when directly shooting at the sun.n• It uses AA batteries (4) which is a huge bonus under any circumstances. It even gives a pretty good battery life on regular alkaline batteries so if you’re planning to take it on a trekking tour or similar, you won’t have to worry about finding a plug point.n• The box only says 21× Optical zoom. It also has 2× Digital zoom and I was surprised to find, at full 42× zoom, the image is as clear as it was all optical zoom (I believe Sony calls it “Clear Zoom Technology”) The image stabilization (IS) is good, in fact, if you have very steady hands, it thinks it’s on a tripod. The Auto Focus is good while taking pics, although it has a slight lag and unless you set it to centre, it jumps to whatever object has the sharpest contrast (even if it isn’t your subject). The aperture can be set to only 2 settings and if you decide to increase shutter time under low light, be sure to get a tripod or find stable support.n• It comes with -11 scene modes (Soft Skin, Soft Snap, Day Landscape, Night Portrait, Night Landscape, High Sensitivity, Gourmet, Pet, Snow, Beach and Fireworks).n• You can use it in Manual mode where you can set ISO, Shutter time & aperture. It's minimum shutter speed is 30 sec & not 15 sec as they say above.n• You can crop, reduce red eye and shift the focal centre in camera and also save the edit as a new image using full 16 megapixels. This allows you avoid losing quality if you crop and enlarge the photo later.nnThe Not-So-Good Stuff – nn• Although it says “Optical zoom during video”, in reality this is rather slow. Also when you zoom during video (especially in 1280×720, 30fps) it takes a few seconds for the camera to hunt for the focus, which means for a few seconds everything in the video gets blurred. (Not a great idea if you are video-ing a dance or something similar)n• You can’t switch between different scene modes (Beach, snow etc.) via the knob on the top; you have to select it through menu or turn the knob from “Scene” to something else and back to “Scene” again.n• If you decide to shoot everything at the best quality (which I guess most people will), the in-the-box 4GB memory card is practically useless. So I suggest you will need at least a 16GB (SDHC or Memory Stick Duo Pro) card.n• The panorama modes are very sensitive to the slightest vertical movement. So you’ll need really steady hands or some support.n• No manual focus (although if you really want manual focus, get an entry-level DSLR).n• It has a lens cap that is rather loose. Also it takes quite some effort to open the battery compartment.n• It’s big and rather heavy so make sure you are comfortable with the weight & size before you buy it (If possible, go to a good electronics store and get a feel for the camera before paying for it)nnMY VERDICT – If you are looking for good pictures and nice movies under a variety of circumstances, this is by far the best in this range. It definitely doesn’t match the quality of a DSLR but then it costs about 1/3rd of a basic DSLR (not including about 2 to 5 thousand on lenses). If you have a considerably higher budget, try the Sony DSC HX200V (if you are looking for Sony). And of course, if you have about 32 to 35 K to spend, the option of carrying a lens kit and the passion to use a DSLR – Please Buy a DSLR (it’s simply the best choice) But if otherwise, this is the best camera for you.

Firstly I would like to thank Flipkart for delivering this product in time otherwise my Durga Puja photography would have been a complete flop.nnI got 4*Sony Rechargeable battery with charger+4GB Card+Sony Camera Carry Bag+ Gift Voucher. Best deal among shops & all the online store.nnThe best part with Flipkart is, it delivers in all the parts in India. Not like other online shop which delivers in only limited location in India. nnAbout this Camera (in lay man's language)nnPros:n1. Very High Zoom capacity (21X Optical & 42X Digital)n2. Clicking in a complete dark room (with its in-built flash on) will give the pic as if it is clicked in bright sunlight (Cyber-shot effect)n3. Pencil batteries used so it makes camera highly usable for long tours and picnics.n4. Different adjustment modes enables a wide range & flexible range of photographic experience.n5. It can be connected to TV via AV cables and can enjoy the slide show on TV. Also TV can be used as a display screen for photography.n6. It gives the feel of DSLR at this Price.nnCons:n1. Slight heavy to carry but lighter than DSLR + its kit.n2. Manual Focus adjustment not available (Only available in DSLRs).n3. Zoom functionality is not so good in Video mode.nnOverall a real good deal to go for. nnHIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!