- Conclusion Get the lowdown
- Features How they compare
- Performance Real world benchmarks
- Differences Technical showdown
- Reviews Word on the street
- Competition Others to consider
- Discussion Answers and opinions
Compare with...
- Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200
- Fujifilm X-S1
- Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150
- Canon PowerShot SX50 HS
- Nikon Coolpix P510
Rated 90% by by Photography Blog (Apr, 2012)The inherent beauty of any super zoom camera is the ability to choose from a wide range of framing options, and photograph a broad range of subjects, without having to take a single step forward or back.
Rated 80% by by TrustedReviews (Jun, 2012)The HS30's new EVF is infinitely more usable than its predecessor's, and battery life is better too.
Conclusion Which is better for you?
Features Key features of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V compared to the Fujifilm FinePix HS30 EXR
MP18
1/2.5"
Rated 72% by by DPReview (Apr, 2012)That said, if you downsize the images to match the resolution of similar super zooms, the HX200V comes off looking pretty good.
15.9 MP
1/2"
Rated 100% by by Vegas-Varmins--Pet-Person (Jan, 2013)You can add filters (very rare in compact all-in-one digitals), shoot RAW (better for Photoshop or other higher end software - also rare in compacts).
megapixels
| 0 MP | 18 MP   | 20 MP |
Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V by DPReview (Apr, 2012)To top it off, it features the highest resolution sensor in a compact camera (18 Megapixel, which may or may not be a good thing) as well as one one of the most powerful zoom lenses (30X).
FinePix HS30 EXR by c|net (Jun, 2012)If you're OK with smaller, 8-megapixel images (and you should be), you can get up to a fast 11fps.
sensor size
Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V by M.-Cordoba--mxcSo image quality at 100% size is lower than those of a 10 mp camera with a similar sensor.
FinePix HS30 EXR by THE-GO-BETWEENBut at least the Sony has an APS-C sized sensor compared to the tiny one on the 30EXR.
wide angle lens
Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V by RosieAndMe (May, 2012)The first photo is taken at wide angle and shows a long tree lined path ending at a distant white building.
FinePix HS30 EXR by Photography Blog (Apr, 2012)Throw in the 1cm Super Macro Mode and impressive maximum apertures of a bright f/2.8 at 24mm wide-angle to a slightly brighter f5.6 at 720mm telephoto, and it's clear that the HS30EXR is perfectly suited for any subject that you can think of, near or far.
aperture size
Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V by M.-Cordoba--mxcI own a DSLR with several lenses, know my way around shutter speed, iso, white balance, aperture, etc) I've also owned several point and shoot cameras over the years since they are easier to carry around (and I'm less worried they will break/get lost.
FinePix HS30 EXR by TrustedReviews (Jun, 2012)The lens itself is a Fuji-made Fujinon optic that offers a maximum aperture of f/2.8 at 24mm, rising progressively to f/5.6 at around 350mm and beyond.
zoom range
| 0x | 33.8x | 40x |
Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V by Angel_Pen--angel_rising (Dec, 2012)On one hand this camera offers an easy way to shoot with a 30x zoom but if you are a pro I doubt you will be happy with the resulting noisy images.
FinePix HS30 EXR by TrustedReviews (Jun, 2012)This gives the HS30 a big advantage over its competitors, simply because it’s much quicker and far more intuitive to operate than the fiddly, spring-loaded power-zoom controls employed by its rivals.
body size
122 x 87 x 93 mm
131 x 97 x 126 mm
FinePix HS30 EXR by mumix (Aug, 2012)Weight and size suitable for everyday use, I think one very remarkable feature is the digital level, which keeps the horizon with ease.
Performance Real world tests of Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V vs Fujifilm FinePix HS30 EXR
battery life
450 photos
600 photos
Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V by Usagi3 (Feb, 2013)#34;. First of all, the battery life is far better than previous models.
FinePix HS30 EXR by Photography Blog (Apr, 2012)At around 600 shots battery life is much improved thanks to the adoption of a Lithium-ion rechargeable battery.
max continuous shooting
Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V by YnotMe (May, 2012)view all the time, it would be much easier to follow the action whether in burst or single shot mode.
FinePix HS30 EXR by Photography Blog (Apr, 2012)Once the burst is completed, it now takes just over two seconds for the camera to clear the buffer, during which you cannot take another picture, a massive improvement on the HS20EXR.
Differences What are the advantages of each
Advantages compared to the Fujifilm FinePix HS30 EXR
| Much higher resolution screen | 921 k dots | vs | 460 k dots |
|---|---|---|---|
| More than 2x higher resolution screen | |||
| Larger zoom range | 33.8x | vs | 30x |
| Around 15% larger zoom; Great for sports or nature when your subject is further away | |||
| Includes a GPS | Yes | vs | No |
| Somewhat common; Records the location of your photos automatically | |||
| Higher resolution | 18 MP | vs | 15.9 MP |
| Around 15% higher resolution; Capture more detail, good for large prints | |||
| Marginally more recently announced | Feb, 2012 | vs | Jan, 2012 |
| Announced date 1 months later | |||
| Significantly smaller | 122 x 87 x 93 mm | vs | 131 x 97 x 126 mm |
| Around 40% smaller | |||
| Thinner | 93 mm | vs | 126 mm |
| More than 25% thinner | |||
| Lighter | 583 g | vs | 687 g |
| More than 15% lighter | |||
Advantages compared to the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V
| Larger sensor | 1/2" | vs | 1/2.5" |
|---|---|---|---|
| Around 10% larger sensor; higher quality photos | |||
| Has a flash hot shoe | Generic | vs | Fewer choices in how to light your subject |
| Very few cameras have a flash hot shoe; Connect a variety of external flashes for maximum lighting flexibility | |||
| Shoots RAW | Yes | vs | No |
| Somewhat common; Adjust white balance and exposure more easily in post production | |||
| Significantly more photos per charge | 600 | vs | 450 |
| 150 more shots; Longer battery life | |||
| Shoots high speed video | Yes | vs | No |
| Somewhat common; Create slow motion video | |||
Reviews Word on the street
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V | Fujifilm FinePix HS30 EXR | ||
 |  
|
| |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Rated by 205 users at amazon.com Rated 100% by by HL--Laughter-brings-happiness Rated 100% by by TechGuy (Mar, 2012) Rated 100% by by RosieAndMe (May, 2012) |  Rated by 76 users at amazon.com Rated 60% by by K.-Barr (Sep, 2012) Rated 100% by by pbp4Katie--pbp4katie (Jul, 2012) Rated 100% by by Arch-Stanton (Jul, 2012) | |
zoom
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V | Rated 40% by by RPD (Jun, 2012)Purchased the new Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-HX200V beginning of June 2012, really impressed with the photo qualities and zoom camera features until less than a week old the camera zoom/focus, video displayed completely died on me.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V | Rated 90% by by Photography Blog (Apr, 2012)The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V is a feature-packed super-zoom camera, offering a 30x, 27-810mm zoom lens, 18.2 megapixel back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor, built-in GPS tracking complete with a compass, 1920x1080 50p Full HD video recording with stereo sound and HDMI output, and 3D Sweep Panoramas and 3D Still Images.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V | Rated 90% by by Photography Blog (Apr, 2012)In not being a fashion conscious pocket snapshot - despite being the flagship unit of Sony’s High Performance compact series - the HX200V, which also incorporates built-in GPS, has its shooting advantages; chiefly the grip is larger - large enough to squeeze three fingers comfortably around - the camera, when loaded with rechargeable battery and SD or Memory Stick Pro Duo card, is heavier, plus both these features help provide a steadier hold when shooting towards the telephoto end of the zoom.
lens
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V | Rated 90% by by Photography Blog (Apr, 2012)The Sony CyberShot DSC-HX200V's 30x zoom lens offers an incredibly versatile focal range, as illustrated by these examples.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V | Rated 72% by by DPReview (Apr, 2012)Overall, the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-HX200V is a very good super zoom camera.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V | Rated 90% by by Photography Blog (Apr, 2012)Undoubtedly the biggest recommendation we have with the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V is that, by daylight, we were able to achieve sharp results shooting handheld with it with greater consistency than we have been able to achieve with pretty much any super zoom camera to date.
focus
Fujifilm FinePix HS30 EXR | Rated 80% by by TrustedReviews (Jun, 2012)Once the AF system is up and running it’s fast enough and in general you’re looking at less than a total of 0.5secs for the AF system to lock on, however the slight delay at the start of proceedings does make the HS30 feel slower than its main rivals.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V | Rated 90% by by Photography Blog (Apr, 2012)Other key features of the well-appointed Sony HX200V include high-speed autofocusing (0.13 seconds), a tilting 3 inch LCD screen with 921,000-dots, 10fps burst shooting mode at full resolution, ISO range of 100-12800, Optical SteadyShot with Active Mode which cuts camera-shake while you’re shooting handheld HD video, Intelligent Auto Plus, Superior Auto, Program and full Manual shooting modes, a range of Picture Effects and and support for both Memory Stick PRO Duo and Secure Digital cards.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V | Rated 90% by by Photography Blog (Apr, 2012)The Sony CyberShot DSC-HX200V allows you to focus on a subject that is just 1cm away from the camera when the lens is set to wide-angle.
manual control
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V | Rated 90% by by Photography Blog (Apr, 2012)So manual focusing and manual zooming on a consumer level ‘super zoom’ camera, that is less physically bulky than say Fuji’s Finepix HS20 and HS30 models (also 30x); that’s not to say it’s wholeheartedly better of course - for us the Fuji still has the edge for more precise manual focusing.
Competition What else you should consider
 | 1 | Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200 Most detailed video recording mode |
 | 2 | Fujifilm X-S1 Largest sensor |
 | 5 | Nikon Coolpix P510 3-way tie: Includes a GPS |
 | 6 | Fujifilm FinePix HS50EXR Rated the best by consumers |
Popular Questions
July 12, 2012
Action photography of children and other animals
I like to photograph my young relatives and pets, and obviously both these move fairly fast. Is this camera good for action shots? Also, I am going to Africa next year, so I need a camera with a...
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Answers Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V
stoneybug 
Beginner I
Our daughter has also had the last 2 generations of this camera and it is FABULOUS. I bought a Nikon D5100 with a 55-200mm lens and the Sony will outperform my Nikon on 99% of daytime outdoor -... View stoneybug's recommendation
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- August 28, 2012
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