Sony Cybershot DSC-HX350 is Sony’s latest compact camera with an impressive 50x optical zoom ideal for travelling and wildlife. The body resembles a DSLR camera, which offers a really good grip, and sports many high-end PASM controls. The predecessor Sony Cybershot DSC-HX300 was released in March 2013, which is almost four years ago. One wonders why Sony waited almost four years with the successor as there’s a large market for capable compact cameras.

Image quality and zoom

Sony Cybershot DSC-HX350 sports a 20.4 MP Exmor R CMOS sensor. Sony’s BIONZ X image processor ensures fast operations. The 50x zoom can reach a whopping 100x by utilising the electronic Clear Image Zoom. The camera comes with a Zeiss Vario Sonnar-T lens. It has a range of 24-1,200 mm, which equals 35 mm.

Recording

HX350 offers many handy recording features in Full-HD at 1080p:

• Active Mode yields enhanced video sharpness.
• Motion Shot Video tracks a fast moving object and superimposes it on the surroundings for visual effects.
• Optical SteadyShot allows for video stabilisation.
• Movie theatre like recording is possible using 24p shooting mode.

Poor connectivity

A big turnoff for many potential buyers is the camera’s poor connectivity. Neither Bluetooth nor Wifi or NFC connectivity is available. This means that the only way of transferring the photos and recordings from the camera to a PC is via the trusted old USB 2.0 port. Micro-HDMI is available for data transfers to a TV.

Availability and pricing

Sony Cybershot DSC-HX300 will be released in Europe and Asia Pacific including New Zealand in January. The price in the UK is £449, which converts to about NZ$757 inclusive of GST.