My new camera: Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V review

For those interested in travel photography, I thought I’d offer a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V review to spill the details about my awesome new camera.  I bought it on Amazon for $298 a few weeks back, and I can’t stop playing with it.

A close-up of a bike route sign, zoomed in as far as the HX9V will go.

My sad history with point and shoot digital cameras

Most of my previous digital cameras have been in the $200 range, and I’ve ended up with mediocre zoom and photo quality. My first digital, probably 7 or 8 years ago, was a Nikon Coolpix 3200 with 3x optical zoom and a tiny 1-inch screen. It was fun for a while, but when I went to concerts and recorded video and then compared them to the other concert videos people were uploading to YouTube, I realized my zoom was just awful.

I later upgraded to a Sony Cybershot DSC-W80. Although this camera had a much bigger viewing screen and more settings and options, it still only had a 3x optical zoom. After several good years of use, this camera broke (in my pants pocket, for crying out loud – all I was doing was riding my bike when apparently I moved my leg too suddenly and the glass shattered.)

Then I thought that I could go the cheap route by purchasing an Olympus VG-120 on Amazon for $88. It was a crazy cheap deal, and the optical zoom was 5x, so I figured it would be an upgrade over the Cyber-shot. How wrong I was! The Olympus was by far the worst camera I’ve ever had. Literally 90% of the photos come out blurry – even on the “steady” shooting mode that’s supposed to compensate for shaking!

My camera history isn’t entirely bad. I also have a Nikon D40 DSLR, which I’ve used with great success for wildlife photos in Yellowstone and the Everglades. But that’s not practical for everyday use, so I needed another point and shoot.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V Review: Finding the right point and shoot camera

At first, I was tempted to buy another mid-priced, mediocre camera in the $200 range, because I usually try to stick to a budget as much as possible. Then, when I realized I could get the Cyber-shot DSC-Hx9V for only $100 more, I started to think that maybe I should actually invest in a really good camera for once. The reviews were good so I took the plunge.

Now, having used the camera on a recent trip to Milwaukee, I could not be happier. The 16x optical zoom on this thing is amazing. I honestly feel like I did way back when I got my first digital camera – I’m running around, taking pictures of everything in sight, just for the fun of it. And just about every photo is sharp and clear – no blur at all, even when zoomed in super close. It takes great HD videos as well.

The Milwaukee Art Museum, taken with the Sony Cyber-shot HX9V.

As for negatives, the camera is a bit big for a point and shoot – more than 4 inches wide, so it won’t fit in many carrying cases. And the battery life seems a little low – fortunately, I kept my old Cyber-shot battery, so I was able to use both during a recent all-day photo-taking adventure. Aside from that, my review of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V is nothing but positive. For folks in my boat – non-professionals looking for a really nice point and shoot with no blur and a great zoom – I recommend this Sony camera.

Note: This is an objective, personal review of my new camera. I’m excited about the device and want to share my experience. I have not received any sort of compensation from Sony for this review (I wish!)