Sony HX50V
- 20MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
- 3" Fixed Display
- ISO 100 - 3200 (Bump to 12800)
- Optical Image Stabilization
- 1920 x 1080 video
- 24-720mm (F3.5 - 6.3) lens
- 272g - 108 x 64 x 38mm
- Released April 2013
- Previous Model is Sony HX30V
- Read full specs
- Alternatives
- Size Comparison
- FAQ
89 Imaging
44 Features
57 Overall
49
Sony HX50V summary
Sony HX50V is Sony's Small Sensor Superzoom camera originally introduced on April of 2013. It includes a 20 MegaPixel, BSI-CMOS 1/2.3" sized sensor and has a max resolution of 5184 x 2920.
Sony introduced this camera in order to update the older Sony HX30V (Read Full Comparison)
The HX50V is rated #25 out of 244 in Small Sensor Superzoom cameras and overall #442 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our list. You should check our Advanced camera search to get camera ratings based on your personalized criteria.
The following is a graph of different factors used in the rating system.
Sony HX50V family
The Sony HX50V is part of a family of cameras. You can read the full range underneath.
F3.5 - 6.320MP1/2.3"2013
Sony HX50V Gallery
You can check the HX50V from various angles in the gallery here.
Sony HX50V Pros and Cons
Below is a selection of pluses and minuses of the Sony HX50V based on things which are typically considered crucial in a camera.
Sony HX50V Sensor info
The sensor size in the Sony HX50V is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor is able to capture 5184 x 2920 pixels and aspect ratios of 4:3 and 16:9. The camera has got Image Stabilization (Optical). In body stabilization is more desirable than digital stabilization as the latter can easily produce cropping.
Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modesThe BSI-CMOS sensor boasts 20 megapixels and features a native ISO range of 100 - 3200. This ISO can also be increased electronically to a high of 12800. Sadly, RAW photos are not saved so the user has less room to maneuver in post.
The picture underneath illustrates the HX50V's sensor dimensions when compared to other common sizes. The HX50V sensor comes with a crop factor of 5.8 and is showcased in green.
Photobucket discusses licensing 13 billion images with AI firmsTo get a sense of various aspect ratios, you should refer to the visual below.
Sony HX50V dimensions
Sony HX50V weighs around 0.60 lb (272g or 9.59 oz) and features outer measurements of 108mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5"). The weight of typical Small Sensor Superzoom camera is 387g so the Sony HX50V is less heavy when compared to other rivals.
Photography GlossaryDown below is a shot of the Sony HX50V besides a soft drink so you can have a sense of its scale.
The top view just below will provide the button layout on the HX50V.
Sony HX50V Lens info
The HX50V features a built-in lens featuring a focal range of 24-720mm making it a 30.0 x zoom which is very good and is going to enable you to zoom all the way in.
At the widest 24mm, the lens provides an aperture of f3.5 and that is fairly slow and not great in low light occasions and you will find it difficult to capture good bokeh. You might also need to raise the ISO which results in noisy files. With the tele end, 720mm is brilliant zoom and comes at f 6.3 which is fairly slow and you may need to go with slow shutter speeds.
Sony HX50V Connectivity
The HX50V has the following connectivity:
- USB Yes
- Wireless Yes
- HDMI Yes
- GPS Yes
Digital cameras that feature NFC or Bluetooth connectivity can easily be used wirelessly via smartphones. You can transfer pictures and in some cases change settings without connecting directly to the camera.
Certain applications even give a Liveview and hit the shutter whenever you are not near the camera. If the camera boasts a HDMI out, it could be connected to an external display. The majority of cameras enable you to recharge the battery pack through the USB socket.
Sony HX50V Video info
The max video resolution in the Sony HX50V is 1920 x 1080 and it can shoot in MPEG-4 and AVCHD format. 1080p resolution will provide a decent balance between quality versus file sizes but 1080p is not going to leave you with much room to downsample. The camera does not have a mic or headphone socket so you have little control over your audio. It is perhaps a better idea to look into an alternative model in case you want decent audio in your video clips.
Sony HX50V Weather Sealing
There is no environment sealing in the Sony HX50V so you need to be careful in wet or dusty situations.
Sony HX50V Display and Viewfinder
The Sony HX50V includes a 3" fixed display supporting a resolution of 921k dots.
Please note that the display screen offers no touch support.
Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a LandslideThe View Finder specs regarding Sony HX50V are as follows:
- ViewFinder Electronic (optional)
In those sunny outdoor situations which make the camera displays washed out and tricky to view, viewfinders will be particularly useful.
Sony HX50V Shutter info
Sony HX50V continuous shooting rate is 10.0 frames/s. The max shutter speed is 1/4000s.
Sony HX50V Flash and Hot shoe info
Sony HX50V has got both integrated flash plus external flash support.
Sony HX50V Autofocus info
Sony HX50V has got just Contrast Detect Auto Focus and does not have Phase Detect Auto Focus. Phase Detection focusing is a lot snappier and exact when compared to Contrast Detect focusing. The camera includes Face detect making it useful for portraits.
It also includes Tracking Auto Focus for things that move. Sony HX50V supports manual focus when required during low light or you require more accurate focus control.
Sony HX50V Battery life
The battery pack (NP-BX1) in the Sony HX50V is built to last for 400 shutters as per the CIPA standards which is higher than average for its class. The usual Small Sensor Superzoom camera battery life is 316. Fujifilm HS35EXR features the maximum (600) battery life within this range of cameras.
Below is a listing of Small Sensor Superzoom cameras with the highest battery life:
Sony HX50V for different forms of photography
The following diagram gives a rundown of the Sony HX50V for different forms of photography. To learn more, check out the specific section underneath.
Sony HX50V Portrait photography advice
The Sony HX50V receives a score of 50 which is moderate, and means the camera is somewhat adequate to use for portrait photography. Photographing portrait photos leans greatly towards sensor dimensions, RAW support together with the ability to work with external lighting.
Sony HX50V Street photography advice
With a very good score of 61, the Sony HX50V is a good pick for street photography. A decent street photography camera comes with a perfect balance of image quality and portability.
Sony HX50V Sports photography factors
A moderate sports photography points tally of 57 means the Sony HX50V is relatively acceptable for photographing sports. A camera must have fantastic focusing plus shutter speeds for sports photography.
Sony HX50V Travel photography information
Size is extremely critical when buying a travel camera. All things considered, the Sony HX50V gets a nice 71 as a travel camera which is a fine fit to purchase for your vacations.
Sony HX50V Landscape photography details
When you're planning to choose a digital camera for landscape pictures, the biggest factor is going to be image quality. The Sony HX50V with it's average grade of 53 as a landscape camera is fairly suited within the current marketplace.
Sony HX50V Vlogging features
A camera for vlogging ought to have a moving display screen, mic port and if possible IBIS. Considering everything, the Sony HX50V is not really suitable as a vlog camera as it receives a awful rating of 34.
Sony HX50V Alternatives
If you are searching for replacements to the HX50V, here is a range of the highest rated cameras which fall into the class of Small Sensor Superzoom.
The chart just below will give you an overview of the HX50V compared to it's highest scoring competitors listed earlier.
There are a bunch of cameras you might check out as alternative options. To browse through a extensive comparison, simply click on the "compare" link.