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Sony HX90V

 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX90V front
 
  • 18MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 80 - 12800
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-720mm (F3.5-6.4) lens
  • 245g - 102 x 58 x 36mm
  • Announced April 2015
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
91
Imaging
43
Features
63
Overall
51

Sony HX90V summary

Sony HX90V is Sony's Small Sensor Superzoom camera initially introduced on April of 2015. The camera has got a 18MP, BSI-CMOS 1/2.3" sized sensor and has a full resolution of 4896 x 3672.

The HX90V is positioned #14 out of 244 in Small Sensor Superzoom cameras & over all #412 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our collection. Please test our Smart camera filter to see camera listings based on your personalized requirements.

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Here is a diagram of various factors used in the rating system.

Sony HX90V family

The Sony HX90V is part of a family of digital cameras. You can view the complete range below.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX350 front thumbnailSony HX350
HX90V vs HX350
24-1200mm
F2.8-6.3
20MP1/2.3"2016
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX80 front thumbnailSony HX80
HX90V vs HX80
24-720mm
F3.5-6.4
18MP1/2.3"2016
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX90V front thumbnailSony HX90V24-720mm
F3.5-6.4
18MP1/2.3"2015
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-H300 front thumbnailSony H300
HX90V vs H300
25-875mm
F3-5.9
20MP1/2.3"2014
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-H400 front thumbnailSony H400
HX90V vs H400
25-1550mm
F3.4-6.5
20MP1/2.3"2014
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX400V front thumbnailSony HX400V
HX90V vs HX400V
24-1200mm
F2.8-6.3
20MP1/2.3"2014
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX50V front thumbnailSony HX50V
HX90V vs HX50V
24-720mm
F3.5 - 6.3
20MP1/2.3"2013
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX300 front thumbnailSony HX300
HX90V vs HX300
24-1200mm
F2.8-6.3
20MP1/2.3"2013
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-H200 front thumbnailSony H200
HX90V vs H200
24-633mm
F3.1-5.9
20MP1/2.3"2013
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX20V front thumbnailSony HX20V
HX90V vs HX20V
25-500mm
F3.2-5.8
18MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX200V front thumbnailSony HX200V
HX90V vs HX200V
27-810mm
F2.8-5.6
18MP1/2.3"2012
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX10V front thumbnailSony HX10V
HX90V vs HX10V
24-400mm
F3.3-5.9
18MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX30V front thumbnailSony HX30V
HX90V vs HX30V
25-500mm
F3.2-5.8
18MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-H90 front thumbnailSony H90
HX90V vs H90
24-384mm
F3.3-5.9
16MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX100V front thumbnailSony HX100V
HX90V vs HX100V
27-810mm
F2.8-5.6
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX7V front thumbnailSony HX7V
HX90V vs HX7V
25-250mm
F3.5-5.5
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX9V front thumbnailSony HX9V
HX90V vs HX9V
24-384mm
F3.3-5.9
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-H70 front thumbnailSony H70
HX90V vs H70
25-250mm
F3.5-5.5
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-H55 front thumbnailSony H55
HX90V vs H55
25-250mm
F3.5-5.5
14MP1/2.3"2010
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-H20 front thumbnailSony H20
HX90V vs H20
38-380mm
F3.5-4.4
10MP1/2.3"2009
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-H50 front thumbnailSony H50
HX90V vs H50
31-465mm
F2.7-4.5
9MP1/2.3"2009

Sony HX90V Pros and Cons

Below is a collection of pluses and minuses of the Sony HX90V based on things that are normally regarded as useful in a camera.

above average minimum ISO (80)
amazing zoom range (24-720mm 30.0 x zoom)
built-in flash
does have HDMI socket
good battery life (360 CIPA)
has image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than competition (245 grams)
long reach (720mm)
manual focus
NFC connection
nice clear screen (921 k dots)
nice screen size (3")
offers face detection focus
offers tracking autofocus
quite wide (24mm)
resolution is good (18MP)
screen tilts up and down
selfie friendly display
video resolution high (1920 x 1080 pxls)
can't use external flash
does not have external mic socket
does not have headphone socket
does not have Time Lapse recording
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
lack of phase detect auto focus
lack of RAW support
slow at tele end (f6.4)
small sensor (1/2.3")
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
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Sony HX90V Sensor info

The Sony HX90V is run by the Bionz X processor chip. The specification of the sensor on the Sony HX90V is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor can capture 4896 x 3672 pixels and aspect ratios of 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. The camera comes with Image Stabilization (Optical). In body stabilization is preferable than digital stabilization since the latter might produce cropping.

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The BSI-CMOS sensor has 18MP and provides a native ISO range of 80 to 12800. Sadly, RAW files are not supported so you have less margin for error.

The graphic below shows the HX90V's sensor dimensions compared to other common sizes. The HX90V sensor has a crop factor of 5.8 and is pointed out in green.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX90V sensor size Photography Glossary

To get a sense of different aspect ratios, you can refer to the visual below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Sony HX90V dimensions

Sony HX90V weighs around 0.54 lbs (245 gr or 8.64 oz) & has external proportions of 102mm x 58mm x 36mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.4"). The weight of average Small Sensor Superzoom camera is 387 gr and the Sony HX90V is less heavy in comparison with its competitors.

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Listed below is a pic of the Sony HX90V alongside a softdrink to help you to get a feel for its scale.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX90V dimensions scale

The top view here will provide the button design on the HX90V.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX90V topview buttons dials

Sony HX90V Lens info

The HX90V provides an inbuilt lens and it has a focal range of 24-720mm making it a 30.0 x zoom which is outstanding and is going to enable you to zoom right in.

At the widest 24mm, it comes with an aperture of f3.5 and that is rather slow and not the best for low light conditions and you will struggle to get a shallow depth of field. You will probably also need to up the ISO resulting in noisy files. On the tele end, 720mm is excellent zoom and comes with f6.4 making it very sluggish and you would need to set slow shutter speeds.

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Sony HX90V Connectivity

The HX90V has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • NFC Yes
  • HDMI Yes
  • GPS Yes

Digital cameras which have NFC or Bluetooth compatibility are able to be controlled wirelessly with smartphones. You are able to transfer pictures and in some cases alter settings without the hassle of connecting straight to the camera.

Many applications even allow a Liveview and release the shutter if you are not close to the camera. If the camera has a HDMI port, it can easily be attached to an external screen. Most cameras will allow you to charge the battery pack with the USB socket.

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Sony HX90V Video info

The highest possible video quality on the Sony HX90V is 1920 x 1080 and you can shoot in AVCHD and XAVC S format. 1080p quality delivers a great balance between quality vs file sizes but 1080p won't give you any room to crop. The camera does not offer a microphone or headphone port so you get little control over the sound. It is probably a better idea to get a different camera in case you require good sound for your video clips.

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Sony HX90V Weather Sealing

Sony HX90V does not include environment proofing so wet conditions could ruin the camera.

Sony HX90V Display and Viewfinder

The Sony HX90V has got a 3" tilting display screen supporting a resolution of 921k dots.

The display is selfie friendly for self portraits as well as group photos if necessary. Sadly the display screen is not a touch screen.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX90V screen and viewfinder Photobucket discusses licensing 13 billion images with AI firms

The ViewFinder details for Sony HX90V are the following:

  • ViewFinder Electronic
  • Resolution 638k dots
  • Coverage 100 percent
  • Magnification 0.5x

For bright outdoor conditions which make the camera displays washed out and challenging to see, viewfinders can be very useful.

Sony HX90V Shutter info

Sony HX90V can shoot continuously at 10.0 fps. The highest shutter speed is 1/2000 sec.

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Sony HX90V Flash and Hot shoe info

Sony HX90V comes with only integrated flash lacking external flash support.

Sony HX90V Autofocusing info

Sony HX90V comes with just Contrast Based AF & lacks Phase Detect AF. Phase Detection autofocusing is more faster and precise in comparison with Contrast Based autofocusing. The camera has got Face detect which can be valuable for portrait photography.

It also boasts Tracking AF for subjects that move. Sony HX90V supports manual focusing when required during low light scenarios or you want more exact control on focusing.

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Sony HX90V Battery life

The battery life (NP-BX1) for the Sony HX90V is fashioned to last for 360 clicks as per the CIPA specifications making it above the usual for its category. The average Small Sensor Superzoom camera battery life is 316. Fujifilm HS35EXR comes with the best (600) battery life within this kind of cameras.

Underneath is a listing of Small Sensor Superzoom cameras which have the best battery life:

Sony HX90V for various categories of photography

The following diagram shows a rundown of the Sony HX90V for various categories of photography. To look at more, scroll to the specific paragraph below.

Sony HX90V Portrait photography factors

The Sony HX90V has a score of 45 which is horrible, meaning that it is simply not very good for portraits. Photographing portraits leans heavily to sensor dimension, support for RAW photos plus the flexibility to utilize off-camera lighting.

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has manual focus
resolution is good (18MP)
has face detect focusing
external flash not possible
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files

Sony HX90V Street photography factors

Having a above average score of 69, the Sony HX90V is a good fit to buy for street photography. A very good street photography camera gives a fine balance of image quality plus portability.

Photography Glossary
tilting screen
image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than others in class (245 grams)
very small sensor (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format

Sony HX90V Sports photography factors

A modest sports photography score of 57 suggests the Sony HX90V is somewhat appropriate for taking photos of sports. A camera needs fantastic tracking and fast shutter speeds for sports photography.

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excellent zoom range (24-720mm 30.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Optical)
resolution is good (18MP)
features tracking autofocus
good battery (360 shots)
small sensor size (1/2.3")
no phase detect autofocus

Sony HX90V Travel photography advice

Portability is really critical in buying a camera for travel. In general, the Sony HX90V gets a terrific 76 for a travel camera which makes it a terrific pick to buy for your journeys.

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good battery life (360 per charge)
lighter than competitors in class (245 grams)
MP count decent (18MP)
built-in flash
selfie friendly display
rather wide (24mm)
great zoom (720mm)
lack of Time Lapse mode
slow maximum aperture (f3.5)

Landscape photography with Sony HX90V

For those who are planning to purchase a camera for landscape photography, the most essential aspect will no doubt be image quality. The Sony HX90V and it's modest rating of 53 as a landscape camera is relatively suitable within the current market.

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manual focus
decently wide (24mm)
screen size is good (3 inch)
has image stabilization (Optical)
good MP (18MP)
great battery (360 CIPA)
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.5)
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
does not have RAW files
no Time Lapse function

Sony HX90V Vlogging information

A vlogging camera really should offer a articulating screen, microphone input and preferably image stabilization. Considering every thing, the Sony HX90V is a fine fit as a vlog camera as it gets a very good score of 75.

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decently wide (24mm)
selfie friendly display
image stabilization (Optical)
supports face detect focus
great video quality (1920 x 1080 pixels)
lighter than average in class (245 grams)
slow maximum aperture (f3.5)
no microphone socket

Sony HX90V Alternatives

If you are trying to find replacements to the HX90V, below is a range of the top ranked cameras that fall in to the family of Small Sensor Superzoom.

The graph followed below gives you a bird's eye view of the HX90V compared to it's top ranked competitors listed earlier.

These are various other cameras you may look at as alternative options. To look at a thorough comparison, click the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Manufacturer
Sony
Model type
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX90V
Category
Small Sensor Superzoom
Announced
2015-04-14
Physical type
Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
BSI-CMOS
Chip
Bionz X
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions
6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area
28.1mm²
Sensor resolution
18MP
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Highest Possible resolution
4896 x 3672
RAW data
Maximum native ISO
12800
Min native ISO
80
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
AF touch
AF continuous
AF single
AF tracking
Selective AF
AF center weighted
Multi area AF
AF live view
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Lens
Lens support
fixed lens
Lens zoom range
24-720mm (30.0x)
Maximum aperture
f/3.5-6.4
Macro focusing range
5cm
Focal length multiplier
5.8
Screen
Type of display
Tilting
Display size
3"
Resolution of display
921k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
Electronic
Viewfinder resolution
638k dots
Viewfinder coverage
100 percent
Viewfinder magnification
0.5x
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating
not tested
DXO Color Depth rating
not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating
not tested
DXO Low light rating
not tested
Features
Minimum shutter speed
30s
Fastest shutter speed
1/2000s
Continuous shutter rate
10.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation
Yes
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance
5.40 m (with Auto ISO)
Flash settings
Auto, flash on, slow sync, flash off, rear sync
External flash
AEB
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions
1920 x 1080 (60p, 60i, 30p, 24p), 1280 x 720 (30p)
Maximum video resolution
1920x1080
Video file format
AVCHD, XAVC S
Mic port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless
Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
BuiltIn
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight
245 grams (0.54 pounds)
Dimensions
102 x 58 x 36mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.4")
Other
Battery life
360 shots
Battery type
Battery Pack
Battery ID
NP-BX1
Self timer
Yes
Time lapse feature
Storage type
SD/SDHC/SDXC, Memory Stick Duo
Card slots
Single
Retail cost
$440