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Sony HX9V

 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V front
 
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-384mm (F3.3-5.9) lens
  • 245g - 105 x 59 x 34mm
  • Launched July 2011
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
91
Imaging
39
Features
46
Overall
41

Sony HX9V summary

Sony HX9V is Sony's Small Sensor Superzoom camera first introduced on July of 2011. It has a 16 MegaPixel, BSI-CMOS 1/2.3" sized sensor and has a max resolution of 4608 x 3456.

The HX9V ranks at #124 out of 244 in Small Sensor Superzoom cameras & overall #675 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our collection. You should check out our Advanced camera finder to see camera results based on your personal factors.

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Here is a graph of specific factors used in the rating system.

Sony HX9V family

The Sony HX9V has a history of related digital cameras. Listed below, you can check out all older and latest models alongside key features.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX350 front thumbnailSony HX350
HX9V vs HX350
24-1200mm
F2.8-6.3
20MP1/2.3"2016
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX80 front thumbnailSony HX80
HX9V vs HX80
24-720mm
F3.5-6.4
18MP1/2.3"2016
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX90V front thumbnailSony HX90V
HX9V vs HX90V
24-720mm
F3.5-6.4
18MP1/2.3"2015
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-H300 front thumbnailSony H300
HX9V vs H300
25-875mm
F3-5.9
20MP1/2.3"2014
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-H400 front thumbnailSony H400
HX9V vs H400
25-1550mm
F3.4-6.5
20MP1/2.3"2014
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX400V front thumbnailSony HX400V
HX9V vs HX400V
24-1200mm
F2.8-6.3
20MP1/2.3"2014
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX50V front thumbnailSony HX50V
HX9V vs HX50V
24-720mm
F3.5 - 6.3
20MP1/2.3"2013
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX300 front thumbnailSony HX300
HX9V vs HX300
24-1200mm
F2.8-6.3
20MP1/2.3"2013
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-H200 front thumbnailSony H200
HX9V vs H200
24-633mm
F3.1-5.9
20MP1/2.3"2013
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX20V front thumbnailSony HX20V
HX9V vs HX20V
25-500mm
F3.2-5.8
18MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX200V front thumbnailSony HX200V
HX9V vs HX200V
27-810mm
F2.8-5.6
18MP1/2.3"2012
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX10V front thumbnailSony HX10V
HX9V vs HX10V
24-400mm
F3.3-5.9
18MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX30V front thumbnailSony HX30V
HX9V vs HX30V
25-500mm
F3.2-5.8
18MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-H90 front thumbnailSony H90
HX9V vs H90
24-384mm
F3.3-5.9
16MP1/2.3"2012
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX100V front thumbnailSony HX100V
HX9V vs HX100V
27-810mm
F2.8-5.6
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX7V front thumbnailSony HX7V
HX9V vs HX7V
25-250mm
F3.5-5.5
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-HX9V front thumbnailSony HX9V24-384mm
F3.3-5.9
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-H70 front thumbnailSony H70
HX9V vs H70
25-250mm
F3.5-5.5
16MP1/2.3"2011
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-H55 front thumbnailSony H55
HX9V vs H55
25-250mm
F3.5-5.5
14MP1/2.3"2010
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Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-H20 front thumbnailSony H20
HX9V vs H20
38-380mm
F3.5-4.4
10MP1/2.3"2009
Sony-Cyber-shot-DSC-H50 front thumbnailSony H50
HX9V vs H50
31-465mm
F2.7-4.5
9MP1/2.3"2009

Sony HX9V Pros and Cons

Below is a collection of pluses and minuses of the Sony HX9V based on aspects that are normally considered crucial in a camera.

above average minimum ISO (100)
built-in flash
does have HDMI socket
excellent zoom range (24-384mm 16.0 x zoom)
good MP (16MP)
great reach (384mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than competition (245 grams)
manual focus
nice clear screen (921 k dots)
quite wide (24mm)
screen size is good (3")
video resolution high (1920 x 1080 pxls)
can't swap lens (fixed lens mount)
can't use external flash
does not have a selfie friendly display
does not have external microphone socket
does not have headphone socket
does not have Timelapse function
lack of shutter priority mode
lacks phase detect auto focus
lacks RAW format
max zoom aperture not good (f5.9)
no aperture priority mode
screen does not articulate
slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
small sensor (1/2.3")
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Sony HX9V Sensor details

The Sony HX9V is run by the BIONZ processor chip. The sensor specification in the Sony HX9V is 6.17mm x 4.55mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor has the ability to capture 4608 x 3456 pixels and aspect ratios of 4:3 and 16:9. The camera has Image Stabilization (Optical). Optical stabilization is more desirable than digital stabilization as the latter might cause cropping.

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The BSI-CMOS sensor has 16MP and has a native ISO range of 100 - 3200. Sadly, RAW photos are not supported therefore the user has less room to maneuver in post.

The picture below shows the HX9V's sensor dimensions in comparison to other common sizes. The HX9V sensor has a crop factor of 5.8 and is displayed in green.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V sensor size Ulanzi's Tripod Ensures Ultra Smooth Filming

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

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Sony HX9V dimensions

Sony HX9V is 0.54 lbs (245 gr or 8.64 oz) & the measurement of the camera is 105mm x 59mm x 34mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3"). The weight of typical Small Sensor Superzoom camera is 387 gr so the Sony HX9V is less heavy when compared to various competitors.

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Listed below is a visual of the Sony HX9V beside a soda to help you get a sense of its scale.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V dimensions scale

The top view below will show the button design on the HX9V.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V topview buttons dials

Sony HX9V Lens specs

The HX9V comes with a fixed lens featuring a focal range of 24-384mm making it a 16.0 x zoom which is very good and is going to let you zoom right in.

At the widest 24mm, the lens has an aperture of f3.3 and that's rather slow and not good for low light occasions and you will likely find it difficult to get good bokeh. You will likely also need to boost the ISO giving you noisy pictures. Towards the tele end, 384mm is superb zoom and comes to f5.9 which is very slow and you would need to choose slow shutter speeds.

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Sony HX9V Connectivity

The HX9V has the following connectivity:

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

Digital cameras which have NFC or Bluetooth compatibility are able to be used wirelessly via smartphones. You are able to send pictures and usually alter settings without connecting directly to the camera.

Certain applications even stream a Liveview and hit the shutter in case you are not near the camera. If the camera includes a HDMI port, it can easily be attached to an external screen. The majority of cameras will allow you to recharge the battery pack using the USB socket.

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Sony HX9V Video specs

The max video resolution in the Sony HX9V is 1920 x 1080 and you can shoot in MPEG-4 and AVCHD format. 1080p resolution is an excellent balance for quality vs file sizes but 1080p isn't going to leave you with any room to downsample. The camera does not have a microphone or headphone socket which means that you have got little control over the sound. It is perhaps a better idea to consider an alternative camera in case you want decent sound for your video clips.

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Sony HX9V Weather Sealing

There is no environment sealing in the Sony HX9V so you need to be careful in rainy or dusty situations.

Sony HX9V Display and Viewfinder

The Sony HX9V has a 3" fixed display supporting a resolution of 921k dots.

Please be aware that the display screen has no touch support.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V screen and viewfinder Peek Behind the Lens of 'Photographer' and Their Go-To Cameras

The View Finder details for Sony HX9V are as follows:

  • ViewFinder None

Viewfinders are very handy for bright outdoor situations which will make the camera display washed out and very difficult to see.

Sony HX9V Shutter specs

Sony HX9V has the ability to shoot continuously at 10.0 frames per second. The max shutter speed is 1/1600 seconds.

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Sony HX9V Flash and Hot shoe specs

Sony HX9V has only inbuilt flash with no external flash support.

Sony HX9V Autofocusing specs

Sony HX9V has just Contrast Based Autofocus & lacks Phase Detect Autofocus. Phase Detection focusing is a lot quicker and precise when compared to Contrast Based focusing.

The AF system has 9 focus points to choose from. Sony HX9V can use manual focusing when required for low light or you need more precise focusing control.

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Sony HX9V Battery life

The usual Small Sensor Superzoom camera battery life is 316. Fujifilm HS35EXR comes with the maximum (600) battery life for this range of cameras.

Listed below is a listing of Small Sensor Superzoom cameras that come with the strongest battery life:

Sony HX9V for varying types of photography

The following chart shows a outline of the Sony HX9V for varying types of photography. To learn more, go to the specific paragraph below.

Sony HX9V Portrait photography information

The Sony HX9V receives a points total of 39 which is horrible, and means the camera is simply not acceptable to use for portrait photos. Shooting portraits leans greatly towards sensor dimensions, support for RAW photos in addition to the potential to work with external flash.

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focusing manually
good megapixels (16MP)
external flash not possible
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format

Sony HX9V Street photography factors

Having a nice rating of 61, the Sony HX9V is a good choice to use in street photography. A decent street photography camera comes with a perfect balance of picture quality and portability.

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built in image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than competitors (245g)
no articulating screen
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
lacks RAW support

Sony HX9V as a Sports photography camera

A horrible sports photography points total of 44 suggests the Sony HX9V is simply not acceptable for taking pictures of sports. A camera needs to have fantastic tracking plus fast shutter speeds for sports photography.

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great zoom range (24-384mm 16.0 x zoom)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
MP count decent (16MP)
no shutter priority
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
doesn't have phase detect autofocus

Sony HX9V Travel photography info

Size is pretty important when picking a travel camera. All things considered, the Sony HX9V gets a very good 69 as a travel camera which is a good choice to take on your vacations.

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lighter than competition in class (245 grams)
decent MP (16 megapixels)
built-in flash
reasonably wide (24mm)
very long zoom (384mm)
no Time Lapse mode
screen isn't selfie friendly
sluggish max aperture (f3.3)

Sony HX9V Landscape photography information

In case you're planning to purchase a camera for landscape photos, the most critical aspect will be image quality. The Sony HX9V at it's reasonable grade of 49 for a landscape camera is fairly acceptable within the current market.

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manual focus
relatively wide (24mm)
nice screen size (3")
has image stabilization (Optical)
good MP (16MP)
cannot change lens (fixed lens mount)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.3)
sensor size is tiny (1/2.3")
no RAW files
missing Timelapse function

Vlogging with Sony HX9V

A camera for vlogging should posses a moving display screen, mic input and preferably image stabilization. Taking everything in to account, the Sony HX9V is simply not acceptable for vlogging as it delivers a horrible rating of 33.

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reasonably wide (24mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
video resolution high (1920 x 1080 pixels)
lighter than competition in class (245g)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.3)
doesn't have a selfie friendly screen
no mic support

Sony HX9V Alternatives

If you are searching for alternatives to the HX9V, below is a selection of the highest rated cameras which fall within the class of Small Sensor Superzoom.

The line chart underneath shows you an overview of the HX9V vs it's highest ranked competitors listed previously.

Following are several cameras you might check out as alternate options. To read a complete comparison, simply click on the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Make
Sony
Model type
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V
Class
Small Sensor Superzoom
Launched
2011-07-19
Physical type
Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
BSI-CMOS
Powered by
BIONZ
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor measurements
6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area
28.1mm²
Sensor resolution
16 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio
4:3 and 16:9
Highest Possible resolution
4608 x 3456
RAW support
Maximum native ISO
3200
Minimum native ISO
100
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Autofocus touch
Autofocus continuous
Autofocus single
Autofocus tracking
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Total focus points
9
Lens
Lens support
fixed lens
Lens zoom range
24-384mm (16.0x)
Largest aperture
f/3.3-5.9
Focal length multiplier
5.8
Screen
Display type
Fixed Type
Display diagonal
3"
Resolution of display
921k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Display tech
XtraFine LCD display with TruBlack technology
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
None
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
Min shutter speed
30s
Max shutter speed
1/1600s
Continuous shutter rate
10.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation
Yes
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash distance
4.00 m
Flash modes
Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Video resolutions
1920 x 1080 (60fps), 1440 x 1080 (30fps), 1280 x 720 (30fps), 640 x 480 (30fps)
Maximum video resolution
1920x1080
Video data format
MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless
Eye-Fi Connected
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 lb)
Physical dimensions
105 x 59 x 34mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3")
Other
Battery ID
NP-BG1
Self timer
Yes (2 or 10 sec, Portrait 1/2)
Time lapse recording
Type of storage
SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Duo/Memory Stick Pro Duo, Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo
Card slots
Single
Retail cost
$328