Full Review

Sony really has a winner with the H series models. I'm not going to list all the specs since you can get the full listing on Sony's site or elsewhere but will give you the honest opinion of a very picky user (ask my wife :-) I've owned 4 different Sony digital cameras over the years so have a bit of experience with them.

Sony first introduced the H1, then followed up with the H2 and now the H5. All are great cameras and similar in function. These cameras differ primarily on resolution: H1=5MP; H2=6MP; H5=7MP. The ISO was increased to 1000 on H2 & H5 which helps with low light conditions.

My review doesn't really address resolution since I feel there isn't that much of an improvement between 5MP and 7MP for most amateur photography. Also ISO above 400 tends to get noisier (grainier) pictures, although you should expect to get reasonable 4x6 prints even at 800 in decent lighting conditions.

Bottom line best features:
The 12X zoom is incredible along with IS (Image Stabilization). If you've ever looked through 8X or 10X binoculars at some distant object, you probably had trouble holding the binoculars steady enough to get a clear non-shaky view. The IS feature on these cameras is a gyro type action that magically compensates for the shakes so you get a clear in-focus shot even though the view finder or LCD may be shaking and seem out of focus.

I bought a cheap 2x add-on lens just to play around with it. With the 12X optical, the added 2X digital and the additional 2X adapter, it brings you to 48X. That's a lot of shake potential believe me! But with the IS feature I was able to take a shot of a golfer driving by in a golf cart at least 300 yards away and got a clear shot of his face. The screen was shaky and the view blurred, but the IS captured the shot. Not something you would want an 8x10 printout but decent enough to view clearly on the computer screen. I have a web site listed below with some photos that I took with my Sony. Check out the picture named Late Afternoon Lake. The cart was at the base of the most distant trees in that photo which should put it in perspective and illustrate the Image Stabilization and Zoom feature of these cameras.

Copy and past the url below into your browser:

http://jaxsun.myphotoalbum.com/view_photo.php?set_albumName=album04&id=Late_Afternoon_Lake_2a

[Click NEXT to see additional shots. You can double click on some of the photos to enlarge]

I'm still learning so I get jumpy when trying to get a shot of a bird or animal and sometimes focus on the wrong spot but these are untouched photos (except for some cropping and downsizing) that show off a little of the camera's versatility.

And the downside:
Because of the zoom lens, the camera is fairly large so it's not practical to always have on hand. I have not mastered inside shots very well either. I find the flash (even though you can adjust the strength) to overpower and wash out the shot. Some have suggested stepping back further and using the zoom and that helps. I get the "shaky hand" on most inside shots meaning the picture is going to be fuzzy or out of focus unless you use the flash.

Some more positives:
It's Feature Rich! This is a near professional camera in looks and function. The lens adapter enables you to add wide angle, zoom and other lenses or filters. Not many cameras in this price range/category do that! Manual controls let you manage almost every aspect of your photos or if you prefer Point & Shoot, the auto settings take care of that for you. While the battery life is fairly short on number of shots per charge, to be fair, the batteries are AA and removable so you can keep an extra set charged and on hand or get disposable Alkalines in a pinch. I like that advantage over custom batteries in many cameras. The charger comes with the camera and you charge the batteries separate from the camera. I used to dislike the fact that Sony made you buy their "Memory Stick" memory modules which were always much higher priced than other memory. However, that's changed in recent months and they are now competitive. And Memory Stick Pro is one of the fastest camera memory.

User recommendations:
I highly recommend this camera for those who primarily shoot outdoors for sports, wildlife or those who particularly need long range shots. Inside, I recommend getting a tripod. If you need a smaller camera and can get by with less zoom, I recommend the Fuji F30. See my review for this camera on Epinions.com.