Sony DSC-H1

NikonzoomNikonzoom Registered Users Posts: 24 Big grins
edited July 27, 2009 in Cameras
Hello;
My brother has a Sony DSC-H1.
He thought it was a really nice camera when he bought it several years ago, but since then has told me on a couple of occasions that he didn't like the camera.

For one thing, he seems to be having trouble taking good photos.
He is not clear on what the problem is, and I have not spent time with the camera.
One thing I am unsure about, is this an SLR camera, or not?
I thought it had a standard SLR type viewfinder, but my brother gives me the impression that the finder is an LCD, not an optic.

Can anyone tell me a little about his/her experience with this camera?

I am going to see my bro tomorrow, and hopefully will get a chance to play with the camera.
If he wants me to, I would take the camera home and play with it extensively, so that I can teach him how to get good photos from it.

Thanks for any help

FW

Comments

  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,079 moderator
    edited July 25, 2009
    The Sony DSC-H1 has no viewfinder at all, neither optical nor electronic. All it has for both composition and review is the LCD. It is what I would classify as an "digicam". It has only some manual control but not full manual control. It has no RAW file capability.

    Google for "DSC-H1" and you'll find much more.
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • NikonzoomNikonzoom Registered Users Posts: 24 Big grins
    edited July 25, 2009
    ziggy53 wrote:
    The Sony DSC-H1 has no viewfinder at all, neither optical nor electronic. All it has for both composition and review is the LCD. It is what I would classify as an "digicam". It has only some manual control but not full manual control. It has no RAW file capability.

    Google for "DSC-H1" and you'll find much more.
    Thanks for the info.
    Personally, I couldn't use a camera like that. Not having an optical finder would drive me crazy.
    I'll have to play around with it a bit, so maybe I can give my bro some advice.


    FW
  • SVNSVN Registered Users Posts: 52 Big grins
    edited July 25, 2009
    Nikonzoom wrote:
    Hello;
    My brother has a Sony DSC-H1.
    He thought it was a really nice camera when he bought it several years ago, but since then has told me on a couple of occasions that he didn't like the camera.

    For one thing, he seems to be having trouble taking good photos.
    He is not clear on what the problem is, and I have not spent time with the camera.
    One thing I am unsure about, is this an SLR camera, or not?
    I thought it had a standard SLR type viewfinder, but my brother gives me the impression that the finder is an LCD, not an optic.

    Can anyone tell me a little about his/her experience with this camera?

    I am going to see my bro tomorrow, and hopefully will get a chance to play with the camera.
    If he wants me to, I would take the camera home and play with it extensively, so that I can teach him how to get good photos from it.

    Thanks for any help

    FW
    I actually bought this too a few yrs ago for quite some money 400 odd bucks.I took quite a lot of pics with it , was generally happy but never did much experimentation ,just used as a point and click. When i got my slr to learn some photography seriously i gave it to my brother. He was generally okay until the lens stopped to come out of the hood one day :)
    I took a look at it and had to tap it a few times for it work before it locked up again.
    I would classify is a point and shoot with some decent optical zoom
    http://toutatis.smugmug.com/
  • Jekyll & HydeJekyll & Hyde Registered Users Posts: 170 Major grins
    edited July 26, 2009
    Nikonzoom wrote:
    Can anyone tell me a little about his/her experience with this camera?
    J: Hi Mr 'Zoom. I too was an owner of the Sony DSC-H1 (purchased it the day that it was released - sight unseen, before any reviews). I was looking for a "beater" camera that I could throw in the back seat to take the occasional photo of opportunity with.

    H: My expectations were pretty low (indeed it was the first of the crop of "Superzoom" cameras back then). It had one of the new smaller 1/2.5" sensors, and a zoom range that was well beyond "pushing it" (for those days). I thought "Heck, we'll give 'er a try."

    J: Well to put it mildly, the Camera completely floored me with its capabilities. It still remains one of the funnest cameras I've ever owned. Indeed I reluctantly sold it (to the President of our Company no less), to buy the DSC-H5 when it first came out.

    H: Remarkably, the very first day I took the H1 out, it was to shoot BIF during a Club Photoshoot. Here's one from that day...

    44527576.jpg




    J: It also does Ducks with aplomb...

    45181155.jpg




    H: Also People...

    47646026.jpg




    J: Pets...

    62002071.jpg




    H: Sunsets...

    45500420.jpg




    J: BIF (of a different sort)...

    45668573.jpg




    H: Even the occasional Artsy Fartsy driftwood...

    60915840.jpg




    J: But even so, its real Forte was M-A-C-R-O-S...

    47895665.jpg




    45344122.jpg




    46015884.jpg




    45144601.jpg




    48022346.jpg

    H: More H1 examples in my Galleries thumb.gif


    Nikonzoom wrote:
    He thought it was a really nice camera when he bought it several years ago, but since then has told me on a couple of occasions that he didn't like the camera.
    J: Well, everybody has their preferences. What might work well for one person might be totally wrong for another (You yourself might like the camera, but that would be almost irrelevant). Personally, I enjoyed using the H1, but there are soooo many other cameras out there...

    H: To note: The camera has complete manual controls (plus of course Av, Tv, and a bunch of Scene Modes), (in-lens) Optical Image Stabilization, excellent Spot AF, a Great LCD with Live Histogram (and indeed it has an Electronic ViewFinder with all functions visible). It also has a very sharp lens (even wide open).

    http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sonydsch1/


    J: So see what is giving your brother the most problems. Maybe they can be addressed with this camera. Maybe he needs a different one.

    H: Either way, I wish you both luck,

    J&H
    http://www.pbase.com/jekyll_and_hyde
  • ziggy53ziggy53 Super Moderators Posts: 24,079 moderator
    edited July 26, 2009
    Excellent J&H, just absolutely, amazingly, jaw-droppingly excellent. thumb.gifthumb.gif
    ziggy53
    Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
  • Jekyll & HydeJekyll & Hyde Registered Users Posts: 170 Major grins
    edited July 27, 2009
    ziggy53 wrote:
    Excellent J&H, just absolutely, amazingly, jaw-droppingly excellent. thumb.gifthumb.gif
    J: Ziggy, thanks for that excellent, absolutely amazing, jaw-dropping Reply!!! :D

    H: I hope the OP can help his brother out. The camera can do a lot, but it also has some shortcomings (compared to a modern DSLR). It doesn't have Focus Tracking, or ultra-high Shutter Speeds, and the ISO above 400 is about useless.

    J: But the key is to get the camera set up right (AF, Exposure, Menu Items, etc), then shoot to its strengths.

    H: Cheers, and thanks again.

    J&H
    http://www.pbase.com/jekyll_and_hyde
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