Sony recently boosted its Cyber-shot lineup of travel high zoom cameras with the launch of the DSC-HX99 and DSC-WX800.
Designed for users who want an unobtrusive camera that can always be carried, the new models are packaged in the world’s smallest body and offer a versatile zoom range from 24mm at the wide end up to 720mm super-telephoto. In addition to stunning 4K movie footage, at the heart of both models sits the powerful BIONZ X image processing engine combined with a front-end LSI that delivers high-speed continuous shooting at up to 10 fps with a buffer limit of up to 155 images.
Furthermore, these new models present a fast AF speed of 0.09 seconds. Some newly added features are Eye AF, Touch Focus/Touch Shutter function, and location data acquisition via Bluetooth.
The HX99 comes with features that makes your photography experience more comfortable and adept at the same time especially due to the ability to shoot in RAW format and maximum ISO6400, eliminating the difficulty of shooting in low-light conditions. In terms of convenience, the HX99 is equipped with a Control Ring which can be customized with functions such as manual focus or step zooming. In addition to a Touch Focus/Touch Shutter function which allows users to directly select subjects, it features a Touch Pad function delivering smooth focus point shifting while using the viewfinder. Furthermore, the built-in high-contrast retractable OLED Tru-Finder with approximately 638,400 dots (equivalent) delivers power packed performance in a compact body. The HX99 features an upgraded grip which gives photographers a firm hold and greater stability during shooting, making it the easiest companion to take along on your journeys.
The huge zoom range offered by the HX99 and WX800 means that they are ideally suited to the varied demands of travel photography and capturing daily life. Image stabilization is controlled with Optical SteadyShot which effectively negates the camera shake blur that often occurs during handheld and telephoto shooting. The models are also equipped with a Zoom Assist function that allows the user to zoom out temporarily and displays a wider area when shooting a subject at the telephoto end.
The HX99 and WX800 can capture 4K video footage with full pixel readout and no pixel binning. This means that fine details are beautifully rendered and ‘moiré’ and ‘jaggies’ are significantly reduced. The new models can shoot fast-moving subjects with high-frame rate HD 10 recording at up to 100fps 11 to produce impressive slow motion sequences during editing.
As the perfect picture often occurs unexpectedly, photographers need to be able to trust their camera to react quickly. With a Fast-Intelligent AF speed of just 0.09 seconds and an upgraded 3 BIONZ X processor and front-end LSI, the HX99 and WX800 are a perfect fit, delivering high speed continuous shooting at up to 10fps for up to 155 images. For beautifully focused portraits, the new models inherit the much-praised Eye AF technology from their α siblings and for photographers who prefer to enhance their photos with image editing software.
Embracing feedback from users of the HX90 series, Sony has implemented Touch Focus and Touch Shutter functionality on the HX99 and WX800 so that the photographer can directly select their shooting subject, both the HX99 and WX800 offer My Menu personalization for instant recall of up to 30 items and the ability to create custom menus.
A 180 degrees tilting LCD screen allows for easy framing of selfies and group shots location data acquisition via Bluetooth can collect and record location data from a mobile device (Location Information Link) and small size proxy recording allows transfers to smartphones or uploading to websites for quick sharing.
The HX99 retails for P28,999 and the WX800 is priced at P24,999, and are now available in all Sony Centers and authorized dealers nationwide.
