BIOS: Technology Means Business

If you cherish freedom and versatility in photography, then you’ll love these two puppies. The Cyber-shot H2 and the Cyber-shot H5 are the company’s first super zoom Cyber-shot cameras to include the Double ‘Anti-Blur’ technology - first seen on the recently introduced ultra compact Cyber-shot T9.

The 1/2.5-inch size Sony Super HAD CCDs at the heart of the cameras, should result in sharp and vibrant pictures every time. The Cyber-shot H5 offers a 7.2 effective Megapixel CCD, and the Cyber-shot H2 a 6.0 effective Megapixel CCD. As well as a massive 12x Optical Zoom from the precision Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens, both the cameras also feature a 24x Precision Digital Zoom, and a 52x VGA Smart Zoom on the Cyber-shot H2, that increases to a remarkable 57x on the Cyber-shot H5.

This versatile lens gives a focal length of 36- to 432mm (35mm conversion) at F2.8-3.7, while also offering a 2cm macro shooting facility for close-up work. For greater rigidity the cameras feature an aluminium lens ring, and for increased flexibility the use of the high power zoom is even possible whilst shooting movies in the MPEG VX Fine mode.

The Sony Real Imaging Processor further enhances the shooting experience, keeping pictures sharp, colours real, ensuring an extremely rapid camera operation, and long STAMINA battery life - up to 400 shots using the supplied Ni-MH rechargeable batteries. Both cameras offer full manual exposure control suitable for the more creative photographer, as well as automatic modes for quick shooting and ease of use.

Thanks to the Cyber-shot H5 and H2’s double ‘Anti-Blur’ technology you can confidently shoot in difficult conditions, such as low light, reducing the risk or hand shake blurring your pictures, says Sony. The combination of the Super Steady Shot and High Sensitivity even allows you to shoot with out the flash, resulting in pictures that are as sharp as when using a flash but far more naturally lit. Plus difficult to capture moving objects can be captured with the reassurance that blur will be minimised.

The inclusion of Super SteadyShot optical image stabiliser automatically compensates for ‘hand-shake’ and vibrations to produce sharp digital pictures every time. Unwanted movement of the camera that could blur the image is measured, processed and the optical lens element adjusted to compensate for the vibration, which is especially useful when shooting at the tele-end of the 12x optical zoom.

Sony engineers have designed the system so that it is carefully optimised for vibration frequencies that occur when the camera is held, reducing the effects of ‘hand-shake’. This feature can also be used in combination with slow shutter or closed aperture for more creative shots, or even while in the movie mode - MPEG VX Fine. Additionally, using the new 2-second self-timer mode is a further aid to reducing camera shake associated with pressing the shutter button.

Picture blur is also reduced because of the High Sensitivity capability of both the cameras. This allows you to capture moving objects with less blur, likewise you can be moving (such as in a car) shooting a stationary object - an option that is not possible when just using image stabiliser technology. Traditionally High Sensitivity would lead to an increase in noise, however utilising the newly developed Clear RAW NR feature, the signal to noise ratio is greatly improved.

The Sony Clear RAW NR original algorithm system reduces colour and luminance noise, enabling shooting with significantly higher sensitivity (up to ISO1000). This ensures images with less noise and finer detail. This is especially beneficial when shooting in low-light conditions.

The Clear Photo LCD plus technology incorporated in the Cyber-shot H5 should greatly improves the resolution and brightness of the huge Hybrid 3-inch (7.5cm) LCD screen. The improvement of the LCD screen’s NTSC colour ratio to 65 per cent should lead to superior colour reproduction. The LCD screen also incorporates a smooth anti-reflection layer, for a better image quality than conventional textured layers.

It additionally suppresses reflections more effectively to increase the display contrast, especially outside in bright sunlight - perfect for sharing photographs with friends and family. The Cyber-shot H2 includes a convenient 2-inch (5.1cm) LCD screen, with 100 per cent LCD screen field of view - again, allowing you to clearly frame, view and review images with ease. Naturally, both cameras also come with a built-in optical viewfinder - keeping your shooting style flexible.

The new direct display brightness adjustment option prevents the need to access the menu to make adjustments to the screen’s brightness. In addition to sharing your favourite pictures on the LCD screen, images can be viewed on a connected TV screen. With the 16:9 shooting mode you can even shoot wide-screen images for playback on a wide-screen TV.

Of course, images are also stored on optional Memory Stick Duo or Memory Stick PRO Duo for you to save on a PC or print out. Both cameras feature a 30MB worry-free internal memory, so you can be safe in the knowledge that you will never miss a great photo opportunity again. They both also features high speed USB 2.0 and PictBridge, the standard for printing directly to compatible PictBridge photo printers, such as the Sony DPP-FP50.

The new Cyber-shot Viewer software that is supplied with both cameras offers a fast and easy to use solution for importing pictures to your PC, browsing and sharing your pictures using a new and unique calendar function, or even making simple edits such as resizing or trimming.

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