The Sony Cyber Shot DSC-H2's 12X zoom lens now carries the Carl Zeiss moniker, resolution has been bumped up to 6 megapixels, and sensitivity has been stretched all the way out to ISO 1,000. Soccer moms--who might not want the hassle of an interchangeable lens--should find the H2 appealing for its massive zoom range, its pleasing image quality, and its broad array of both automatic and manual exposure controls. But advanced amateurs who need low noise at higher ISOs might want to look elsewhere.

Specifications

  More information :   Announced 25-Feb-06  Max resolution      2816 x 2112
 Low resolution   :   2048 x 1536, 1280 x 960, 640 x 480
 Image ratio w:h  :    4:3, 3:2
 Effective pixels   :   6.0 million
 Sensor photo detectors    :  6.2 million
 Sensor size  :    1/2.5 "
 Sensor type  :    CCD
 Colour filter array  :    RGB
 Sensor manufacturer   :   Sony
 ISO rating   :   Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1000
 Zoom wide (W)   :   36 mm
 Zoom tele (T)  :    432 mm (12 x)
 Digital zoom   :   Yes, 2x
 Image stabilization :     Yes, Lens
 Auto Focus  :    Yes
 Manual Focus    :  Yes, 5 presets
 Auto focus type  :    Multi-point 3 area (selectable)
 Normal focus range  :    50 cm
 Macro focus range  :    2 cm
 White balance override   :   5 positions
 Aperture range   :   F2.8 - F3.7
 Min shutter  :    30 sec
 Max shutter   :   1/1000 sec
 Built-in Flash   :   Yes, pop-up
 Flash guide no.       
 External flash :     No
 Flash modes  :    Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye reduction, Slow Sync
 Exposure compensation  :    -2 EV to +2 EV in 1/3 EV Steps
 Metering  :    Multi-Segment, Center weighted, Spot
 Aperture priority   :   Yes
 Shutter priority  :    Yes
 Focal length multiplier       
 Lens thread   :   Yes
 Continuous Drive   :   Yes
 Movie Clips  :    Yes, MPEG VX (VGA, 8/16/30 fps, unlimited) with audio
 Remote control  :    No
 Tripod mount  :    Yes
 Self-timer   :   10 sec
 Timelapse recording   :   No
 Orientation sensor  :    No
 Storage types   :   Memory Stick / Pro + Internal
 Storage included   :   32 MB Internal
 Uncompressed format  :    No
 Compressed format :     JPEG (EXIF 2.2)
 Quality Levels  :    Fine, Standard
 Viewfinder   :   EVF
 LCD  :    2.0 "
 LCD Pixels  :    85,000
 Video out   :   Yes
 USB   :   Yes, 2.0
 Firewire (IEEE 1394)  :    No
 Battery / Charger   :   Yes
 Battery   :   AA (2) batteries (NiMH rechargables included)
 Weight (inc. batteries)   :   490 g (17.3 oz)
 Dimensions   :   108 x 81 x 92 mm (4.3 x 3.2 x 3.6 in)

Review

 The megazoom Sony Cyber Shot DSC-H2's long, image-stabilized lens should have the soccer moms drooling--as long as they stick to the lower ISO speeds.
http://reviews-zdnet.com.com/