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Sony DSC HX1 forum (1 Viewer)

Cabo

Well-known member
I'm starting this thread to promot a sharing of information, ideas, tips, etc, etc, regarding the HX1. I've been on several other HX1 forums in other sites, but they seem to quickly lose their way, and soon they're discussing everything else but the HX1. Anyway, I figured that the "birdforum" is the perfect place to start this thread. I hope that we'll focus on the HX1 and not get too side tracked in other directions. In this way we will all benefit from one anothers' experiences regarding this remarkable camera. I would like to start of by mentioning that the main reason I purchased this camera was due to the whole host of features it has. I am planning to use it for, among other things, digiscoping with my Pentax 80mmed spotting scope. I am working on finding out what works best for connecting this camera to that scope. I purchased the camera about 2 weeks ago in hopes of using it for birding. I especially like the 10 frames burst/second shooting capability. This time of year most birds have moved on to warmer areas, as I'm currently in the mountains of southern Utah. If you haven't seen this camera and have an interest in doing so, be sure and check out the sweep panaroma feature. It's one of the coolest most magical features I've ever seen on a camera. Let me say before closing that this camera's not perfect, but which one is?
 
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Cabo, I'm interested in the hx1 as a take along when I go digiscoping to get the close up ones without the scope. Could you post a wide angle pic and then full telephoto of the same for a comparison. I currently use the sony w300 on a kowa 883 and especially like its quick focus ability and burst. How does the hx1 focus work at full tele for a subject in the bush? The w300 lacks shutter and aperture priority which the hx1 has which would be nice.

I bought a wx1 for my daughter and just last night asked her to try the sweep, should be interesting.

Joe
 
Josef, I tried my best to send you a wide angle and a telephoto of the same pic, but try as I might I was unable to get the photos to transfer. Anyway, I love the HX1. I've had it a month so I'm still learning how to use it. So far, I love it. The panorama sweep is mind blowing. The zoom is very quick and sharp. It's very quick to wake up to take pics. If anyone knows how to transfer a pic from my pictures to this "Quick Reply" space, please let me know.
 
20X zoom vs wide angle

Delicate Arch Wide Angle.jpgDelicate Arch 20X Zoom.jpg The enlarged image was taken from about a mile away. The camera was hand held. I hope this helps. I have more images and would be happy to do more test shots
 
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Cabo,

Impressive pics. This last weekend my daughter tried the sweep feature on her sony wx1 and for other than digiscoping it would be a handy tool. Did you crop the wide angle? Reason I ask is the long horizontal is how my daughters pic looked.

The hx1 has the cmos sensor and I guess thats the way to go so I'll have to look around town to try one.

Joe
 
I did not crop the pic. You can either crop it with the camera or use the Sony software that comes with the camera. Good luck.
 
Cabo

I have read this thread and i think you need some straight forward advice on considering the HX1 for Digiscoping?

The rule of thumb for the ideal digiscoping compact or similar is a 3x - 4x optical zoom. Any higher in the majority of cases gives rise to too much vignetting or/and the camera zoom lens may hit the the scope eyepiece and switch off if the camera is on a fixed adapter during the zoom up of the optical zoom. So using a 20x optical zoom camera may not the ideal camera for using with the scope? but perfectly fine for the other intended uses you have for the camera

To satisfy yourself, you just need to try your scope, eyepiece and camera in the garden, focus the scope on a subject, carefully hand hold the camera to the scope and take pictures through the full range of the optical zoom from zero to 20x ensuring that you check the camera lens does NOT touch the eyepiece every time you click the optical zoom, this isnt easy, but persist with it. When you look at the pictures are you happy with the amount of vignetting and can live with it, if so then use it, but the amount of travel the optical zoom physically travels, will mean you cant use a fixed adapter, and may have to adjust the distance of the camera zoom from the lens every time you touch the optical zoom on a adjustable adapter.

The pictures or the travel of the zoom will tell you if the camera is suitable or not. Not enough eye relief and too much optical zoom on the camera will be the major factors that stop this from being a useable digiscoping camera IMHO. This essentially will stop you from wasting any money hopefully on adpaters or different eyepieces?

I have never been able to use my Panasonic FZ18 to digiscope with ( 18X ) but i did try it all the same !

Good luck
 
Cabo,

I agree with Paul and the rest of the Gerues that most Digiscoping cameras are in the 1-4 zoom. I wasn't considering the adapter because I always have made my own.

The lens projection seems to be unique to each camera. My current adapter was
first made with one distance between EP and Camera lens. After using it I realized my pics taken with 1-2x were not as sharp as the others. I was lucky because it only took an evening to modify. In the field it works well taking only a second to move the spacer.

The basic rule is that if the diameter of the camera lens and EP are close the vignetting should be acceptible. My present setup has the camera diameter about 1/3 the EP and I get no vignetting at any power.

You did not mention what kind of EP you use. I use a fixed wide angle and use the camera zoom. I have used a zoom on the scope but found diminished light always sent me to the low powers.

Joe
 
Wow, I'm just learning about digiscoping and what a wonderful lesson you've provided. I'd be interested to know what you think about the following: Sony sells a 1.7X optical adapter that they sell as an option for the HX1. It's pretty slick how it adapts to the camera. Anyway I received one the other day. The 1.7X lense extension screws totally over the outter ring of the camera which allows the zoom lense to extend inside the adapter so the scope mounts mounts outside the optional lense adapter, thus allowing the camera to run the full range of its zoom potential without ever coming into contact with the actual Pentax eyepiece.
Thus far I haven't purchased a fixed eyepiece for the Pentax. I will do that after the first of the year. The Scope is in our home in Newfoundland and we won't be back there until the spring. So, do you think that this setup will work. The 1.7X lense does increase the HX1 zoom from 20X to well of 30X. So, it does provide a very nice hand held zoom apart from any scope adaptations.
Incidentally, we have numerous icebergs that come by our home and once in a while, if we're lucky, besides an odd bird, a polar bear will be one one. Hopefully, next year, if this works out, I'll have some interesting photos to upload. I know that this forum deals mainly with birds, so if you'd rather not, I'll only discuss birds. Please keep the input coming. I've been getting private messages and I think there's a lot of interest regarding the Sony HX1's capabilities. I very much appreciate the BF and the wonderful sharing members. Thank you
 
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Hi

Hi everyone, just received my new HX1 yesterday so I will see how I go.
I think it would be great to share settings for certain situations as I think you can get a lot out of this camera.

Paul
 
I am very pleased with my DSC-HX1 the main downfall is it keeps switching off after 3mins (power saving) and having to switch to viewfinder when switching on again. Have contacted Sony UK but they have not even bothered to reply to my e mail. Surely a simple software mod could do this. Anyone else find this a problem or is it me?.

Pete
 
I am very pleased with my DSC-HX1 the main downfall is it keeps switching off after 3mins (power saving) and having to switch to viewfinder when switching on again. Have contacted Sony UK but they have not even bothered to reply to my e mail. Surely a simple software mod could do this. Anyone else find this a problem or is it me?.

Pete

Have now had a reply they say there is nothing they can do about it.


Pete
 
Glad to see others are posting to this site. I also have the 1.7 teleconverter, but I basically got to to attact to my Pentax spotting scope. I love the way it works. The teleconverter is fixed, but the zoom is internal. I think that this will be perfect for achieving focus. I won't get this home to Newfoundland until April. I'll let everyone know how this works after I've had a chance to fiddle with it. If it doesn't work well 38X zoom is not so bad.

As for the 3 minute shut off feature. At first I found this a bit of a bother because just about the time I locked on a subject I had to boot it up again. So, what I found was a very easy way around this: every couple of minutes or so I slightly touch the zoom feature and get another 3 minute renewal.
 
Glad to see others are posting to this site. I also have the 1.7 teleconverter, but I basically got to to attact to my Pentax spotting scope. I love the way it works. The teleconverter is fixed, but the zoom is internal. I think that this will be perfect for achieving focus. I won't get this home to Newfoundland until April. I'll let everyone know how this works after I've had a chance to fiddle with it. If it doesn't work well 38X zoom is not so bad.

As for the 3 minute shut off feature. At first I found this a bit of a bother because just about the time I locked on a subject I had to boot it up again. So, what I found was a very easy way around this: every couple of minutes or so I slightly touch the zoom feature and get another 3 minute renewal.

Cabo

Thanks for the tip.

Pete
 
If anyone is still following this, I use my HX1 for stuff that is nearby (less than 100m)where the 25x zoom allows you to track birds easily (something really impossible to do with a camera/telescope combination).
It is also excellent for ID of high-flying raptors or fast-moving birds. Snap off a few images of that very high, very distant raptor and it is now identifiable. The fully-zoomed images are not photo quality, but they do allow you to ID that distant dot in the sky that may have been something interesting. In Cyprus recently the camera confimed my ID of 2nd-yr Bonelli's Eagle and juvenile Saker (and also provided something to give the local recorder to prove my ID).

It is pretty good for flying birds, again something impossible with camera/telescope kits., despite the slow auto-focus. Expect a high rate of deleting, as you often don't always achieve focus before depressing the shutter fully, and don't try using full zoom - hold back at 10-12 zoom, rather than going for the full 25x. It is easier to locate the bird in the lens, and it allows the auto-focus time to obtain the 'green-light' to press the shutter fully. The burst shooting is OK but the camera does take time to digest the images already taken and the 10 images just taken can ALL be out of focus. So 3-4 at a time.

The panoramic shots are fantastic, as is the macro.

I use the Sony alongside a Panasonic Lumix TZ6 - despite the 12 zoom - it is excellent on my Leica APO70 scope.
So the Lumix for the distant stuff, the Sony for the nearby and flying stuff.

Together they weigh less than a kilo. Less than the body of the standard DSLR, never the mind the lens attached to it. OK the quality is not anywhere as great but I'm a birder, not a photographer!
 
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