Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H55 features high zoom, slender profile

BY: Allison Johnson, DigitalCameraReview.com Editor

Sony launches the 10x optical zoom Cyber-shot DSC-H55 today with a 25mm wide angle Sony G lens. It offers a set of semi-premium features like 720p HD video recording and optical image stabilization in a compact form-factor.

At the heart of the Cyber-shot H55 will be a 14.1 megapixel Super HAD CCD sensor (of the 1/2.3" variety) and a BIONZ image processor. That stabilized G lens offers a maximum aperture range of f/3.5-8.0 and an equivalent focal range reaching out to 250mm. Also included is Sweep Panorama shooting mode, a function that will stitch together a single, wide-angle panorama from images captured as the photographer pans horizontally across a scene.

The H55 will record 720p HD videos at 30 fps and will output MP4 HD files. Video recording utilizes a new stabilization mode called Active Mode. According to Sony, this new feature will offer better stabilization when the user is moving with his or her subject. Images and videos will be framed using the camera's 3.0 inch 230k-dot LCD. And along with all of Sony's latest Cyber-shot releases, the H55 will feature a dual memory card slot that accepts SD/SDHC cards and the MemoryStick Pro Duo format.

The Cyber-shot H55 might sound familiar to those who kept track of camera releases around this year's CES when Sony announced the Cyber-shot HX5. The two cameras bear identical physical specifications measuring 4 1/8x2 3/8x1 3/16 inches and identical 10x optical zoom lenses. The HX5, with 1080i HD video and GPS + Compass functionality, is more feature-heavy than the H55. For about $100 less, the Cyber-shot H55 will offer some of Sony's premium features and a higher zoom range than any of its current W series offerings.

Pricing and availability
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H55 will be available in April 2010 for $250. Color options include black and silver, and pre-sales will begin in February.