Blueprint: Horizontal Drop-Down Menu

Sony HX400V tutorial for beginners The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V is a premium super-zoom camera that features a 50x, 24-1200mm zoom lens, 20.4 megapixel back-illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor, BIONZ X processor, 1920x1080 50p Full HD video recording with stereo sound and HDMI output, multi interface shoe, and Wi-Fi and NFC connectivity and built-in GPS. Other key features of the Sony HX400V include high-speed autofocusing, a tilting 3-inch LCD screen with 921,000-dots, 10fps burst shooting mode at full resolution, ISO range of 100-12,800, enhanced Optical SteadyShot with 3-way Active Mode, Intelligent Auto Plus, Superior Auto, Program and full Manual shooting modes, a range of Picture Effects and and support for both Memory Stick PRO Duo and Secure Digital cards.Sony's new Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V is virtually identical to the HX300 model that it replaces, so a lot of the comments that we made in our review of that camera apply equally to the new HX400V. The HX400V clearly takes its design cues from an entry-level DSLR camera. The HX400V's optical zoom is still a massive 50x and the effective resolution remains at 20.4 million pixels from a 1/2.3-inch Sony Exmor R CMOS sensor. Key new features include a 3x faster processor, multi interface shoe, and built-in Wi-Fi, NFC and GPS. The HX400V has a very chunky handgrip that's large enough to squeeze three fingers comfortably around and usefully has indentations for your top two fingers, helping to provide a steadier hold when shooting towards the extreme telephoto end of the zoom. To further help prevent blurred shots in such circumstances and in low light, Sony has also provided optical 'SteadyShot' image stabilization, reducing the shake apparent on the LCD screen and making it easier to frame the shot. The build and finish of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V is of a high quality, with the all-black matt finish to the body and various DSLR-like dials and controls - not to mention both angle-adjustable LCD and built-in electronic viewfinder - on initial inspection lending it an impression of being a 'serious' enthusiasts' model. The compact size also means that locating the right control is never a stretch for forefinger or thumb. Most of the features you want to access are literally at your fingertip, which of course makes for speedier overall operation. Overall dimensions are 129.6x93.2x1.03.2mm and the HX400V weighs a starter DSLR-like 633g (body-only), making it both bigger and heavier than most of the super-zoom competition.The front of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V is dominated by the Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar lens, here boasting a maximum aperture of f/2.8 at the widest-angle setting and a focal range the equivalent of a ultra-wide-angle 24mm to 1200mm in 35mm film terms - suggesting serious 'poke' at the telephoto end and real suitability for those paparazzi style candid portraits at full zoom, as well as of course landscapes and group portraits at the wider end.