Product Reviews

You don’t get DOF control from a 28mm f1/1.2 but you do at 150-720mm and 30ft away, learn to compose from afar and boy you won’t look back

The Sony DSC range is second to none in small cameras. I have recently moved from the HX20V to the HX99. The change is significant. It is a must to consider if you are upgrading.

I bought this as my earlier version was dropped and stopped working. The new one is even better and I have already taken a good number of pictures in all sorts of situations. I am finding that I generally do not need to go to the manual setting quite as often. The picture quality of such a small camera with 28 zoom is great.

Can now do touch screen, shoot in RAW and use viewfinder.

I've just bought this camera and its small size and fantastic specification make it ideal to take on my hill walks.

I bought this to replace a previous Sony camera that lasted for 11.5 years. It has all the same features but in a much smaller body (the previous camera was getting too heavy). I took a star off for ease of use solely because the camera is rather overloaded with functionality and while this makes it very versatile, I did occasionally find it hard to locate a particular setting due to the sheer volume of options. I am nevertheless very happy with my purchase and the amazing quality of the product. I look forward to using it for many years to come.

I bought the Sony HX99 as I just wanted to have the flexibility, convenience, light-weight, and easy accessibility to take photos any time I want especially while travelling. I need 2 features - optical zoom and stabiliser, which allows me to zoom in and yet take reasonably clear photos. Went to Marina area to test out. The city skyline photo as taken at normal range. I then zoomed in at maximum range, noticed my unstable hand motion through the EVF, and took the Merlion shot. Not as sharp as I want; it’s OK. Next time, I’ll bring a tripod next time. All photos unedited. Ratings based on 1st-experience; might change when I explored more. Overall I’m happy with the Sony Hx99.

We bought the camera about a week before our recent holiday. Unfortunately, during GS first use, the camera was accidentally dropped from about shoulder height. The drop impact broke off a tiny piece of plastic near the battery cover, and the cover could not be shut after that. It seems that the camera body is rather fragile.

This is a grate camera as a replacement as my old Sony cyber shot started to go wrong

Very convenient and easy to use and carry around. Price wise is very affordable too. The photos and videos are many many times better than using mobile phone cameras.

I bought this as an exchange for the HX90 that I had purchased a few months earlier: There were problems with it and Currys replaced it with the HX99

Having had the camera a few weeks it has produced some great pictures. Where to find the functions is not always intuitive. Sadly the documentation is on online in reference format. It is not in a format (pdf or print) that you can read and understand the full extent of its abilities. A pdf manual that you can read, would enable you to get the most from the camera.

I previously used a SLR camera until the lens failed to focus. I found the SLR was becoming too heavy as I got older! and I required a camera that I could carry in my pocket. His camera is ideal for my requirements.

Only just started using this. Functionality is easy and picture quality looks OK but need to do a more extensive test on holiday next week. My third Sony camera and very easy to use basic functions. Connectivity with my tablet, smartphone and PC were effortless. Reserved one star until I know how good the picture quality is.

Every pièce (lens, sofware,...) works perfectly together making this camera outstanding

Still finding out how brilliant this little camera is, so far the picture out performs many a bigger more complex camera. A great camera to take anywhere !

I haven’t had my camera for long so I am still getting used to it but I am really pleased with it. I am not very technically minded so this camera is ideal for me as I can let it sort out focus and exposure while I concentrate on composure. For the more experienced photographer there appear to be many settings they can set up for themselves. The zoom is very good and I like the feature of continuous shooting. The quality of the photos is also very good. The camera is a perfect size for travelling with as it fits easily into my pocket and bag.

This is to replace a DSLR camera. Has all the options I would want to use.

Eventually I bought it for my primary 1school daughter and she loves it so much. It was simple and easy to use. I always went to the shopping mall and wanted to find some items. But majority of your staffs are unapproachable. Luckily that day I met a friendly and knowledgeable staff of yours. She introduced me with patience and professional service support for my requirements.

I bought this as a replacement for an earlier model that was dropped & broken. I find it does everything I want and more. I love the zoom for wildlife close up. My son really likes to use the viewfinder and I like the screen inversion function for taking shots from above my head. Only this weekend I was experimenting with the manual mode vs auto and scene for photographing some motorbike racing and I was pleased with the results. I love that it is compact and keep it in my pocket.

I bought the HX-99 10 days ago and I have been struggling to connect it to my iPhone ever since. The documentation, both on paper AND online is pathetic. Both still talk about the PlayMemories app, which has been replaced by the Imaging Edge app. In my view, without a simple online guide to connecting the camera to an iPhone running IOS 14.6, this camera is simply NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE.

Only had the camera for a couple of weeks and used it more than my DSLR for a couple of years. Really impressed with how it handles most situations with ease. Backlight feature terrific. Picture quality excellent for this size of sensor. Do the same thing with a full frame sensor please.

Great wee camera, I prefer the images on this compared to my similar priced smartphone. It has accurate colours and doesn't overly process the image unlike some smartphones. It basically takes what you see in real life.

I loved this camera right ouut of the box and was impressed by the controls and how easy it was to customise all the settings. In the end, I had to return it because it doesn't have an aux mic input. Sound is fine indoors, but is a problem outside here in the windy southwest of the UK. I miss my nifty little camera already...

I am happy to have a new Camera for the summer vacation

You get what you pay for and this little camera is brilliant for still photography but less so for videos because it lacks a microphone input (something you will find on any smartphone!). It's a useful bit of kit, though, and I know I will use it a lot.

Excellent lightweight travel camera with a huge zoom range and plenty of features. My only concern is with the battery compartment door which is somewhat flimsy and due to it's design I feel could easily be snagged and could get damaged if not handled carefully.

I have had this camera for nearly 3 months now and I try every week, several times to try and get it to connect and stay connected to my phones and other remote devices. It always connects for a short period and then fails to connect. I bought this device primarily to have the location information embedded in the photographs and this is a most unreliable application that does not do what it says on the tin. If I do not get a resolution I will be returning the camera as not fit for purpose on the UK trading standards law.

I bought this camera specifically for the flip screen and I’m very pleased with this feature. The online user guide is outdated referring to software which is either no longer available or is not compatible with the latest mac operating system Big Sur. As a result you cannot use the wireless transfer feature if you’re a mac user and have to resort to using USB cable. I’ve contacted Sony support twice about this and the cannot tell me when or even if a solution is going to be provided. Overall the camera is giving me great results it’s just a pain not having the wireless transfer feature promised in the spec..

Got it for Xmas, and it does everything Ineed ina Travel Camera. Even in auto, it has many features not present in more expensive Cameras. Great Zoom, Easy to use, and looking forword to my next holiday to really use the many, many features this little camera has.

I use a full frame camera day to day, but thought the HX99 would be good to carry on country walks, using the big zoom for nature photography. It works well enough, but the images are noisy, even at low ISO, and very soft at the end of the zoom range. If you can live with this, and your images are for online and don't have to be too big, then it's a great little camera: good build quality and lots of features.

I consider myself a modest enthusiast in terms of photography and possibly, like others, faced this dilemma. My trusty DSLR with its range of features remains in a solid position whilst at the other end of the spectrum the camera in my Mobile phone is just OK for those 'on the fly' images. i searched for a quality unit to sit between these cameras, a device that had a viewfinder as a 'must' and decent optical zoom. The Hx99 meets all my requirements and its size makes it absolutely ideal. I also like the ability to easily transfer images across devises. Thank You Sony for producing this excellent offering.

I bought the HX99 in 2019 for my wife's birthday. She's very keen on the extremes of point and shoot photography - close ups/macro shots of flora and fauna, and extreme telephoto shots of birdlife. She also demands lightweight and pocket sized. Based on the reviews of the HX99, and the fact that it was the lightest, smallest ultra-zoom (720mm) with excellent wide-angle performance, I didn't think there was anything better at the price point - still do. As a Sony Alpha 9 user myself, I appreciated the similarity of the Sony Camera Menu system, and the advanced shooting capabilities of the HX99 - 4K video, 10 frames per second shutter rate, 180 degree hinged rear view screen (5-star selfies!), electronic viewfinder, and much more. As a previous Canon PowerShot user, I know my wife would not give up her HX99 now. There are a couple of minor design niggles - why on earth does it take so long to power up and power off after pressing the On/Off button - 4 or 5 seconds is ridiculous - firmware update please Sony? Also the same button is so small and recessed it's difficult to use anyway unless you have tiny sharp fingers. All is forgiven though when you see the quality, detail and colour balance of the HX99's images, and their excellent image- stabilised sharpness when using the extended telephoto power it offers. Good work Sony. Now my daughter has bought one too, based on Mum and Dad's recommendations.

I just got this and am amazed at the quality of the photos and all this camera can do. Well worth the price.

I have only had this little camera for a few days. I have just sold my old Olympus DSC camera and a range of lenses. I travel a lot and cycle so carrying a heavy camera and selection of lenses was becoming a nuisance. I read reviews on the Sony Cybershot and it seemed to tick all the boxes I wanted - small, viewfinder and terrific zoom. I have done a few trial shots and am very impressed with the detail on zoomed subjects. Can’t wait to get travelling again and to take this neat camera with me.

So far very impressed after doing a lot of research. As the title says, connecting to iOS is not straightforward and I don’t think you can set up geo positioning with iOS at all.

Now, first of all, you have to be aware of the general limitations of compact cameras with such a small (1/2.3") sensor and such a wide zoom range. However for prints up to A4 format there is no difference in quality even compared to DSLR cameras. Substantial cropping may obviously lead to a worse quality, so you should always zoom to the right selection already when taking the photo. For low light conditions (e.g. indoors) this type of camera has to default to high ISO values due to the fact that these kind of super-zoom lenses have a rather small aperture by design, so image quality will not be so good (in these cases a phone may actually take better photos since they have a fixed lens with a wider aperture). As for this particular camera, the engineers have made the crazy decision to let the AUTO-ISO range go by default all the way up to ISO3200 which completely negates the capabilities of the image stabilizer and yields very bad picture quality in low light. You have to change the AUTO-ISO range in the menu settings to ISO800 if you want acceptable quality (be aware that, like some other settings, these are buried in a sub-menu, that you can access only by pressing the control ring at the back of the camera accordingly). I also found that the images are significantly less sharp than those of my old HX9V; the text of a page of a newspaper I photographed was outright blurry in comparison; I had to change the in-camera sharpening to +2 in order to make the results from both cameras look the same (this is now my default setting) Further tip: reduce the image size to 10 MP in the menu; this gives equal or even better image quality than 18MP, and you can shoot quicker, use less battery power and SD card storage (it seems that the 18MP are only achieved by interpolation). You can also leave the image quality as Standard (saving you even more storage space); Fine or Extra-Fine give only a negligible improvement. Video I did not manage to test yet in detail Summary: the Sony HX99 is very capable and yields excellent photos for this kind of camera (or any camera for that matter in good light), but only if you take the time to customize the many options.

A solid, very compact, pocketable digital camera producing good results. Very impressive optically but its dimensions mean the rear control panel can be a little fiddly with large hands. The menu system is very comprehensive and takes a little mastering (downloaded manual is 500 pages). Can be used as a simple point and shoot or adjusted for more technical results.

Solid quality build with excellent performance. Easy to use but ability to customise, excellent

Bought this to use when walking, motorcycling and holidaying when I didn't want the bulk and weight of heavier cameras and lenses. Pleasantly surprised when I discovered that it was easy to use, good battery life and showed a good range of capability for such a small unit. I have no in-depth knowledge of the art and science of photography and this camera suits me well.

The camera seems great so far but I am having problems navigating the user manual. I am not particularly tech savvy and in some sections I would appreciate more detailed explanation.

The photos taken indoor were blur with noise or not sharp enough, outdoor photos taken were just average.

I brought this camera 1 month ago. But found that it not so user friendly and photo taken are not that sharp under the Auto mode. Even with flash light, it did not give a very good effect.

This is a very compact camera and has a lot of good features, you can easily show you photos on your TV or computer without needing any wires. It has a lot of features which I am still learning, the zoom is fantastic and bring thing so close. It takes very good photos and the videos are really good, for the size of this camera it is excellent and give very good results, very pleased with it.

I recently bought this camera. It is very good and has many functions. A more detailed printed handbook would have been a help to me.

It's a bit of a learning curve, but I’m getting there. Great pictures. A couple of small annoyances; I wish it used a standard SD card. I wish it had geolocation. This is advertised as being possible with a smartphone, but after purchase it turns out the software is not currently available.

I had bought the same one a few months ago but when the lens zoomed out and back in it made a noise, which obviously gets recorded in the clip so either I can't use the clip while editing or have to take away the sound and voice over or music instead. The night time footage was all very grainy. Unfortunately the replacement makes the same noise when zooming in and out. (Not always but sometimes as with the previous one). I haven't recorded anything at nighttime yet so I don't know if the footage will come out grainy or not. The zoom is excellent and when it does record well the video quality is really good. So much so that Youtube classes some of the videos as 4K. The reviews said that it can record in 120fps but I have not been able to find this feature in the Menu options. Stabilisation on video is decent but not perfect. I just have to make sure most of my footage is either standing and panning and not so much in the way of walking. With the highest stabilisation setting, it can only do a max of 50fps. It is a good camera but needs to be used with these limitations in mind. Unfortunately by the time I noticed the issues, it was past the 28 days and I couldn't return and get something else. But within the limitations of the camera it is a good option

Poor build quality especially considering that this is not a budget camera. After a couple of weeks use, I noticed a bulge in the bottom plate of this camera, together with a gap between the base plate and the main body.

Love the size of the HX99 but wish there is a touch screen function. Also hope that the firmware of the camera can be easier and simpler to link up with the iPhone for transferring of photos and as a remote control. Also not sure whether is the firmware compatible with iOS 13.1.3.

We are delighted with it. Zoom is better than binoculars ad viewfinder is a great asset.

I have this camera as second camera for trekking, where Sony A7m2 is to big and to heavy. It is a bit small for my hands, but results are superb.

Compact so easy to carry around. Excellent optical zoom capability. Some deterioration of photo at full extension.

I bought the camera but when we printed the clarity is no there whar should we do

Normal camera.everything just average .not maxing yet

Owned for a month so still getting to grips with the camera layout. Once I have got to grips with it, it will be perfect fit my needs, due to size and lens quality. So far the results are amazing, getting them on to my iPad however is near impossible, due to Sony App.

Not found all the facilities on the camera yet, so far so good, haven't got the copy to smartphone going properly, persevering.

Bought to be more portable than my SLR + lenses but still capable of very good photography

Camera seems easy but without a printed user manual it is a pain in the ### to have to print 500+ pages or go online to find out how to use the features

Youtube reviews focus on this cameras video qualities and few talk of the still image quality. I have had cameras by nikon, panasonic, and with sony imaging used in top class phones, i decided to go sony for their sensor. As I like to take a camera with me to my local nature reserve i wanted a pocket sized zoomer. unfortunately i am far from satisfied with this cameras stills. even putting the camera on a base and using 700mm to photograph ducks the images were out of focus and poor. I think also that there are far too many settings and features to contend with, i find i am going to have to experiment with the settings to get the best out of it. Then there's the popup view finder. Ok so its a little inconvenient poping it up but its really anoying when you push it down and the lens retracts, then you think its off and put it away, only to have the lens open again. you then have to power off manually with the button, whats going on. Surely when i pop the view finder in i may want to carry on shooting by screen, why does the lens retract then come back out again. I just wanted a point and shoot with zoom. My Huawie p30 pro does better stills. My wifes Panasonic lumix is a 30x zoom and its a few years old now, but it just point zoom and you have a good shot. no worrying about if stupid AI is on etc. Sony, stop putting gimmicy setting on your superb sensors and lets have a point and shoot that does just that. So would i buy on knowing what i know now. Sorry Sony but no. I will probably take my wifes Panasonic with the sony one day and test them out on the same subjects. As for video, well the Utube videos are right, its great. May be im expecting too much and should continue to use my larger format camera but its just a pain to carry when your walking the dog.

The 'Noise' levels are unbelievably BAD. Noise at 200 ISO