Tokyo, Japan – Sony announced on Monday the new HX80 compact camera. The company has reported this will be the world’s smallest compact camera with at least 30x optical zoom and a built-in viewfinder.

Beating its previous model HX90V released last year, Sony is claiming its new DSC-HX80 model to now be the world’s smallest compact camera. This model also introduces a new feature, a super 30x optical zoom. It’s also the second high-zoom compact camera to include a retractable electronic viewfinder.

The camera will go on sale in April for $350. Other details, such as the dimensions, are yet to be confirmed by Sony, they have given a lot of other useful information.

Tokyo, Japan - Sony announced on Monday the new HX80 compact camera. Photo credit: Perusmart
Tokyo, Japan – Sony announced on Monday the new HX80 compact camera. Photo credit: Perusmart

DSC-HX80 details we know so far

Even though the HX80 model beats last year’s model, a lot of the impressive aspects this camera has, seem to be borrowed from the HX90V, including the same 18.2 megapixel Exmor R CMOS sensor and Zeiss lens.

Furthermore, The HX80 includes the same 1080p Full HD video recording, with support for XAVC S format 50Mbps, nitrate the HX90V has. It also includes a pop-up flash and the LCD screen flips up to 180-degrees for all of those selfies that you take, just as its predecessor does.

The HX80 does come with new and interesting features; the biggest news is, of course, the 30x optical zoom lens. Sony said the camera’s 30x Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* optical zoom lens doubles the zoom range with a 60x “Clear Image” digital zoom extension.

The camera is equipped with a 5-axis image stabilization system that minimizes blurring caused by camera shake. That way, you don’t have to worry about image quality for long zoom shooting.

The 18.2MP sensor is joined with Sony’s Bionz X image processor to produce high-quality images in a wide range of lighting conditions, including low-light. The processor is applied to both stills and video. It is equipped with Sony’s PlayMemories Camera apps for image editing and storage.

But this camera can’t have it all. Interestingly, the HX80 misses out on GPS, but you get the usual fare of Wi-Fi and NFC, meaning you’ll be able to share your selfies with social media quickly.

Source: Tech Radar