The Sony HX400V is a point and shoot bridge style camera featuring a Carl Zeiss Sonnar-Vario T* 50x zoom lens that has a whopping 24-1200mm effective zoom range. In reality it’s a 4.3 to 215mm Zeiss zoom lens combined with a top quality 1/2.3″ Exmor R CMOS Sensor which is what creates the 24-1200mm effective zoom range.
I reviewed the older Sony HX300 model a few years back and it was an amazing camera for the incredible versatility and zoom range. Overall image quality was excellent as well for the cost in my opinion. The HX400V offers and updated Exmor R Cmos sensor and Bionz X Image processor which improves low light image quality and overall processing speed of the camera. It also offers Lock On Autofocus which is a great feature for tracking moving subjects. Other than that however, the camera is basically the same. The newer sensor is a large improvement in image quality though due to it’s stacked design.
Be sure to check My Sony HX300 Review Here>> to get an idea of what this new HX400V will be able to do for you.
I also recently reviewed the Sony HX99 (click here) which is basically an ultra compact megazoom pocketable camera which has the same 1/2.3″ Exmor R CMOS Sensor as the HX400V, so you can expect very similar image quality, but the cameras are drastically different in size as design.
If you are looking for similar cameras but want better image quality, then consider the larger 1″ sensor RX10 series cameras for the DSLR like body with more zoom, and the RX100 series cameras which are the smaller pocketable versions with less zoom range. They cost significantly more money than the Sony HX series cameras, but the image quality is notable better due to the larger sensor. All My Point and Shoot Camera Reviews are this way >>
If you want even better image quality than that, well then you need to go to the full frame RX1 series cameras for a point and shoot style body, or the Sony mirrorless cameras which offer both Full Frame and APS-C sized sensor camera bodies. The mirrorless cameras are super versatile, because you have tons of lens options as you can see in My E-Mount Lens Guides This Way >>
Sony HX400V Key Features:
- 20.4MP 1/2.3″ Exmor R CMOS Sensor
- BIONZ X Image Processor
- 50x Optical Zoom Carl Zeiss Lens
- 24-1200mm Equiv. Focal Length
- 3″ Tilting Xtra Fine 921k-Dot LCD & Viewfinder
- Full HD 1080/60p/24p AVCHD Video
- Optical SteadyShot Image Stabilization
- 10fps Continuous Shooting & Lock-On AF
- Intelligent Sweep Panorama 360˚
- Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity, GPS & NFC
- Minimum focus distance @ 0.03′ to Infinity / 0.91 cm to Infinity (Wide)
- Minimum focus distance @ 7.87′ to Infinity / 239.88 cm to Infinity (Telephoto)
- Filter Thread = 55mm
- Weight = 23.28 oz / 659.99 g
- Retail Price = $448 US
The Sony HX400V Camera Body
Let’s take a closer look at the HX400V camera body, then we will get onto the high quality reviews that are currently available.
Sony HX400V Quality Reviews and Testing
I really enjoy John Sison’s Reviews, because they are quick and to the point, but also give you all the information needed to help get a better understanding of the camera or lens in question.
This is a really nice review from brainyfaceproject and I recommend checking it out!
A nice review by Carl Reader as it pertains to nature photography in particular.
Another very nice review worth checking out by Scott Waldron
The Digital Digest does a great jon comparing the HX400V to the older HX300 in this video if you are considering an upgrade or just want to know all the differences between the two models besides the new sensor found in the HX400V. Below that he goes into the
A nice review by Tech Pills which covers pretty much everything you need to know.
This is a pretty good review by Steve, and towards the end he shows off some nice sample photos and video!
Closing Remarks
As you can see the Sony HX400V is a very nice bridge camera option and for the the money it offers really excellent image quality and serious zoom range abilities. I assume Sony will come out with an updated version of this camera which will offer 4k video at some point in the future, but for now this is what we have.
I hope you got what you were looking for in the Sony HX400V Review article, and please have a great day,
Jay
