I recently purchased this camera and have to say that it is by far one of the best digital cameras I have owned. I have not had any of the issues mentioned by a previous poster my guess is he might have received a defective model.

Picture quality is outstanding and the tilt screen is amazing giving multiple viewing angles. Macro mode shots come out beautiful and you can really get close to the subject. The 3" LCD is great and very clear. Camera comes with a wireless remote that is very useful for various shooting situations or to control the camera during slide shows.

Due to the immense success and popularity of the previous H series cameras, and great new features in the H9, we all eagerly looked forward to it.

The H9 improves upon the H5 in many ways. There is the tilting display, 15x zoom, 31mm equiv wide angle, nightshot, even a remote control. It uses the same processor (Bionz) as the Sony Alpha DSLR, supports dynamic range and has a complete new menu and control system. Other new features include face detection and predictive autofocus on moving objects, higher ISO performance and faster burst mode.

All well and good. But what really matters is the image quality of the camera, and thats where there are some serious issues.

The H9 no longer supports 'Fine' or 'Standard' mode of image quality. The option to select image quality is totally missing from the camera. Although the specifications on the original announcement, as well as some Sony websites do mention this as a feature on the camera.

The H9 stores 8MP images at 3 bits/pixel compression while the fine mode of H5/H2/H1 stored images at 8 bits/pixel.

There also seems to be color blotches, noise reduction smearing and water color effects that shows up in some images causing a lot of details to disappear.

The image processor decides on its own when to kick in these horrible effects in any image and usually it happens in the low contrast/light colored areas, like eyebrow or hair of people, grass, building roofs etc.

Many early H9 owners have been trying to contact Sony support to find out why the fine picture mode is missing, and if there would be a fix available to this. There has been no answer to this either.

Also, in automatic modes, including the scene modes, the H9 will not allow you to set ISO or white balance, and it also seems to adjust color balance in Portrait mode to get the skin tones right. As a result, many indoor images are taken at ISO 400 which shows clear loss of details, and often the white balance/color balance gets it all wrong. Since we can't set these in automatic or scene modes, the only option to consistently shoot good photos is to use one of the manual modes.

Many people called Sony without any success because the tech support doesn't even seem to understand the problem.

We loved the H series, and it will be a shame to see such an excellent product line suffer due to Image Quality/Noise Reduction/Compression issues.

If you are considering to purchase H9, it might be a good idea to visit Sony camera user forums such as the Sony Talk Forum [...] and see what other H9 owners are dealing with.

I do own it and I sincerely hope that Sony will release a fix for the Image Quality.

Otherwise this is an excellent camera and I will gladly return here to mark it 5 stars once this has been resolved.

By the way, the H9's Image Stabilization is much better too.

4,383 images is how far my first digital camera worked since 1999, with a whole 1.5mb image size! That was a Kodak DC 265 Zoom camera which finally failed to boot last month.. It was purchased to replace carrying out my extensive Nikon F 35mm system as a second camera while I used one of my field or view cameras. . . something light is handy when you are using an 8x10 field camera or one of the others smaller 5x7 or 4x5 kits. Just a utility backup to capture the scene in color for my b&w photography. . .

This SONY DSCH9B that arrived today exceeds any ideas I've ever had about the merger of photographic cameras and the modern computerized digital imaging system. That is really how my first impressions are for this really excellent camera. It provides an 8.1mb image that opens into a full 22.9mb ADOBE PhotoShop image! There are several menus with sub menus and numerous options but if you just want to turn it on and take a snapshot go right ahead. The ergonomics fit the camera lens right into the palm of the left hand with most controls set to the right hand control. The "grip" is well design and fits easy. The large bright colorful LCD screen is easy to see but I notice the battery use was heavy with me exploring just about any button or menu item I found.

Motion pictures no problem MPEG-1 or 2 with the lens zoom fully functional while recording just like a fine SONY CAMCORDER. Even Night-SHOT features.

I could probably ramble on about the sharpness of the image, the excellent Zeiss lens with 15X magnification but all those facts are listed above. . . I took the Amazon advise and purchased a 2 gigabit memory card , as well as a spare battery and extended service plan.

If I were to say any negative note it is"they should always place a ac power cord in the box." SONY has it available as an accessory. With two batteries I think I can hold on that but I will spend the fifty dollars for a 74mm multi coated protective filter for the camera. It is worth the cost in security of the irreplaceable Zeiss lens. To close this is a computer digital imagery with video capabilities that has a great optical lens. ***** 5stars!


a footnote: I caught the model number DSC-H9B and knew that was a black body camera. . . if you want a silver color make sure the model number does not have the "B" on the end

Currently I own the Sony H2 and decided to upgrade to the H9 because of the added features. I was VERY please with my H2. It produced fantastic shots. This camera doesn't even come close. Also SONY LIES in their description (down further in the review).

First off, the camera is strange in your hands. It leaves such little room for your fingers. On the H2 I have plenty of room to place my fingers and manipulate the controls. The tilt LCD seems flimsy and could easily be broken. It also is stupid to have a moving LCD if you can't twist it. Its good for getting above and below your eye level and thats just about it.

Also, the EVF is hard to use in the sun, and you smudge the LCD constantly when you try and use the EVF. The older style allowed room for an eye cup which is a MUST with an EVF. The LCD is non useable in the very bright sun. The ONLY saving grace is that you can tilt it down to shade the sun, but if you are trying to get something at ground level from your waist area by tilting the screen and its bright out FORGET IT. So if the lighting is midlight to dark everything is useable, if not its worthless.

Here is the second bummer. Sony has switched from using a normal sized ring on their camera. So everything went from a 58mm size ring to a 74mm (which is a nonstandard size). So Sony again like they typically do, stuck with their OWN products (much like they do with the memory sticks). It is SOOO much easier to find 58mm products, and at more resonable prices. As far as I know the Canon line is sticking with 58mm. Smart move by Canon. Stupid move by Sony.

The other bummer is the size of the adapter and hood that you now have to use with their camera. ITS HUGE!!!! This ruins the entire concept of compact SLR like camera and ruins the entire balance of the camera. Its odd and strange. It also makes hooking up something like a telephoto lens unstable. I know they had to do it because the lens in the camera is larger than previous models but COME ON!!!

Next on my list is the battery system. I can understand why Sony did the change to a different type battery, the flash does recharge faster. There are some differing results with the battery chargers depending on how you use the camera. If you use the EVF and not a lot of zoom you will get about 800 shots, but if you use the LCD and zoom a lot and go through the menu then you get about 400 out of one charge. I still like the tried true method of using AA's. Sony should have gone with 4 instead of 2, and stayed away from again THEIR line of product. A replacement battery is about $50 and chargers for your car or rapid chargers are about $100 to $200, if you stick with Sony. There are a few off brand chargers out there but... who knows what you get. They are considerably cheaper, but its my opinion you get what you pay for (hint, hint).

Bokeh is WORSE in the H9 than the H1/2/5. I know this has to do with lens quality, but yuck. Its too detailed and distracts you from the item of focus.

EVERYTHING is located in the menu. You have to go through several menus to get to everyday use items. It makes it rather ridiculous, and you will lose shots if you are constantly trying to manipulate the menus. In my opinion the way things were in the H2 were far superior.

The H9 is considerably lighter than the H2, but it is almost to the point of feeling cheap. I don't like it at all. I liked the H2 because it was "just right" in the weight department. The H9 does come with a remote, which is fantastic for taking shots you want to be in, or if you don't want move the camera by pushing the shutter button. The camera also featuers better movie modes than the H2, but they stink compared to a camcorder. If you want REAL movies of your family buy a camcorder. The nightshot is kinda cool and does pretty goood, but the shots of course come out in black and white. If you have a HD monitor its kind of neat to be able to see the shots on that, but if you are like the majority of Americans you don't have an HD TV set.. Yet.

So what about picture quality? The picture quality is good. However, here is WHY SONY LIES!!! The camera does NOT have a fine setting for compression. This is ULTRA important if you plan on doing any type of editing. It also impacts the picture quality at the higher megapixels. There is a compression issue as well that makes the picture quality even worse than their previous lines. This leaves you to the post processing nightmare. Sony so far has done NOTHING about it!!! They themselves DON'T KNOW WHERE THE SETTING IS!!!!! Their engineers can't figure out what went wrong. Dunce. Thus the 8megapixels are WORTHLESS!!!

This is not the only complaint I have about this camera. It has significant problems with in camera processing. I think this due to the use of their Bionz processor. It leaves color distortions and smearing. It also has soft edges and a barrel distortion like no other (wide angle shots of buildings are horrible, the buildings look like they are curved). The DRO is worthless and should be taken off the Sony line of cameras.

Sony was trying to be innovative but I honestly think they failed. This camera is not worth the price tag and needs work. They should have never tried to cram more megapixels on a tiny chip and then try and make up with it by using horrible in camera processing. They should have quailty tested it better than they did. Now they will either have to issue a firmware upgrade if the issues are software related OR they will need to issue a recall if its hardware related. My thought is they have stopped sending the cameras out as they are not available through their website (out of stock) and trying to maybe fix the newer models, but I wouldn't buy one of these cameras for a while until the issues are corrected.

If you are coming from a point and shoot with no optical zoom and very little megapixel or quality, you will think this camera is the bomb. However if you come from another good quality ultra zoom you will be VERY disappointed. The new Canon S5 is coming out and they stayed within the sensors capabilities and added a HOT SHOE. Buy either an older H series (H2 is honestly the best out of the bunch, for IQ) or get a Canon (either the S3 or soon to be released S5).

You can also find clearance H2's at several stores at a VERY discounted price. Great camares with NONE of the problems mentioned here. It also gets a Highly recommended rating from dpreview and ranked number 2 by consumer reports.

Sony said the camera had a "Fine" setting, but the actual camera does not. You can't stop the camera from automatically reducing noise, which makes everything look like an impressionistic painting - very strange. They WILL NOT respond to inquiries about the camera. Also many models have defects in the lens causing many focus and fringing problems.

Also everything extra about the camera is proprietary. You have to buy Sony filters, Sony batteries etc. for the camera due to irregular size that only Sony makes.

Shame on you Sony for ignoring customers and putting out a sub par camera just for profit. Until Sony fixes the fine setting and aggressive compression on this camera STAY AWAY!

Chadfish

First off, yes I did own this camera. Yes, I believe I got one of the "good" ones. I took probably 1200 - 1500 pictures with this camera. I had owned the H1 for 1 1/2 years before I purchased this camera.

PROS:
* 3" Tilt LCD - allows for more versatile shooting positions. Nice resolution also!
* 15x zoom - make sure you realize it's 15 x 31mm to equal 465mm, vs 432mm of the H5, H2, H1.
* 31mm wide - wider than previous models
* 2.2FPS burst - all I can say is WOW! So fast for a P&S camera!
* Improved Autofocus - very fast and accurate.
* ISO100 - 3200 - in my experience, anything above ISO400 was not usable. Noise at ISO400 was pretty noticeable, so I stayed at 100 and 200 mostly. It was nice to have the option though.
* 1/4000s shutter speed - needed ideal light but again, nice to have the option.

CONS
* JPEG Compression - 3 bits / pixel when using 8 MP, it increases to 4 on anything lower. Previous models used 8 bits / pixel.
* Bokeh - wow, what a disappointment. The bokeh on the H1 was so nice and much of the time it's downright awful with the H9. The "watercolor" effect may be from compression but I'm not convinced. Even pictures without the watercolor effect have bokeh that looks horrid.
* Filter size - Sony's way of sucking more money from consumers, c'mon!
* Battery - Retails for $50 - $60 per battery vs AA prices, it's insane!
* Build quality - Didn't like all of the plastic but that did keep the weight down.
* LCD Coating - the LCD was a fingerprint magnet, investing in a microfiber cloth would be a must.

In the end, I decided to sell the H9. I bought it thinking the image quality would at least be the same as the H1 and in my experience it was not. For those of you who have or get good cameras and don't see the compression issues, consider yourself luck. Until Sony addresses these issues, this camera will continue to develop much controversy.

This is a replacement camera for my Sony Mavica with floppy disk storage. What a difference a decade makes. Wow. I love this camera. I don't take 50,000 photos a month, so my opinion isn't one of a photo geek, or a super user. But for anyone wanting a camera that feels like a camera (versus a credit card), who wants amazing clarity and who shoot in all kinds of light, this camera will put a big smile on your face.

This isn't an SLR camera. It's not going to cost you $1,000 and it's not going to perform like a $1000 dollar camera. People expecting that, will be disappointed.

This is definitely a camera worth its sticker price. The look, feel and performance are all fantastic and for the occasional shutter-bug, it doesn't disappoint at all.

I've had this camera 22 days, I know because it is outside my return policy. All the features of this camera is nice, but the quality is not. My Nikon Coolpix 4800 (4 mega pixel) took a sharper looking image then the DSC-H9.

This camera is everything that I thought it would be. I have not experienced any of the problems that have been brought up. The buttons are well positioned. The lens does wonderful things. I am able to take detailed shots of birds that I have never achieved before. I did not expect it to be a DSLR and it is not but it is an excellent point and shoot with a magnificent zoom capability.

I've had the H9 for almost a month, and I've had it replaced once from Amazon, thinking I had a faulty camera. But after reading professional reviews and taking photos myself, I can but only conclude that this camera is not for me. It has great features and all but it hasn't lived up to my expectations. Some people may appreciate it, but surprisingly many people are in the same situation as I am--unsatisfied.

It's issues include excessive noise reduction, color aberration, purple fringing, and too much compression to name a few. Notwithstanding the fact that Sony indeed posted a misleading feature--Fine and Standard setting for JPEG compression. The Sports Mode is also pretty much useless since you can't manually change the shutter speed, which is only 1/60s by default. Most of the time, I use the Manual Mode, which is fine if you have ample of time to take a shot. But if you are in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a shot, you can't rely on the Auto mode of the camera. I really was able to take nice clean shots at ISO 80 up to 100. But beginning at ISO 200, I observed some noise; although most megazooms like these suffer the same sickness.

As amateur as I am, I learned a lot in photography from tinkering with this camera. That's a good thing if you're new to photography and you want to learn more than just pointing and shooting. I really think the H9 could've been a blockbuster if were not for the Image Quality issues. Truly its features are many of what prosumers want from a camera of this class. However, well at least for me, I still very much consider the quality of the images a camera produces--all other features are bonuses.

So what will I do with my spare 2GB MS Pro Duo? Buy an H2. That camera has been tested and admired for its image quality output. I don't think I would be needing extra features of the H9 (except the LCD, that is) so far as the H2 is concerned.

The bottom line is this: If you feel the H9's extra features outweigh its compromise in Image Quality, then go for it. People who do appreciate H9's IQ and have $480 to spare are most likely those who will never do prints larger than 4x6". But if you're like me who pixel peep and crop once in a while, you better look at something else for your money.

(Google for reviews for an in-depth knowledge on the issues I have mentioned here. Sony might and should release a firmware update to solve them)

I bought this camera because the technical specs appealed to me. But when I read all the critical comments I was beginning to feel I made a mistake.

Some critics claim that certain features were missing in the H9 that were listed in the specs before the camera was released. No doubt, that's not cool. Also, I haven't figured out how to set ISO levels. Probably I never will because the H9 insists of doing it for me. And then there is the lack of RAW storage.

I have all these features in other cameras I own. And although it's nice to know it's all there if I want it, I have to admit I don't use these features all that often.

As other bridge cameras with advanced features, the H9 caught the attention of many people in the upper segments of the market who then were dismayed to discover its technical parameters.

On the other end of the spectrum, the H9 may be a bit too sophisticated for the point-and-shoot crowd to take full advantage of what it is capable of. The fact that the manual is almost unreadable doesn't help.

Now to the good part:

1. I haven't had that much fun with a camera in a long time. The H9 is light enough to accompany me almost everywhere, and I get a lot of terrific shots that I used to miss out on because I didn't feel like dragging around my heavy equipment. Because it is a super zoom, no shots are lost because I have to change lenses.

2. The macro function is nothing short of sensational.

3. I have been able to take amazing shots with the lens all the way out to 480.

4. The H9 is fast - no shutter delay and super fast storage of images

5. No matter what I throw at the H9, it seems to handle it beautifully. I am sure I will figure out its limitations
as I go along and learn to respect them. The more I get to know this camera, the more it grows on me.

6. The large semi-flexible screen is a real plus, particularly for candid shots.

Well, as this generation of super zooms go, the plusses more than outweigh the minuses.

I waited to buy this camera because of some of the early poor reviews. I have the Sony H1 and I have enjoyed it very much. Although I have not been able to use my H9 much as yet, I feel it will be even better. I have taken only photos around the house and of the Dog. I see nothing so far that makes me feel the photos are not as sharp as the H1. I have not done very well with the macro as yet, but expect to be able to get great shots with it. The features can't be beat on any camera I know of. I love the ablitly to take low and no light photos. Sure there is grain, but isn't that what you would expect in very low light and no light condittions? It is exactly what I expect.
I have large hands and I find the controls easy to use. The first few pics were a bit awkward but I adjusted to it almost immediately. I have had to use a hood lens with a magnifier on my H1 due to my very limited eye sight, but with the Large and sharp LCD on the H9, I don't believe I will need too.
I think anyone that is not expecting pro quality photo from a point and shoot will love this camera. The photo quality is very good, just maybe not pro quality.
I did consider an SLR, but did not want to carry a ton of gear, pay a bunch for expensive lenses and flash units. I like going light and this cam will do all I need.

The only draw backs so fare are the over large lens hood, having to buy a few hugh filters and not being able to use a lens cap once the filter is in place. Unless I go to a Hugh Lens Cap R Us store.
This is memorial Day and I want to thank all the vets and their families for all they have done and are doing for us.

This camera has a great zoom range but, on the other side, the lens' quality seems to be below average, with a lot of distortion, chromatic aberrations, noticeable corner softness.

Also, the sensor/processor combo seems to be a step backwards from previous models, in terms of image quality. The pics look soft and there are a lot of visible compression artifacts, due to the lack of fine quality mode.

All of this translates in poor images, which may look good resized at 5 megapixels, or in small prints, but then, why would you want an eight megapixel camera that only delivers pictures with quality on par with 5 mp cameras, from 2 or 3 years ago. A Huge step backwards for sony, if you ask me.

I've had the H9 for almost a month, and I've had it replaced once from Amazon, thinking I had a faulty camera. But after reading professional reviews and taking photos myself, I can but only conclude that this camera is not for me. It has great features and all but it hasn't lived up to my expectations. Some people may appreciate it, but surprisingly many people are in the same situation as I am--unsatisfied.

It's issues include excessive noise reduction, color aberration, purple fringing, and too much compression to name a few. Notwithstanding the fact that Sony indeed posted a misleading feature--Fine and Standard setting for JPEG compression. The Sports Mode is also pretty much useless since you can't manually change the shutter speed, which is only 1/60s by default. Most of the time, I use the Manual Mode, which is fine if you have ample of time to take a shot. But if you are in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a shot, you can't rely on the Auto mode of the camera. I really was able to take nice clean shots at ISO 80 up to 100. But beginning at ISO 200, I observed some noise; although most megazooms like these suffer the same sickness.

As amateur as I am, I learned a lot in photography from tinkering with this camera. That's a good thing if you're new to photography and you want to learn more than just pointing and shooting. I really think the H9 could've been a blockbuster if were not for the Image Quality issues. Truly its features are many of what prosumers want from a camera of this class. However, well at least for me, I still very much consider the quality of the images a camera produces--all other features are bonuses.

So what will I do with my spare 2GB MS Pro Duo? Buy an H2. That camera has been tested and admired for its image quality output. I don't think I would be needing extra features of the H9 (except the LCD, that is) so far as the H2 is concerned.

The bottom line is this: If you feel the H9's extra features outweigh its compromise in Image Quality, then go for it. People who do appreciate H9's IQ and have $480 to spare are most likely those who will never do prints larger than 4x6". But if you're like me who pixel peep and crop once in a while, you better look at something else for your money.

(Google for reviews for an in-depth knowledge on the issues I have mentioned here. Sony might and should release a firmware update to solve them)

This is much more than I expected! I have used it several times and it is great. So many features and ease of use...for under $500 and Sony is a great company for support. I especially love the tilt screen which is not found on any other new model..it really helps with the Florida sun always out..at least most of the time.

I can't find anything bad to say so far...my friends are all amazed at the pictures and video it produces.

Thanks Sony for this great camera.

Marji Stone

When first advertised the Sony DSC-H9 sounded as if it was made for me. I wanted to upgrade without spending a lot. Down to facts the 15X zoom is what I wanted for stills, and it works flawlessly. The stabilization feature is all most flawless. Even with out a tripod there was hardly a blur. The video shots were unbelievable even in a car going down bumpy roads the subject remained very stable. I have taken about 700 stills and many minutes of video all turned out great except where I loused it up. I would have given it a 5 star except for the power button it is to easy to turn on and off accidentally. The lens hood blocks some of the picture on wide angle and also when using flash. The sharpness of the picture is unbelievable and can be enlarge many times.

Received DSC-H9 from Amazon 1 week after ordering. Included 2 GB memory card.
After about 4 hours for battery to charge I was taking pictures. The manual that comes with camera is not very good (37 pages), there is a much better manual (137 pages) available on the supplied CD. Following are my notes:

1) Must take battery out of camera and move to charger, rather than charging directly in camera.

2) Remote only works from front of camera within about 15 feet, needed is wireless remote that would work from 50-100 feet, in any direction.

3) Memory card did not fit my "11 in 1 reader", however the card (SanDisk Ultra II, 2 gb) came with adapter which provided compatability to one of the reader slots.

4) It took awhile to figure out the lens adapter, initially the hood attachment did not align correctly causing black framing on picture when wide angle. I later discovered that the knurled ring can be rotated for proper alignment of hood (not mentioned in instructions).

5) The LCD tilts but does not rotate to allow display from front of camera for self pictures (yet remote only works from front).

6) Flash tries to pop up, with left hand finger in the way, it takes awhile to train the left hand finger to avoid pop up cover.

7) Tried HD mode, colors too vivid for my DLP, changed color mode for less vivid color. This makes good HD images, however the color mode change does not apply for normal automatic setting.

8) No movie files played to HD TV, skipped over MPG files during slide show.

9) Slide show interesting, includes music and transitions.

10) Cannot edit picture files and copy back to memory card. Displays FILE ERROR. Online chat with Sony technical support confirms. OK to store on PC and copy back if not changed.

11) Interesting non documented feature that HD TV displays same as live camera LCD.

12) No audio for stills.

13) Movies are only 640 x 480, with HD capability I was expecting better.

14) Guide says "Your camera is designed for use under the temperatures between 0 C and 40 C (32 F and 104 F). Shooting in extremely cold or hot places that exceed this range is not recommended." I should not use this camera during June - August in Phoenix, AZ since normal daytime temperatures exceed the recommended range.

The first impression of the DSC-H9 was that its very lite almost flimsy. The name plate for ZEISS stating optical zoom 15X and another stating 1080 HD stills are just stuck on the camera body almost temporary.

After a weeks practice trying most of the functions, I am very happy with the camera. It is very fast, takes excellent pictures, has options galore. I hope they were exaggerating about the temperature range.

Good camera generally. Perhaps the same quality of photos of a $99 one from WalMart. Resolution isn't everything, quality is.

My biggest gripes:

1. The "multicable"... it's flimsy and there's nothing "multi" about it if I can't use any USB cable. It's going to break off INSIDE the camera - mark my words.

2. Shutter lag STILL!!!

3. Blurry photos even in full sunlight.

4. Still photo and video are on nearly opposite sides of the mode wheel. Again, it's going to break - mark my words.

5. The "hood" is useless. I throw it (and the remote) back in the box where they are left.

6. The microphone is worthless. Very muddy audio from even a few feet away. The H1 has superior sound.

7. Nightshot. Why? WHY?

8. Lens cap gets popped off when you power on. I can't tell if this is good or very stupid. The H1 reminded you that the cap was on and continued powering up when you removed the cover.

9. Can't put photos BACK onto the camera to take advantage of the slideshow feature. Which, normally I don't care about because it's a CAMERA not a computer. However, this feature really is nicely done on this camera. However, I've only gotten it to work with photos that have not yet been removed from the Memory Stick.

10. STILL have to remove the battery to charge it. Dumb dumb DUMB.

I ordered this camera to use on my outdoor hikes through preserves here in Texas. I wanted something to give me great shots of wild flowers as well as rard birds, butterflys, and streams. Also wanted the MPEG movie for capturing fauna in action.
This one does it all and does it very well. It is just about the right size for carrying on my 2 1/2 hour jaunts in the wilds. The steady shot makes capturing moving things easy and with manual setting and can blur the motion. When I get home I can put together a complete slide show with music that wows the family; all on the camera.
The large LCD viewing screen is a winner. It rotates out for low angle shots and gives me a great sight of what the shot will look like. I like the view finder for long shots of birds and the viewfinder also shows me the view as I zoom. The LCD does get a bit messy from nose prints or finger prints but I carry a pack of screen cleaner to take care of that. The battery life is more than sufficient and easily recharges. I use 2GB memory sticks and never lack for space.
I did order the soft cloth carry case and this is great for getting my camera to and from the field with no hard knocks.
The color enhancements available on this camera also allow me to get some really neat shots. The sepia tone is really fun with old abandoned structures and fence lines.
I would recommend this camera to anyone.

This is a lightweight camera that has a full set of adjustable functions. It has a big adjustable LCD screen that is easy to read, with buttons and a dial that are easy to use. It takes sharp, good resolution, clear pictures with excellent color balance. Took this camera on vacation and took the best pictures of my life ... the camera did most of the work so that I could concentrate on composition. I am very pleased. The only negative that I see is that the attachable lens hood, when collapsed is bulky and gets in the way of the finger grip.

There seems to be a lot of vitriol about this camera - people either love it or hate it.

Let's be fair here. It has a couple of downsides. But the speed and features more than make up for it.

Of course most people's first question is: how good are the pictures? Pictures by the DSC-H9 are outstanding. Going through the menu is a little involved, but the auto features work very well getting you good pictures anyway. If you carefully scrutinize the quality of the photos, they are not quite as good as some other cameras in the same price range. It seems the "superzoom" cameras like this one, sacrifice a slight bit of quality to the higher powered zoom. But whether this is a problem is debatable, because a 15x zoom can get a closer shot than a 10x or 12x, and you get your better picture that way. As other people have reported, there is also some purple fringing in some photos if you look closely. but wierdly, it shows up in certain shots but not others, and I can't see what the reason is. The fringing is also more noticable on the LCD screen than in the actual pictures, because the LCD screen runs with the color values turned a little high. I've taken loads of pictures with it in the last couple weeks and only noticed the fringing on two photos.

The camera is also the fastest I have ever had. Less than two seconds from power on to shoot!

Now to address the allegation that "sony lied" about the compression settings. Nowhere on the box or in the instructions does it say it has compression settings. Apparently, some early advertising put this out. Most likely, it was a planned feature that was dropped before it was released. Many people expect that Sony will put out a firmware update to take care of it, but that's no guarantee. So, the issue is simple. If selecting different compression levels is important to you, then don't buy this camera. This is really only a problem with a few types of photo editing. But for over 90% of camera users (like me) it will not be important.

The included software has a load of extra stuff, although I had no use for it myself.

The night shot feature sends out an infra red light that lets you take pictures in the dark, although they are of course in B&W. In total darkness, you won't see much unless you are very close to your subject. In semi-darkness, however, it works great.

Pros: 15x Optical Zoom lens, VERY fast snapshot time, big bright LCD screen, remote control, lens hood, night shot feature, tilt screen.

Cons: No compression settings, purple fringing in some photos, non-intuitive menu, tilt screen doesn't twist to front for self-portraits.

Overall, for the price great mid-range camera for people who need something more than a compact digital, but are not ready to spring for an a professional level SLR. People who take a lot of night pictures will love it. The combination of the high zoom and fast action would also work great for people who take a lot of photos of wild animals or sporting events.

Sony Cybershot DSC-H9 8MP Digital Camera with 15x Optical Image Stabilization Zoom

I have to say that I am happly surprised at how much I enjoy this camera. The body is nice and compact, but not so small that it's hard to hold on to. I love to be able to have a solid grip on my camera to ensure a more steady shot and this camera is designed nicely for this purpose. The Zeiss lens is great (in my opinion the only lens worth having).
The camera's menu is easy to navigate and very intuitive. I was able to take some nice photos without ever looking at the paper manual.

The 15x zoom is amazing - of course it gets tricky without a tripod when you go all the way out there, but the image stabilization is a live saver!

Battery life is not as long as I would like (but who wouldn't want a battery that lasts forever and a day). On the other hand, the recharging does not take very long at all and I am going to get a second battery as a back up.

The other gripe I have is the cover of the data transfer portal. It is somewhat in the way when you try to connect the cable to the camera to download pics, but I guess I will have to get used to this.

This is a great camera for people that want a little bit more out of a camera then just point and shoot,but are not into the serious photography stuff.

Overall I highly recommend this camera. You will not be disappointed.

Little bit of story first, followed by my question to you all, then my good and bads on this camera:

I had been waiting for this camera to be available in the market and was following the reviews too on amazon, cnet, and couple of other places. I did take a note of the 'bad' comments, and waited to see the camera in the stores instead of pre-ordering it before the launch. I went to the stores and checked the camera out when it was launched.. inside out to the best of my knowledge. In my opinion, many of the bad comments are true. Still I wanted to buy it since I thought I can live with those bad things. by the way, there are many good things too that I liked (why would I buy it otherwise).

On top of goods and bads on this Sony, I had made up my mind to buy a Sony since my canon (S1 IS) broke down in less than 2 years (CCD problem) and another Canon product I had (ZR90 camcorder) was also broke down in less than 2 years (CCD problem) and I had not bought any extended guarantees.

Finally I got the H9 one week ago and voila? nope.. shot few pictures indoor and copied the images to a computer. Looked them up, it appeared fine when in 25% view. But, the original view of the picture is so bad.. noisy, obscure, grainy, whatever term is used for it, it looks like a smaller image is digitally enlarged like in a image viewer.

Picture is not sharp. So grainy. I had the 8M pixel setting by default and took the pictures in Auto mode.

Later I took some shots under the sun (it started shining in Texas last two days!), and images are just a little better and no where near good quality.

So.. fellow cameramen/women, what I see is what is expected out of this Sony in terms of image quality..? Or, am I missing something?

I compared with the images taken with Canon powershot A540, Sony DSC-T1, Canon Rebel Digital XT, and Canon S1 IS, I am sooooooooooo disappointed to see the image quality of Sony H9.

What I see as goods..
1) How quickly the camera gets ready for shooting from being switched off
2) 31mm equivalent at wide angle
3) Light weight
4) Good Flash
5) large LCD
6) Many other features that I have not tried yet

Bads..
1) Not quite handy to hold (may be because I want to avoid scratching the LCD)
2) 74mm lens size, not so standard.
3) Battery type, not so standard.
4) No power adapter comes with the camera to connect to power directly
5) LCD is so large that our fingers rub it every time we use the camera.
6) Lens hood is pretty large
7) Strap holders are like ears to the camera (does not help the camera being a compact)

Like I said earlier, I can live with all these bads.. but I can't keep the camera if the quality what I see is what it delivers.

the H9 does everything it promises. the 15x optical lens, the 3200 ISO, the remote control with zoom capacity, the big mobile LCD screen, the user-friendly interface for previewing and editing photos, etc. is all as it should be. i've read that some complain about the low battery life (due to the big LCD viewer), but i have no such complaints. i've been pleasantly surprised with how many photos i've been able to take on one charge. o yeah, and i've been very pleased with the high quality mpg video quality that the camera has.

the size is perfect for an all-in-one. it shoots fast. images have low noise.

i have found nothing to complain about. i am glad i didn't throw more money into less camera - including an slr. this beauty does it all.

This is an awesome camera. The lag time between pictures is minimal and the zoom is impressive. My wife had been using this nonstop for three weeks and the pictures are great. It feels solid and the tilting 3" display screen is awesome. I also like all of the on-board editing tools and ease of use with the scroll button. Highly recommend this camera to anyone.

This was my first purchase from amazon. I could not be more pleased with the prompt shipment of my camera. This camera is amazing!. It is definitely a great camera to capture action shots. I have never had a camera that could take clear pictures of moving objects. I LOVE this camera!!!

El producto fue entregado por Amazon a entera satisfaccion. En cuanto al producto, este cumple con mis espectativas, mejorando incluso algunas, como las fotos en la oscuridad, el Zoom de 15X, y otras caracteristicas que por su precion, nunca pense en encontrar.

Nice but hate that you have to either have a special wire to connect to USB or have a card reader.

Have had the DSC H9 for 3 months. A good day camera for small hands. Large hands(thumb pad)bump control button. Light, easy to use, short day shutter lag. Long list of features. Major design flaw: 72mm funnel shaped filter adaptor ring sits in front of flash. 50 out of 50 pictures have half moon shadow due to flash blockage. Without adaptor ring, pictures are fine, no shadow, but no lens protection. Night shutter/flash lag very poor. SLOW. If the object/subject moves, you will not get it. Sony not responsive to flaw issue. Cylindrical adaptor not available.

Sony does it again! This is an excellent camera. It takes some getting used to because the familair features are not in the same place as on it's other models. It is not heavy. The 8.1 MP with the 15X Optical Image Stabilization Zoom is more than I had hoped for. The pictures are spectacularly clear. The flash is more than acceptable, although I see more of a yellow tint to many indoor night time flash pictures than I like. The zoom is great and saves carrying around a heavy SLR camera and all the extra telephoto/wide angle lenses. It is easy to use right out of the box. I recommend this for anyone who wants quality professional looking pictures.
There are lots of settings and lots of impressive features to learn about, but if you don't want to get into things deeply, the automatic features are more than sufficient!

I almost didn't buy this camera from the first review ...But Knowing Sony as I do I bought it anyway...I can't belive the ease with witch I have taken perfect pictures ,all with the auto setting. Even the ZOOM worked .I took close up pictures of very small birds from quite a ways away and the pictures were wonderful.The only drawback that I have found is that the sunshade got into some of my shots till I corrected with the zoom...THIS IS A GREAT CAMERA AND I WOULD RECOMEND IT TO ANYONE THAT WANTS GREAT PICTURES.....

My husband bought me this camera as my first Mother's Day gift this past May for our then 2 month old daughter. When we had the first pics developed, we noticed yellowing in the shots but attributed it to the store who developed them. My husband decscribes it as pixilated yellowing and I say vein like. Hard to describe unless you see it. After this happened with an additional batch of photos, I contacted Sony who had me send it to one of their repair centers. We had to pay shipping costs. The camera came back over a week later and the problem was still there. I called Sony and they refused to replace the camera and want me to send it to ANOTHER repair center.We have lost out on precious moments that we won't get back. We currently are disputing this with our credit card company.They do not stand by their products and I will not buy Sony again.

Easy to use, pictures are clear with great detail, many photo options not only available, but easy to find on the camera.

The H9 is a great point & shot camera, but the image quality and the User Interface are just poor.

I had an H-1 before the H-9. The zoom is so superior to the H-1. The ease of use is to be appreciated. The only negative thing about this camera is the strap is attached to swivels and is always twisted.

I got this camera to take on vacation in July. I had not used it prior to going on our trip, and it was perfect. I had a Sony Cybershor DSC-H5 which I also loved. I really wanted a higher digital zoom. So this worked perfectly. I am not a professional, but love taking pictures. Sony has great products and this is my third Sony camera. If you are looking for a great camera that is easy to use,even if you know nothing about digital cameras, this is the way to go. I took a picture of a person that was about 40 foot out in the ocean from our 16th floor condo and they looked like we were on the 1st floor. I was shocked at how clear the photo turned out.

This is a wonderful camera that takes very crisp and clear pictures! I am very pleased with my purchase!

I really love this camera. I have owned Cybershot H1, H5 and H7 and this is the best so far. What to I like most? Let me list the pluses: antishake, 15x zoom [!!], great colors, face focusing in automatic mode, full manual mode, speed and multiple shot capability - no significant time lag.
The only significant complaint might be with the lack of a raw image format without any error correction [or at the very least a way to control the degree of error correction/compression.] So far this limitation has not been a problem, but I can see a point in the future when this may limit the size of the images I print. Seems like a simple request to have NO error correction/compression as an optional choice.

I bought this camera in August. My Daughter loved it so much that I am buying her one for Christmas. I took the best picture of a hummingbird flying! If you know how fast they fly then you will know how good this camera is.

Compact and lightweight, considering its powerful zoom, the Sony H9 is styled to mimic the look and feel of a digital SLR. The grip is sufficiently large for a sturdy and comfortable handhold.

The Sony H9's most impressive feature is its 3-inch articulating LCD. It's hinged from right under the electronic viewfinder window by a unique L-shaped bracket that allows the screen to come out and swivel to face either 90 degrees straight up or 90 degrees straight down. Unfortunately, you can't use the H9 to take a self-portrait, as you can with some other swivel screens, because it doesn't face forward.

Start-up time was pretty fast, and although it doesn't match that of a DSLR, the Sony H9's shutter lag was minimal. There wasn't much of a wait between shots, even with the flash enabled, and continuous shooting was effortless.The 15x zoom was responsive and moved smoothly through the entire focal range. Autofocus was good in both bright light and low light situations. Sony's Super SteadyShot optical image stabilization, an absolute necessity with such a powerful lens, also worked well.

Like many of today's digital cameras, the Sony H9 is equipped with automatic face detection. It works well to identify, focus on, and expose the faces in the scene.

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H9 more than met my expectations. The 15x optical zoom provided a better-than-average wide angle starting point of 31mm (35mm equivalent), which resulted in extra flexibility since you could easily go from shooting a distant subject at the telephoto end to shooting landscapes. I was particularly pleased with its macro capabilities and the H9's continuous shooting speed is fast enough to capture action shots with relative ease.

The DSC-H9's Aperture priority, Shutter priority, and Full manual exposure modes will meet the needs of those familiar with cameras, and its Full Auto, Program, and Scene modes can help those who aren't.

Hello,I snap photos of bad wrecks as I drive by.I was snapping the pictures with Sonys' 3.2 meg. point and shoot.The camera really could get the job done but the color was kinda weak.I pick up the H9 and 60 days later still don't have a photo worthy of a 400 $ camrea.I'll get right to my disappointment with the H9.The auto focus is SLOW! Car crashs won't wait for the auto focus OK..Also a camrea of this caliber should snap photos in low light.For example...I like to take my family to Black Angus for dinner and snap photos of my squirrely nieces haveing the time of their lives .but remember the H9 is SLOW to focus.Add the fact it's kinda dark... you guessed it...the dang camera auto focus slows more (3-5 seconds)and the pictures become less than perfect.Finaly the camera really needs a operation manual.The H9 has numerous adjustments maybe the H9 can shoot time laps or long exposure? I just don't know....Kinda fun to screw around with thou.My next door neighbors daughter loves to wear the H9 as an accessory.She is 5 and H9 puts a smile on her face every time she puts it on.I need to add it's just like a sony to make me hate the lens cap.Battery lasts and lasts.Kinda feel that a lot of short cummings are due to making the battery last. But maybe not.I would love to sell it and try again. At the same time if I find that the H9 has a setting for point and shoot I'll let you know.My guess is the H9 will turn out to be slower than a point and shoot but less sensitive than a S.L.R....a 200 camrea at twice the price.The H9 might be great at snapping pictures of rocks or something simular.

I agree mostly with what the first reviewer had to say. I bought this camera as an upgrade to my Sony DSC-H5 (7.2 megapixels) and have been extremely disappointed with the clarity and quality of shots (most of them come out blurry when blown up compared to the DSC-H5). The battery is no improvement either. It lasts at best maybe 2 and 1 half hours in the field. I photograph dragonflies and damselflies in their natural surroundings and can say that this camera is a huge disappointment and can't even compare to the DSC-H5 when used for the purpose of close-focus photography. Also, like the first reviewer, I was very upset that I wouldn't be able to use my neutral density filter with this camera due to the change in size of lense-hood. Neither is this camera as stable when taking pics as my DSC-H5 even though the advertisers claim its has Image Stabilization Zoom. My first thought was Sony was trying to make more extra money by making their upgrade incompatible. I am going to unload this camera as fast as I can. It is not upgrade at all but rather a downgrade in my opinion. Sony is going to have to go back to the drawing board if this is what they are turning out as "new and improved". I just don't buy it and I think it is highly likely that others will agree!

I had a sony digital I bought 7 years ago and wanted to upgrade. After trying cameras at Best Buy and Circuit City, I felt this camera would be the best for me to use. I wanted a camera to not only take good stills, but great sports pics (I run a middle school basketball league and take action photos at games). I am NOT a camera geek, I wanted a point and shoot digital for dummies, easy to use out of the box. This is the camera. I was taking pics in seconds and they are premium quality. Add a 4gb memory card and you can take thousands of 8 megapixal photos and they are easy to download to your computer. I highly recommend this camera. Relatively small, light weight and very easy to take professional shots!

A very good camera, high precision and easy to use. It's recomendable to all who wishes to have a digital camera. The case that come with, is very practical to carry or to store the camera. And the Sony 4GB Memory Stick Pro Duo facilitates to the user to get a great number of photographs and transfer them to a PC or Notebook in a easy form.

Very nice camera. I like the Zooooooom, and combined with the Image Stabilization you can obtain very professional pictures. The screen is HUGE. In manual operation you can control almost everything.... ISO, Speed, Aperture, Exposure, Flash Output. Very nice cam. The price is not a good point, because you can buy a digicam with the same level of functions and options (like a Panasonic FZ18)by less bucks.

I'm really impressed with the DSC H9. There is basically everything one would hope for in a superzoom: good image stabilisation, full manual and automatic modes, lots of options for adjusting flash, ISO, shutter speed, aperture etc. The only thing that is noticeable is the noise with higher ISO's, but I don't think that is a big problem since I mainly take photos outside. With lower ISO's the image quality is marvelous, there is enough resolution (8 mp) for big prints and the colours are completely natural. The camera is also easy and intuitive to use and considerably light. I would recommend this camera to anyone who doesn't want to go for a SLR but wants full control over their pictures.

I'll start with the bad things:

- All the accessories are unique. The USB/TV connection, the memory stick, the lens, the battery and so on. And you must buy a memory stick and it is really recommended to buy an extra battery. Thefore you will have to spend more money to buy them (I would recommend to buy one of the kits with some accessories from the beginning).
- If you just want press and shot camera, this camera is too fancy for you. On the other hand, if you want professional camera this camera is not good enough for you.
- The large screen is great, but it is impossible to avoid touching it.
- The IR Images are very noisy. If you buy it for the IR, you should look for another camera. For me the IR option is only a gimmick.

Now for the good things. It is a great camera for someone like me who is not professional photographer, but still wants some freedom. Great zoom, great pictures, lots of options. After the first set of pictures I learned how to control it. The camera is lighter than I expected.

Bottom line - I really like this camera! Since I have it I am enjoying taking pictures and I am proud of the results.

best camera i have ever had only down side is there is very little warning that your battery is going low

Seriously pay attention to the critiques from others who have rated this camera as poor. Check also the internet, there is an outstanding review by a man who has not reviewed cameras in 40 years, but had to write about his H9s. I bought mine through a large electronics-store's auction site, (should have been suspicious, about so many available). It was not full price, but frankly should have been even cheaper, (100 bucks tops.)
The short of it is this: H9 has some very cool features, and seems to do a very nice job with close-up nature pix. BUT, overall the picture quality is poor for an "8mp" camera, and worse than cameras with fewer MPs. (I have read too that it actually uses a 5mp sensor.) The important thing to note is that I also own an Olympus Camedia D-595 ,(5mp),which takes better pix overall, (clearer, crisper detail). The H9 really fails in low lighting conditions, and has an unacceptable loss of detail with medium, to long shots, (gets blotchy, like an oil-painting, particularly in the dark areas). This was my first Sony camera, and based on its performance, I cannot forsee ever buying another Sony camera. (Love their TVs, VERY disappointed with the H9.) I do not understand why a company like Sony, with a good name, associated with quality, would allow a poor product like the H9 to represent them.

I actually bought the camera with a 2GB kit from Butterfly Photo. I don't have anything to say about the camera but a lot about the seller . First, the shipping came with two items missing, the memory card reader, and the cleaning kit. We call them to inform them about that, they tried to persuade us telling us that it was Amazon fault, but since we didn't give up, they finally shipped the missing items. Soon to realize that the memory card reader they sent us does not fit at all with the memory card of the camera!!!! I am still trying to talk to someone that can take any responsibility on that. Moreover, the memory card is defective, giving error messages here and there. When we started looking for some info about it, we found out that the memory card was actually fake!!!!! In Amazon there is a guide that explains you how to tell real memory cards from fake ones. I would suggest that you read that first before trusting any buyer. The real ones are supposed to come with the memory card adapter (this one didn't) and the package is totally different (We went to Best Buy to confirm these). Moreover, the tripod they sell in the package is very low quality. I am now wondering if the camera actually does not have some defects also...
I would suggest to get this camera from another seller

I enjoy photos of birds and wildlife, so better optical zoom makes it easier to get the image I want without scaring the critters away. I still have to work on being fast enough to get quality photos of birds in flight, but the sports mode helps with moving critters, people on bikes, etc. I've also taken exceptional night photos of Christmas lights with only a monopod.

The camera has difficulty detecting faces if the people aren't caucasian, so face detection of black people isn't reliable. I'm disappointed in this oversight but with other subjects I love the clear photos and the prints have met my expectations up to 11x14.

The Sony rechargeable battery lasts longer than I anticipated. I have not yet had the battery die during any event. I always take a spare battery with me, but I haven't yet used it for a single event, even for several hours.

The macro and flash buttons are in different places than on my DSC W7, but with more time and practice, I can learn. With the quality automatic modes I can still operate the camera without too much difficulty while wearing gloves. This may be more difficult for those with large hands - mine are slender.

With all the features packed into this camera, I hate to leave home without it because it's ready to go in mere seconds and multiple images of a subject is easy with little delay. I recommend buying at least a 2G Memory Stick Pro Duo. Also, wear comfortable shoes when out for a walk with this camera. Time flies, but your feet will suffer. I look forward to spring when my flowers are in bloom and the butterflies and bees visit.

I bought this camera specifically to capture (photographically!) monkeys, macaws, and toucans during a vacation in Costa Rica. With the 15x zoom and SteadyCam, it performed beyond my expectations. A definite "two thumbs up" as a high end digital!

The best camera I have owned in 60 years. It will make you a really good photog....I have taken over 4000 images with it so far and have great results. On the minus the controls are poor, the wheel on top moves too easily and in action work it gets moved without me knowing about it....as does the flash button. I have put a 1/4 thick piece of felt between the wheel on the back and the wheel on top and it is better. I also don't like the carry strap. I purchased a polorizer filter that works great for me too. The zoom is great. It takes great movies too with great sound.

This camera has all the features that an ameture photographer needs, plus a few. I looked at lots of cameras with similar features before buying this one and it was hard to decide, so I fell back on my old habit of deciding. It's a SONY! I particularly like the way it steadies zoomed in shots. And between the zoom, megapixels, and any good digital photo editor, this camera produces excellent results on wildlife photos.
I would even be happier if they made a way to power it with a larger storage capacity. I am a desert hiker and take about a hundred photos a day. A day of turning it on and off several dozen times exhausts the batterey in a days hike, so it requires a few pricey spares if you're going to be out camping a few days. My old Cybershot4.1MPs works on AA batteries and still works great(3 years)so to make the H9 lithium ions last a little longer, I'm using them both. Can't beat that!
But HEY!, for professional results in a camera of this price, I don't think you can beat it.

I LOVE this camera. One of the easiest to use; the back lcd flips up and out for taking shots from unique angles. Would recommend it over more recent models.

I am impressed with my Sony Cybershot DSC-H9 8MP Digital Camera with 15x Optical Image Stabilization Zoom after trying out the Canon PowerShot Pro Series S5 IS 8.0MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom. I though I would really enjoy the S5 as it is made by a company who is known for its cameras. But after further review realized that for this compact camera that Sony would be better having come from a camcorder background and it really shows. Although, for the SLR Canon makes a wonderful camera. The H9 is more user friendly and has nice menu layouts. As well as continuous shooting, the next shot delay is quicker in the H9 than the S5. The internal ISO on the H9 is also much higher which allows for better lighting in low-light situations as well as it's night shot feature and giving the flash range 10 feet more than the S5 at only 23 feet. Also, the Canon software has been known to have problems as it also did on my computer, yet another drawback for me. The Sony software had no problems. Although the Sony does have a date feature, it has to be added to each picture after download and not date printed as the picture is taken. You can also choose what color and where you would like the date printed, which is a nice feature. The S5 has a couple of features I will miss however, a feature called "stitch" that mends your pictures together for a panoramic photo and a record button on the body to start recording a video at any time during any mode. The H9 has video but you have to turn the dial to that mode. Both cameras have zoom and audio on video.
I would recommend the Sony H9 to anyone who is embarking on photography as a small hobby. This (compact) camera is a nice transition from the point-and-shoot to a more sophisticated SLR. As I say, the "compact" is an automatic camera with manual functions and the SLR is a manual camera with automatic functions.

I wanted a GOOD, but simple point and shot camera. All the reviews said how good this camera was, but not how complicated. Oh well much more to read and firure out!

My photography skill level : BEGINNER

PROS :
15 x zoom
carl zeiss lens
3" lcd
manual mode with nice tweaks
night shot mode
very good picture organizing (add/delete folder etc) options in the camera
comfortable enough to operate with one hand
the dial makes mode selection easy
Easy to take out/ fit in battery/memory card

CONS:
no uncompressed format option (neither is there an option to control the compression.. but that didnt seem important for me.. might be a drawback if you are a serious photographer)
no option for panoramic picture
cant take pictures while simultaneously recording video
consumes too much energy.. keeps running out of battery charge !!!!
The hood didnt prove to be of much use to me.
The dial is useful only for a few things like mode selection and navigating through folders.

I would suggest you also take a look also at Canon S5 IS. Both H9 and S5 IS are equally good. Minor differences here and there. But Canon S5 IS is about 50 USD cheaper ;) .

I am not digital camera savy. But my daughter had a sony cyber shot and I loved hers and knew that she could help me with mine. It has been very simple to learn & use. I bought it b/c of the new grandbaby coming. He is here and the camera has been put to good use. Excellent camera

As a butterfly enthusiast (garden for them, travel to butterfly rich areas, and love to photograph them), this camera can't be beat! With the 15x optical zoom I'm able to document a new butterfly that's beyond reach (up a hillside or across a ravine) and ID it easily and leisurely back at the computer with all my field guides spread out! Plus the close-up shots are awesome. Thanks to the advice of good friends and fellow butterfly enthusiasts who also use this camera, I bought it and haven't looked back.

This is a nice camera, you may find it useful if you are interested in learning to take better pictures.

I wanted a new camera due to the fact my old one wouldn't zoom fast at all, or take quick amazing pictures. This camera is it. My friend is a photographer and she advised me to make sure the zoom is optical and that the pixels was at least 8. Seriously this camera is amazing, and has night shot which is also a plus. You can buy a wide lense for panoramic pics. Fast zoom, fast shots, great video as well!

Decided to upgrade from a Nikon point and shoot and did my homework visiting numerous sites. Read both good and bad reviews on the H9 but I think the Consumer Reports rating tipped me over to make the buy. So far, so good. I am still trying to figure out how to take good indoor shots but ISO settings above 800 start to get grainy and fuzzy. Although using auto with flash indoor shots have been very good - especially across the room shots. The few outdoor shots have been crisp and clean. Battery life has been better than I expected. All in all I am happy and I hope even more so as I gain experience with this camera.

I'd researched thoroughly and hunted down the best price from a trustworthy merchant online for the purchase of the H9 from Sony. I was about to give up and I found exactly what I was looking for.
The product description essentially said the body was slightly blemished and the box was also but when it arrived, I held my breath for what it might look like.
I was astounded! Even though this was advertised as an open box type of purchase, everything was perfect! The only difference that I could see was it was obvious the box had been opened. But the CAMERA was pristine! Not a scratch in sight. Every accessory promised by the manufacturer was in the box and brand new.
This camera is awesome. It seems to do everything! It takes great telephoto pics and macro as well. The controls are easy to use. I especially like the placement of the shutter button. I still haven't figured out where all the settings are so that I can use them quickly, but that will come with more use. The wide 3.0 lcd screen is easy to see and the tilt on it is especially handy in bright sun although I've never had a camera with such a bright lcd that I can see it outdoors. This is wonderful.
By purchasing from Warehouse Deals, I saved about 100.00 dollars, still got the top notch Amazon return policy if needed, and got a beautiful camera.

This is a very good camera. The Zeiss Vario Tessar lens works fine, like the old, famous Tessar. The sharpness of the image is good in full range of zoom. However, there is a notable "barrel distortion" and I do not know how to correct it with the Photo Shop. The image stabilization works very well. High DIN sensitivity results in significant noise and blurring. The best results are with setting the DIN to 80 or 100, and selecting the P (Program Shift) shooting mode. The other inconvenience is that each time you begin to take pictures, you should carefully check if your last settings have not changed accidently - it is very easy (too easy!) to press or turn something while the camera is removed from the case. There is no "default" selection and the camera remembers all recent settings. I've found the included short "Instruction Manual" useless, but one can print out the detailed "Cyber-shot Handbook" and find answers to almost all questions. After I learned how to use the camera, I love it!

My Sony F707 Cybershot(5meg pixal) failed after 5 years (the ccd went out) so I purchased the Sony DSC-H9 to replace it. This H9 is no comparison to the F707. 90% of the shots are blurry. The only way to use it I find is with a tripod. Clarity is terrible along with a poor flash. I was expecting equal or better when I purchased this camera since the F707 is no longer produced. I can only say if you are looking for a camera that takes quality pictures with clarity do not purchase the Sony H9. What bothers me most is the H9 is 8MP vs the F707 of 5MP yet the quality is not even close to the quality of the F707. Sony has produced a very poor replacement in my opinion.

Sony Cybershot DSC-H9 8MP Digital Camera with 15x Optical Image Stabilization Zoom

This pruduct is very good. Excellent Camera!!

:)

It is taking me a bit longer than expected to become familiar with which modes control which functions; I have to switch back and forth fairly frequently to double-check and try various maneuvers. I expect that use and practice will make this easier, but early on, it is time-consuming and involves referring back to the booklet (or reading the more detailed information on the CD-ROM) to accomplish what I want with various lighting conditions, backgrounds, distances, etc. Also it is disappointing that I cannot put a filter on the camera without first attaching a rather large lens adaptor. Therefore I'm using the camera without this useful protection for the camera lens.

Light, lots of shooting options, great optical zoom; have not yet printed pics to see how it translates but great camera so far.

I have two other Sony cameras, but this one is the best by far. It is compact enough as not to be cumbersome to carry. It gives high resolution photos even at far distances. The action mode gives clear pictures of moving players. The image stabilization works very well with no blurred pictures. The battery life is adequate for a days worth of picture taking, but a spare battery is recommended. I really like the large LCD screen to view the subject of the photo. The only minor drawback to me, is the location of the "On Switch". It is located where it is easily turned off and on by accident. I would heartly recommend this camera for the all-around photographer.

I've read the other reviews and I agree that it takes some work and experience to understand the settings. Someone needs to produce a "Missing Manual" for this camera. Sony is no help with either information on product use or product knowledge. Their customer servivce was clearly trained on a Kodak box camera. But what is most important? Having someone else do your homework or getting great pictures?

I have used manual SLR's; point and shoot digitial and film type; Kodak, Cannon, Minolta, Nikon, and Sony. This ca,era takes the best pictures I have ever taken. My skills have not improved with age, if anything the reverse is true. But shaky hands, poor eyesight, impatience all seem to be taken into consideration with this camera. Having worked as a photographer before the advent of the digital camera, I can tell you this is the best thing that ever happened to photography. And let's face it. Aren't most of you going to download your pictures and use photo software to improve them? You'll get much farther with this wonderful camera.

For the price this is a wonderful value. Buy it, shoot it, and enjoy yourself!

I'm very satisfied with this camera, it took me a lot of time to read the entire manual but I was worth the effort, I'm using it without any problems.

I obtained this camera with great expectations. I have got to say that it takes decent pictures but we are far from that optimal product sought to bridge the simple point&shoots and the DSLR. If all intermediate products were like the H9 I would definitely suggest 1) take a big DSLR and 2) keep a good point&shoot at hand instead.
On a practical point:
PROS
1) Nice DSLR-like feel
2) Interesting manual options
3) Image quality in settings like face-detection is superb
4) If you manage to keep the digital noise down (i.e., below ISO 200)and understand all the different options and crevices to get to them (see CONS) then you can manage to have some incredible shots!
5) The possibility of using infra-red photography is exciting (but then again see CONS)

CONS
1) Overall image quality is not satisfactory, particularly if you aim at having perfect, non blurry, stock-quality images; color fringing is a big bummer!
2) High sensitivity (up to ISO 3200!) with all that noise means little to me
3) The choice of having a 74mm filter size is absurd, and this alone should entitle owners to full reimbursement: How on earth did Sony come up with this one? Very expensive, Sony brand-only filters, with limited choice and, on top of that, a big, giant halo that ends up covering flash light (Q: Was this done on purpose to irritate customers or simply because they are perceived as dumb?)
4) Use of infra-red photography could be fun, but then again you will go nowhere without an appropriate filter (I've got one, but it seems not to be the good one, for a good one expect to spend over $200!!!), and anyway instructions for IR are nowhere to be found (unless they are in the enclosed CD)
5) The learning time to get to know this camera is bound to be too long; probably, by the time you're done a few dozens of newer, better cameras are out there at a lower price than this one.

CONCLUSIONS: Don't waste time and money with this camera, unless you get it for free (i.e., as a gift). Then again you can always get some nice shots. But, overall, what was the point from Sony to generat