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Recording Features
Playback Features
Battery Information
Connections
Software

Recording Features

Tiltable 3" LCD Screen: The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX300 digital camera has a 3.0" Xtra Fine LCD screen with 921,600 dots. The LCD brightness control can be set between 1 (dark) and 5 (bright). The LCD panel can be tilted to make it easy to frame shots from above or below.

Recording Media: The camera is compatible with the following recording media: Memory Stick Duo (still images only), Memory Stick XC-HG Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo (Mark 2 only for movie recording), Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo, SD, SDHC, and SDXC memory cards (Class 4 or faster). The camera also has an internal memory of approximately 48 MB.

Image Recording Formats: The camera records still images in JPEG, while 3D still images are saved in MPO. Moving images can be recorded in AVCHD format (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264) with Dolby Digital 2ch audio or MPEG-4 with AAC stereo audio.

Image Sensor: For optimal image quality, the camera uses a 1/2.3" color Exmor R CMOS image sensor with approximately 21.1-million total pixels and 20.4-million effective pixels.

50x Optical Zoom Lens: The camera is equipped with a bright Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* (T-star) 50x zoom lens. Focal lengths are as follows: Still Images: 24-1200mm (4:3) and 26-1300mm (16:9); 4:3 Movies: 32.5-1625mm (SteadyShot Standard), 34.5-2300mm (SteadyShot Active; 16:9 Movies: 26.5-1325mm (SteadyShot Standard), 28-1850mm (SteadyShot Active). The aperture range is F2.8-8.0 (W) and F6.3-8.0 (T).

Clear Image/Digital Zoom: In addition to the 50x optical zoom, you can reach higher zoom scales by engaging the Clear Image Zoom or the Digital Zoom, or both. The amount of zoom depends upon the image size as follows:

Manual Ring Control: The camera features a two-way switch that controls the manual ring around the lens. In the AF/Zoom position, the camera is set to Auto Focus, and turning the manual ring controls the zoom: rotate left=zoom out; rotate right=zoom in. When switched to the MF position, the manual ring controls the manual focusing.

Optical SteadyShot with Active Mode: Optical SteadyShot with Active Mode can provide blur-free movies, even while walking. Camera-shake compensation using Optical SteadyShot/Active Mode has been improved with the addition of new electronic image stabilization. This makes it easier to obtain sharp movies, even when zooming in unsteady situations.

Still Image Sizes: When recording digital still images, the DSC-HX300 allows you to choose from the following image sizes and aspect ratios:

• 20M: 5184 x 3888
• 10M: 3648 x 2736
• 5M: 2592 x 1944
• VGA: 640 x 480
• 16:9 15M: 5184 x 2920
• 16:9 2M: 1920 x 1080

Note: 3D images can be taken in 4:3 20M (5184 x 3888) and 16:9 15M (5184 x 2920), and saved in MPO format. 3D images can only be viewed on 3D-capable HDTVs.

Sweep Panorama: You can record multiple images while moving the camera in an arc, either horizontally or vertically. You can choose the direction to pan the camera while taking the images. These images can be compiled into a single panoramic image, and played back on a 3D TV. The available image sizes include:

• Standard:
  • Horizontal: 4912 x 1080
  • Vertical: 3424 x 1920
• Wide:
  • Horizontal: 7152 x 1080
  • Vertical: 4912 x 1920
• 360°: 11520 x 1080 (Horizontal)
• High Resolution: 10480 x 4096 (Horizontal)

Recording Movies: Besides recording still images, you can also record movies in AVCHD or MPEG-4 formats. Available image sizes and movie quality include:

Dual Recording: When recording a movie, you can also take a still image at the same time. When the movie recording is set to other than VGA 3M, the large images are 15M, while the small images are 3M. At VGA 3M, you can record a 11M Large image or a 2M Small image. Dual Recording is not available when recording 60p 28M (PS) movies.

Drive Modes: In addition to single frame shooting, the HX300 offers several types of drive modes:

• Continuous Shooting: The camera shoots continuous images while you press and hold down the shutter release. Up to 10 continuous full resolution frames can be recorded in a single burst at approximately 10 frames per second.
• Self-Timer: You can set the Self-Timer mode to a 10-second or 2-second delay so you can be in the picture.
• Self-Portrait: A Self-Portrait Timer mode will capture the image 2 seconds after the face of one or two persons is detected.
• Self-Timer Continuous: The Self-Timer Continuous shooting mode takes up to 10 continuous frames after a 10 second delay.
• Bracket: The Bracket mode lets you shoot a series of 3 images, each with a different exposure setting--one at normal exposure, one under exposed, and one over exposed. You can select from three different step values: 0.3 EV, 0.7 EV, or 1.0 EV.
• Bracket WB: The Bracket WB mode shoots three images, one with the current color tone, one with the white balance shifted toward blue, and another toward red.

Auto Focus Areas: You can select from the following auto focusing areas:

• Multi AF: The camera focuses in all ranges of the finder frame automatically. When you press the shutter button halfway, a green frame is displayed around the area that is in focus.
• Center AF: The camera focuses on a subject in the center of the frame. By pressing the shutter release halfway, you can lock the focus on your subject and recompose your shot with the subject off center.
• Flexible Spot AF: The camera focuses on a very small area that can be moved around the frame to the desired point on the screen.

Tracking Focus: If you are trying to photograph a moving subject, you can use the tracking focus feature to keep the subject in focus as it moves around the frame. If Face Detection and tracking focus are used at the same time, the camera will track a selected face if it is registered with the camera.

AF Illuminator: The AF (auto focus) Illuminator briefly provides fill light to focus more easily on a subject in dark surroundings. You can set the AF Illuminator to Auto or Off.

Face Detection: Face Detection technology detects up to eight individual faces and controls flash, focus, exposure, and white balance to deliver accurate, natural skin tones with reduced red-eye. It can also give priority to children or adults. You can also select and register an individual's face to be given priority.

Smile Shutter Mode: The Smile Shutter technology automatically detects and captures a smiling face. Simply activate by pressing the Smile Shutter button and the camera will capture a smile the moment it happens. You can adjust the degree of Smile Detection Sensitivity as desired.

Scene Recognition: Scene Recognition mode automatically detects eight different types of scenes and selects the appropriate camera settings: Portrait, Infant, Night Portrait, Night Scene, Backlight Portrait, Backlight, Landscape, Spotlight, Low Brightness, and Macro. You can select from Auto or Advanced Scene Recognition modes.

Shooting Modes: Using the top-mounted Mode Dial, you can select from the following shooting modes:

• Intelligent Auto Mode (iAuto): Allows you to shoot still images with the settings adjusted automatically.
• Superior Auto Mode (iAuto+): Allows you to shoot still images with higher quality than with Intelligent Auto mode.
• Program Auto: Allows you to shoot with the exposure adjusted automatically (both the shutter speed and aperture value). You can also select various settings using the menu.
• Aperture Priority: You can shoot still images after adjusting the aperture setting manually. The camera will determine the shutter speed.
• Shutter Priority: You can shoot still images after adjusting the shutter speed manually. The camera will determine the aperture setting.
• Manual Exposure: You can set the exposure manually. The shutter speed can be set between 1/4000 and 30 seconds. The aperture (F value) can be set between F2.8 and F8.0 (Wide Angle) or between F6.3 and F8.0 (Telephoto).
• Memory Recall: You can set and store often-used modes and numeric settings for recall at a later time.
• Sweep Shooting: Multiple images are shot while the camera is moving, and these images are compiled into a single panoramic image.
• Movie Mode: Allows you to record Full HD AVCHD or MPEG-4 movies with stereo audio.
• 3D Still Image: For shooting images that can be played back stereoscopically on a 3D TV.
• Scene Selection Modes: You can choose from the following Scene Selection modes: Soft Skin, Background Defocus, Soft Snap, Anti-Motion Blur, Landscape, Backlight Correction HDR, Night Portrait, Night Scene, Hand-held Twilight, High Sensitivity, Gourmet, Pet, Beach, Snow, Fireworks, and Advanced Sports Shooting.

Exposure Compensation: Besides auto exposure, you can adjust the exposure from +2.0EV to -2.0EV in 1/3 stop increments.

Built-In Flash: The camera's built-in flash features a range of 1' 7-3/4" to 27' 10-3/4" with the zoom set to wide and 7' 10-1/2" to 11' 5-7/8" with the zoom set to telephoto. The flash settings include:

• Advanced Flash: the flash automatically operates in dark locations or when the subject is backlit. The ISO sensitivity is increased in a dark place to shoot a farther distance brighter.
• Auto: the flash automatically strobes when the surroundings are dark or when there is backlight
• Flash On: the flash strobes with every shot
• Slow Sync: the flash is used regardless of the amount of ambient light, but the shutter speed is slower under dark conditions, allowing you to clearly shoot a background that is out of the flash-lit area
• Rear Sync: the flash operates before exposure is completed every time your trigger the shutter
• Off: the flash does not operate

Red-eye Reduction: The flash pre-strobes before shooting to reduce the red-eye phenomenon. You can set to Auto (when Face Detection is activated), On, or Off.

Metering Modes: You can select Spot, Center-weighted, or Multi-pattern Metering. Spot metering lets you adjust the exposure to the subject, even when the subject is a backlit or when there is strong contrast between the subject and the background. Center-weighted metering measures the center of the image and determines the exposure based on the brightness of the subject. When multi-pattern metering is used, the image is divided into multiple regions and metering is performed in each region. The camera judges the subject position and background brightness, and determines a well-balanced exposure.

White Balance: When the white balance is set to auto, the white balance is set automatically in response to the condition of the subject, and the overall color balance is adjusted. When shooting under special lighting conditions, you can select the settings manually. When using flash, you can select the flash white balance mode. The white balance can also be set to Daylight, Cloudy, Incandescent, Fluorescent 1 (white fluorescent), Fluorescent 2 (natural white fluorescent), Fluorescent 3 (daylight), One Push (adjust white balance depending on the light source) or One Push Set (memorizes the basic white color which will be used).

Histogram: A histogram is a graph showing the brightness of an image. The graph display indicates a bright image when skewed to the right side, and a dark image when skewed to the left side.

Playback Features

Folder View Modes: The Sony DSC-HX300's View Mode allows you to select your recorded images and movies by sorting them into different views: Date View, Folder View (Stills), Folder View (MP4), and AVCHD View. The internal memory only offers Folder View.

Index View: In addition to viewing images one-by-one in full screen, you can view multiple images at once in the index view mode. The index feature lets you to display a total of 16 (4 x 4) or 25 (5 x 5) images at once. You can also view images in the Calendar View which displays a thumbnail image on the shooting date.

Slide Show: The Slide Show function lets you play back images one after the other. You can select from the following slide show effects (Simple, Nostalgic, Stylish, or Active). The interval between the pictures can be adjusted, allowing you to choose 1, 3, 5, and 10 seconds. When repeat is selected, the images are replayed in a continuous loop.

Playback Zoom: You can enlarge a recorded still image up to 8x the size of the original image. Once the image is zoomed, you can pan left to right and up or down through the image.

Rotating Images: Recorded images can be rotated 360-degrees in 90-degree increments on the camera's LCD screen.

Picture Effect: You can add effects to images to make them look like a watercolor or illustration. The original image as well as the retouched image can be saved.

Deleting/Protecting Images: You can delete a selected image, or you can delete all the unprotected images at once. In order to avoid accidentally deleting of an image, it can be protected.

Print Mark: You can place a print mark on still images recorded with this camera. This mark is convenient when you have images printed at a shop that conforms to the DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) standard.

Battery Information

Battery Information: The DSC-HX300 is powered by the supplied NP-BX1 Lithium-ion rechargeable battery. Using the supplied AC-UD10D AC adapter, the battery can be fully charged in the camera in approximately 230 minutes. Under normal operating conditions, the battery has the following capacity:

Connections

HDMI: The HX300 has a micro-HDMI (Type D) output on the bottom of the camera for connecting the camera to an HDTV. A micro-HDMI-to-HDMI cable is required to make the connection. If you are connecting to a Sony Bravia TV with Bravia Sync, you can control the camera using the TV's remote control. A 3D-capable TV is required for viewing 3D Panorama Sweep images.

Multi/Micro USB : The camera features a micro USB jack for connecting the supplied USB cable to your computer for downloading your photos, or charging the battery in the camera. The interface is USB 2.0 High Speed compatible. The same connector can be used to connect the camera to a TV via an optional AV cable.

Software

PlayMemories Home: The DSC-HX300 can be used with PlayMemories Home software, which needs to be installed on your computer. With the PlayMemories Home software you can:

• Import and display images recorded on the camera.
• View images in your computer by organizing them by shooting date on a calendar.
• Correct still images (red-eye correction, etc.) print, send images by email, and change shooting date/time.
• Save and print images with the shooting date inserted.
• Create a disc from AVCHD movies imported to a computer.
• Upload images to a network service (internet connection required)

Note: The "PlayMemories Home" software is downloadable from the Sony Imaging website (The URL is printed in the Instruction Manual). It is compatible with Windows 8, Windows 7 (SP1), Windows Vista (SP2), and Windows XP (SP3-except 64-bit versions) operating systems only. If you wish to play back images on a Mac, you can use applications that are pre-installed on your Mac.