Sony DSC-H50

Sony has announced a successor to its DSC-H9 ’super zoom’ digital camera in the form of the 9.0 megapixel Cyber-Shot DSC-H50. As well as the inevitable rise in pixel count the H50 has several improvements over its predecessor, including an ED lens element, user-selectable noise reduction (thank you Sony), white balance and color mode bracketing, and an upgraded DRO (Dynamic Range Optimizer) function. It also has an improved sports mode and, last but by no means least, Sony’s unique ’smile shutter’ and adult- or child-priority face detection.