ISO comparison

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX30V produces excellent photos for a compact megazoom both indoors and out, though pixel peepers probably won't agree.

If you're considering buying this instead of a high-resolution digital SLR, you'd be disappointed. There's plenty of usable resolution, though, particularly if you're shooting with plenty of light. Below ISO 400, shots look good printed up to 10x13, which is more than most people need. Getting a very good 8x10 with some enlarging and cropping is certainly possible, too. And if you never print your shots, the HX30V's photos look great on a computer screen or HDTV.

As the camera goes above ISO 400, subjects do get noticeably softer, but shots are usable at small sizes up to ISO 1600. If you want better low-light shots of still subjects, Sony's Handheld Twilight mode still produces some of the best high-ISO photos I've seen from a point-and-shoot. However, I wouldn't bother using the two highest ISOs, as they look more like artist's renderings than photos and have off colors.