Upgrading the H5 for 2007 is the Sony Cyber-Shot DSC H7. One of the major updates on this model is the image sensor, which increases resolution from 7 to 8-megapixels. Other new features include an even more powerful Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 15x image stabilized optical zoom lens. This camera is full of features, such as a 2.5 inch LCD screen, easy to use controls and an incredible exposure system. Providing everything that an advanced photographer can ask for, with a full selection of manual controls, to the pre-programmed scene modes (Portrait, Landscape, High Shutter Speed, etc.) and the full automatic mode for the beginning users, this camera will be enjoyed by all.

As with the previous models, the large zoom lens is the main selling point for this camera. The 12x lens found on the H5 has been replaced with a 15x Carl Zeiss image stabilized zoom. Boasting an outstanding 31-465mm (35mm equivalent) wide angle to zoom range, a whole new photography experience opens up compared to compact digicams with a 3x to 5x optical zoom. This lens will put you right in the middle of the action, enabling you to capture images you never thought possible. To allow such a large zoom to work, Sony has included an Optical Image Stabilization system to help steady the camera. This along with ISO settings of 800, 1600 and 3200, allow you take photographs at great distances with less than perfect light without a flash. It also allows you to set higher shutter speeds that will stop the images from blurring as a result of camera shake or fast motion photography.

There are two different choices of viewfinders available on the H7. You can compose and view your photos on the 2.5 inch LCD screen or on the high resolution EVF (electronic viewfinder). They are both equal in functionality, allowing the use of all menus and settings. The LCD is bright enough to use outside, but there are still instances where it will reflect the sun, this is when the EVF comes into play. Both displays gain up in low light situations and are both very smooth and do not stop or stutter when following a subject. I found the LCD screen to be more comfortable for most shooting situations, but preferred the EVF for sports because of the similarity to a dSLR.

Approaching dSLR numbers when shooting in single image capture mode, the H7 is a very responsive and capable digicam. Measuring a mere 2.6 seconds from the time you turn the camera on until the first image can be captured, it is almost always ready to go. The shutter lag when prefocused and including the pre focus were 1/10 of a second and 5/10 of a second respectively. The latter can be a bit slower if using the zoom. I was able to capture an image once every 1.5 seconds when shooting without the flash and once every 2.7 seconds with the flash. The flash time may vary, depending on subject distance, etc. The flash itself is very powerful, having a range of 32 feet at ISO Auto, which has its good and bad points. While it did very well in this test, it also took a long time to recharge, which could cause someone to miss a lot of photo opportunities while waiting.

If single shot mode is not enough for you, the H7 also offers a burst shooting mode. There is no flash usage in burst mode, but the performance was pretty good. I captured 11 images in 5 seconds and spread evenly every 1/2 second. These numbers held up for roughly 15 seconds before the camera started to slow down. Even though it slowed to around 1 second per image, it never stopped capturing images. All tests where done using automatic settings and a Sony Memory Stick PRO Dual 1GB card shooting at 8megapixel fine resolution (results may vary).

The autofocus system has also been updated with this new model. Now featuring a 9-area, (over the H5's, 3- area) multi point system that also includes a single point mode that can be moved anywhere within the image area. This allows for consistently sharp images to be captured, even singling out subjects is fairly easy. Another addition is face detection, that is available in "AUTO" mode, which helps focus on your subject's faces, which matter most in your photos.

The outdoor results from the H7 were very pleasing. The colors in the images captured were very bright and vivid. The exposure was controlled nicely, allowing the H7 to capture beautiful images. There is very little noise, only noticeable in dark or shadowed areas. Well lit and bright areas, such as a light blue sky showed absolutely no noise. At the wide angle end of the lens there is a little barrel distortion, but no pin cushioning on the zoom end. The 15x optical zoom works well outside and is great for shooting sporting events. Using shutter priority mode with a shutter speed of 1/4000 of a second, combined with the image stabilization, you should have no problem capturing clear, blur-free images.

The indoor results were also pleasing. With the addition of lens, comes the 31mm wide angle replacing the 36mm of the H5. This will allow you capture more of a room or shoot a larger group shot at a closer distance than before. The flash is powerful enough to cover a large room, and is controlled very well by the camera. If you are not happy with the level of the flash, it can also be adjusted manually in increments of 1/3 with a range of -2 to +2. Also shooting at ISO Auto, gives the flash a range of up to 32 feet, and surprisingly the amount of noise in images where the camera chose a higher ISO was a lot less than expected. When using the auto white balance indoors, I noticed that the camera had difficulty keeping the white balance the same at different levels of the zoom (shown in the samples).

The quality of the video captured by the H7 is very good. At 640 Fine (30fps) mode a movie will consume around 1.3 megabytes of space per second, so a large memory card is recommended. The camera also shoots at 640 normal, which has a slower frame rate (15), and at 340 which is half the resolution but takes up a lot less room on your card. A very nice feature on this camera is that the whole 15x zoom with image stabilization is available to use during recording. This is not the case with most digicams. This will give a slight hum or buzz in the audio of your videos while the zoom is moving. Another thing that you need to remember about using the zoom is that the mic, which is built into the camera will only be able to pick up the noise closest to the camera

The H7 is powered by a NP-BG1 rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack with a 960 mAh capacity. This is an upgrade from the previous models that used two AA batteries. Also included is the BC-CSG battery charger. Sony claims this model has the ability to capture up to 300 images using the LCD or 320 using the EVF on one charge (depending on camera settings). I was able to capture all of the images I needed for my tests along with videos on one charge.

Bottom Line - Once again, Sony has a very capable entry into the mega-zoom digicam market with the DSC-H7. Offering an 8 megapixel imaging sensor, a 15x image stabilized optical zoom and a slew of manual and automatic features, the H7 is a very versatile package that delivers excellent image quality. This is a great choice for someone trying to decide between a smaller digicam or a dSLR. With the ability of this camera to use the 15x optical zoom with image stabilization, and optional smart zoom (not available on a dSLR), this camera is thousands of dollars cheaper than the equivalent options on a dSLR and image stabilized lenses. With an MSRP of $399US, this is a very capable camera that offers the ease of use for a beginner to full manual control, this is an excellent choice for the features included.