Pocket-friendly Sony HX90V courts enthusiasts with 30x zoom lens, popup viewfinder

 

 

Want an enthusiast-friendly compact camera that will fit in your pocket, and don't want to compromise on zoom reach to get it? If so, Sony is happy to oblige with the just-launched, 18-megapixel Sony HX90V, which it says is the world's smallest camera with a viewfinder and 30x or greater zoom lens. And boy, is that viewfinder ever interesting -- it's a dust-sealed, popup electronic viewfinder that's a refinement of the design featured previously in the RX100 III enthusiast compact, and according to Sony, it's now 50% smaller than before.

Under the skin, the Sony HX90V shares a lot with the simultaneously-announced WX500, a more affordable model that has the same sensor, 30x stabilized zoom lens, selfie-friendly three-inch display and wireless connectivity. The WX500 lacks this model's viewfinder, though, and also forgoes its built-in GPS receiver, which allows images to be geotagged with their capture location as they're shot.

 

 

Available from June 2015 in a black body color only, the Sony HX90V is priced at US$430 or thereabouts. Want to know more about this pocket-friendly little beauty? Read our in-depth Sony HX90V preview!