Sony's 2010 GPS travel zoom — 10.2MP BSI-CMOS, 10x 25-250mm, 1080i AVCHD, SD and Memory Stick
Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V arrived in January 2010 as one of the first pocket travel-zoom compacts built around a backside-illuminated Exmor R CMOS sensor. Listed by dpreview simply as the DSC-HX5, with the V denoting the GPS-equipped version, it competed directly with Panasonic's TZ series for holiday photographers.
The 10.2-megapixel 1/2.4-inch BSI-CMOS sensor paired with a 10x optical zoom covering 25-250mm equivalent at f/3.5-5.5, with Optical SteadyShot stabilisation. It recorded AVCHD 1080i video, shot 10 frames per second in burst mode, and logged location via built-in GPS and compass. A 3.0-inch 230,000-dot LCD, NP-BG1 battery rated around 310 shots, and support for both Memory Stick Duo and SD/SDHC cards completed the package.
It suits travellers wanting one pocketable camera for stills and respectable HD video, and the 25mm wide end is genuinely useful for landscapes and interiors. Low-light output beats CCD rivals of the era, though fine detail smears at higher sensitivities.
Used examples should be checked for smooth zoom and lens-cover operation, GPS lock outdoors, and battery health — NP-BG1 packs are ageing but replacements remain common. SD card support means no proprietary media worries; confirm video records cleanly without sensor artefacts.