Sony Cyber-shot DSC HX400V

The Sony Cyber-shot DSC HX400V is a bridge camera released in 2014, measuring 130 x 93 x 103 mm and weighing 660 grams. Its lens is built in, so it arrives as one ready-to-use package with nothing to attach or swap.

Its 20 megapixels come from a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor. As a fixed-lens bridge camera, it suits travel and family shooting where one package beats a bag of lenses.

Also on board are a high-resolution electronic viewfinder, a screen that flips for awkward angles, and both GPS and WiFi.

Resolution comes from a 20-megapixel CMOS sensor in the small 1/2.3-inch format, with a Bionz X processor handling the image files. The recorded sensitivity range runs from ISO 80 up to ISO 3200.

For movement, the maximum burst rate is 10 frames per second. That figure is the fastest the camera can manage rather than a promise it sustains through a long sequence, but it is enough to cover a brief moment such as a bird leaving a branch.

Autofocus uses nine points. In-body stabilisation reduces camera shake, which helps when shooting handheld at slower shutter speeds. A maximum shutter speed of 1/4000 second gives room to freeze motion or work in strong light. Framing goes through a 2,359,296-dot electronic viewfinder or the rear screen in live view, so both eye-level and held-at-a-distance shooting are available.

Video recording tops out at Full HD, with no 4K option, which suits casual clips, family movies and online sharing. The fastest frame rate on offer is 60fps, which helps motion look natural on moving subjects. These are separate maximums; a combined Full HD 60fps recording mode is not specified.

Recording uses either MPEG-4 or AVCHD file formats, so you can choose the option that fits how you plan to store and edit your clips.

There is no built-in timelapse function, so interval work would need external triggering or repeated manual shots. For ordinary filming, the flip screen and live view make waist-level and overhead framing straightforward without extra gear.

The 3-inch LCD has 921,600 dots and accepts touch input, so you can change settings by tapping the screen. It also flips, letting you shoot from waist level or overhead without kneeling or guessing at the composition.

Both flash options are present: a built-in unit handles indoor snapshots, and the camera also accepts an external flash when you need more power or light from a different position.

WiFi is built in for wireless connection, though there is no Bluetooth. GPS is also on board, tagging photos with location data as you shoot, which travellers will find useful.

One caution: the body is not weather sealed, so it needs care around dust, sand and rain rather than being a camera you can use without a thought in poor conditions.

Storage goes to a single card slot that accepts SD, SDHC and SDXC cards as well as Sony Memory Stick Duo variants. With only one slot, capacity planning falls to you, so a large SDXC card is the practical choice for a long outing.

Power comes from an NP-BX1 battery with a listed 300 shots. Treat that number as a specification figure rather than a promise of a full day; real-world endurance varies with use, so a spare battery makes sense for extended shoots.

The battery charges over USB, so you can top it up between shoots using a USB charger. Owners who travel light may still prefer a second NP-BX1 to avoid waiting for a recharge.