The Cyber-shot DSC-H2 is the latest ‘bridge’ camera – so called because it plugs the gap between a compact camera and a more professional SLR – and upgrades last year’s H1, adding another million pixels to take the total resolution to six.

Outwardly not much has changed, save for a slightly smaller 2in screen, backed up by a higher quality electronic viewfinder at eye level.

The build is a budget conscious mix of plastic in the main, with some metal details. Nevertheless, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H2 feels solid when gripped, thanks in part to the weight of the two rechargeable AA’s that power it. A mains charger is provided.

The chief selling point is its whopping 12x optical zoom. As any good photographer knows, shooting handheld at the extreme telephoto end of such a long lens is liable to introduce camera shake, which results in blurred shots.

So Sony has introduced its own compensatory anti-shake system called Super SteadyShot, with a dedicated ‘wobbly hand’ button for quick access. Users have the choice of either continuous or by-the-shot activation, and it’s also usable when shooting MPEG movies.

Whereas other 12x zooms including Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-FZ7 allow photos to be saved as uncompressed, better quality TIFF files, this Sony, like its Canon S3 IS rival, sticks with more common, compressed JPEGs.

But, as the DSC-H2 is aimed at beginners as well as enthusiasts – and is easy to use despite its comprehensive array of controls – this shouldn’t prove problematic. At least you can store nine top quality JPEGs on the supplied 30Mb internal memory to kick things off. The camera also takes removable Memory Stick Duo and Duo Pro cards, so budget for additional storage.

When it comes to reviewing the H2’s images, there is some evidence of fringing – visible as a line of different coloured pixels – between areas of high contrast, though this is only noticeable under close inspection. A very reasonable level of detail is captured thanks to a quality Carl Zeiss lens.

As we commonly find with Sony cameras, colours are vividly rendered, so no complaints there. Despite the odd blurry shot, the Super SteadyShot function allows a greater number of sharply-focused photos than would be achievable without, either when used in close up mode or at maximum zoom.

Though the inclusion of ISO1000 allows low-light photography without flash, some image noise – grain-like speckles – is visible at ISO400 and higher, although such defects are less noticeable than immediate competitors.

In all, this camera will satisfy enthusiasts who don’t want to stretch to an SLR, and beginners who want room for their photography to grow as their understanding does. The price also can’t be faulted.

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Canon EOS 350D 
Verdict: It costs a lot but this digital SLR will appeal to keen photographers and is well worth the money
Verdict: 4/5
Price: £799