jim in TC Loc: Traverse City, Michigan

I have read some posts here about this camera. I have the DSC-WX-350, purchased along with a Sony 'bridge' camera, as the one to put in my pocket. As it happens, the little WX-350 is the one that tends to be along thus making it the 'best' camera I have (meaning, the one I have on hand).

The 350 has some serious limitations, though, around flexibility and control. I think the 99 will alleviate some of those issues but would like to hear from users of the camera. Is the control ring on the lens as useful as the descriptions from Sony imply? Is the little viewfinder practical (the 99 only has the screen, which can be problematic for me in very bright settings, which I run into often out in the boat). I have found some ways to 'trick' the 350 into giving me some aperture or speed control but I expect it of the 99. True?

I would expect similar image quality since I believe they have the same size and model sensor, but my little camera is several years old so I may hope for some modest tech upgrades in the meantime.

a6k Loc: Detroit & Sanibel

I have the HX-50 and would like to have raw available and any viewfinder vs. none. Thus I also would like some feedback on this camera.

I have had the "50" for many years and it is my travel/pocket camera. Sometimes it is the only one that can work even though I have a RX1-m4 and an alpha 6500.

The lens is advertised as 720 mm equivalent, same as my HX-50. But the actual, physical lens specs for the 99 are slightly different so it might be a bit better.

The 99 has the pop up viewfinder, raw, and some other nice features. But I doubt that the image quality is any different than for the HX-50.

melueth Loc: Central Florida

I bought the HX99 this spring but returned it because i just didn't care for the overall image quality. I got a few nice shots out of it, but they were all pretty close up. Zoomed out (which was a feature that definitely drew me to this camera), the images were always blurry and/or grainy. Also, it did very poorly in low light settings. Finally, for me . . . it was just too small. I found it difficult to navigate due to it's tiny size. I ended up with the much larger (and more expensive) Sony RX10M4 and couldn't be happier.

PHRubin Loc: Nashville TN USA

I happen to have a competing camera. It is the Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS80. It seems to be very similar but less expensive. You might consider it. I love mine.
Compare here:
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/compare/Sony_DSC-HX99_vs_Panasonic_DC-ZS80/BHitems/1437917-REG_1460323-REG

a6k Loc: Detroit & Sanibel

I looked at that camera and it does compare quite well.
Longer zoom
Viewfinder is stationary
Image storage is on normal SD, not micro
Has macro capability(?)
But it's a bit larger and heavier than the 99. See specs on B&H or anywhere.

I downloaded raw test files from ImagingResource, viewed them side by side at 1:1 on my 27" monitor using 3008x1692 resolution. To my eye, the Panny has slightly better results. I did not compare JPG because that is not what I would want to use.

I did not provide the originals because they are the property of IR. This way I think I am within "fair use" standards. The Sony image is on the right. I showed two portions of the image using my entire screen in each one. I've included the EXIF from each but not all fields are present in both. That's a difference in the cameras.

It might be worthwhile to compare the camera at full zoom. This pair was chosen for the ISO values alone.

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jim in TC Loc: Traverse City, Michigan

I looked at the Panasonic too...and it does compare well. According to a question/reply at B&H the Sony does have a closeup setting (I expect very much like my WX-350). The Pan has a perhaps updated but in any event 20 MP sensor compared to 18.2 for Sony. Also I read in one review, not a confirmed spec, that the Panasonic has a far faster max shutter speed, which could offer some flexibility in very bright conditions.

Between these I still lean Sony, in part because I already have the extra battery, am comfortable with the Sony handling/layout from my current cameras, finding image quality on my similar (sensor) WX-350 satisfactory and like the noticeably smaller size. And I know my local camera shop sells Sony (maybe Pan, too, but not certain at this point). BUT, they don't have one of these in stock and available to mess with, as of a few weeks back when last checked.