Like other full-size megazoom cameras, the HX100V offers a more well-rounded feature set than smaller point-and-shoots do. Photographers who prefer manual exposure modes can shoot in aperture-priority, shutter-speed-priority, or full manual mode. Alternatively, a Program Auto mode does most of the thinking but allows users to set parameters such as ISO, metering, contrast, saturation, and sharpness. An MR (memory recall) option on the mode dial is essentially a custom mode, enabling you to select and access three customized combinations of settings.

Alas, there's no RAW shooting mode. Fine-tuning adjustments, such as contrast, sharpness, saturation, skin softness, and noise reduction are accessible via the menu system. But you can adjust each of these attributes to one of only three levels: low, standard, and high. In this respect, the HX100V falls short of the Coolpix P500--but minimal control is better than none at all.

No-brainer options include intelligent auto, superior auto (a sort of auto-meets-bracketing mode, which takes multiple shots and combines them for the best image), and 16 scene modes. The "smile shutter" option automatically snaps a photo when your subject smiles, and you can adjust smile-detection sensitivity settings (big, normal, slight smile). It works in practice, though you can't always depend on the smile-triggered shutter to fire fast enough to capture a grin.

One surprising feature of the Sony Cyber-shot HX100V is its continuous-shooting speed. At full resolution, the camera snaps away at up to 10 frames per second for about 10 shots. It takes several seconds to save the data to the card (which is why I recommend getting a fast card), and focus and exposure are set at the first frame. Still, the HX100V's burst mode is very impressive.