A specialist, currently (mid-2014) probably the best in its genre.

The cameras is like cheese, there's something for all tastes, all shapes and all colors, from goat cheese to pie Brie.
Personally, the photo is a hobby and I have made in all conditions on all continents except under the sea since about 1965, with countless cameras and currently has a dozen new models from Nikon, Canon, Lumix , Fuji, Olympus, Pentax and Sony of course, because "in terms of performance and price, it's hard to ignore since they took over Sony Minolta and are poite innovation.
So I recently traded in my HX100 against the HX400 in addition to the very compact MIII RX100, RX10 of versatile and high performance Alpha 6000 with interchangeable lenses.

As soon as one wants to get good shots of distant motives, costs are increasing in an exponential way. For even reasonable price of several hundred Euro, one can acquire a 200 or 300mm f / 5.6, beyond, it reaches galactic magnitudes. It is for this reason that I have in my camera equipment a "Bridge" copy with a long focal distance of 1000mm. Sony HX performance in this area are entirely satisfactory.
Second-HX100 with my old, I got it a few years ago, almost comparable results to my Zeiss 85x Camcorder to 3,500 Euro (I just sell it last month).
Indeed, if I compare the pictures of the HX400 with extensions I get my Nikon and Fujinon XF goals that cost several times the price, I can honestly say that the pictures of the HX400 offer more detail and precision.,

Of course, there are limits: If I wanted to shoot ornithologist and wild ducks in the Somme, I would rather a Pentax PF-100ED with a 100mm objective diamêtre that collects 10 times more photons but weighs 3 to 4 kg.
But with the HX400 can without tripod and as the sky is not too covered up to about 800mm blur-free, which is amazing, and that, thanks to good integrated stabilization.

Beyond that, things get very difficult:
First, because the optical quickly loses clarity, that one can not blame him taking account of the price.
Secondly, because the sharpness disappears and the images become increasingly blurred (and dark) as one approaches the max.
And finally because it is difficult or impossible to make a focus.

The quality of the viewfinder is - it must be said - miserable. The AF hardly works in a very long focal length and must be a
manual focus.
The magnification to check focus, not absolutely useless, if not to complicate things: flickers, bounces, gets confused, stabilization is totally ineffective long lens.

This can be achieved with patience, or a tripod or making a lot of shots hoping to have one or two passable in the heap.

But, I repeat, this includes the maximum area of ​​the focal length. If one does not venture into the far field, everything going very well and the HX400 is a very useful and inexpensive tool.

For the rest, I think it is not useful to insist, but I still recalls the limitations that the HX400 make her a complementary and not universal camera:
- No RAW storage
- Small sensor with limited possibilities and rapid increase in the gloom beyond ISO 800
- Viewfinder rather shabby, no touch screen
- Very versatile lens but still far less efficient than the RX100 and RX Zeiss 10
- Volume and weight rather bulky compared to a compact or as the RX100 Lumix GX7
- Leaks (so pay attention to the weather and tropical climates).

.For The normal amateur, the HX400 is a good all that is doing a lot in all areas and makes extraordinary things for distant grounds like
- Photografiés surfers from the beach
- Wild animals, birds, insects
- Ships and aircraft off etc.
and rigor some sporting situations.

Now for the amateurs who specialize in night scenes, shooting in bars, restaurants, architecture, portraits, mountain hiking etc, this is not ideal.
For these reasons, my HX400 is a complement to my RX and Alpha, but I still consider to be essential.

That said, I've read some reviews about the menus of the HX400.
I know the menu Nikon, Canon, Fuji, Olympus, Lumix, Pentax etc. since I have several very current camera these brands. Frankly, Sony recently harmonized all software of all its cameras, including the HX400 and it is very well structured and very understandable.
Sony and Lumix have very sophisticated automation that allow even the most ignorant reluctant to make good pictures in almost any conditions. The possibilities included in the HX400 are comparable to high game cameras as my Alpha 6000.
In addition, for experienced enthusiasts, there ay 2 places memories for very advanced individual configurations immediatly accessible by the main dial. I do not see what you can ask for!

Before I went for the HX400, I studied several weeks detail magazines in English, German and French wholes equivalent products and competitors. I think it n 'there is no doubt: The HX400 is far from perfect, but it is made any money in front of the pack in terms of performance and equipment.
Now this of course depends on the importance of criteria: If for you, a good viewfinder or RAW data are paramount, then it should direct you on competing models such as Fuji, Olympus etc.