Good digital camera with optical zoom?

[soulcougher73]

What are some good cameras with good optical zoom built in for under $500? One where you dont need additional lenses etc. My wife wants to take better pictures than what our little point and shoot can do, but not looking to get to crazy with it with the DSLRs etc. More of a hobby than professional type stuff.

Something like this is what i had in mind. It was the first one i grabbed on Amazon. Im sure every brand has their own version of this type camera.

(for reference)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...pf_rd_i=507846

 

[corkyg]

I personally prefer the Canon version - the SX30is.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...30is&x=18&y=17

 

[CuriousMike]

Also consider the Panasonic
http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMC-...4731285&sr=1-1

See if dp has a recent superzoom test, like
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/q110superzoomgroup/

 

[Munky]

Keep in mind that all these superzoom cameras are essentially a point and shoot with a huge lens attached. None will come even close to DSLR image quality. If you'd rather get a little better image quality in exchange for less zoom, consider something like a Canon S95, Canon G12, Nikon P7100, or Olympus XZ-1. These cameras have a somewhat bigger image sensor than the typical point and shoot, which translates to better image capabilities.

 

[Throckmorton]

Sony HX100 because it has a "backlit" CMOS sensor, 30x zoom, and can do 10fps shooting! It also has a ring up front that can control either focus or zoom.

http://www.techradar.com/reviews/ca...-hybrids/sony-cyber-shot-hx100v-993879/review

 

[Throckmorton]

I just discovered the HX100 also has a GPS and compass... so it can record where and what direction each picture was taken at!

 

[soulcougher73]

To possibly throw another monkey wrench into all this. How do the more compact superzoom types compare to the ones above? Something like this below:

http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMC-...4881221&sr=8-1

It only has about half the zoom but its definatly more pocket friendly to carry around than the others. Plus a bit cheaper.

 

[corkyg]

I guess that really depends on what kind of pictures you mainly take, and how you go about doing it. I've never put a camera in my pockets and probably never will. LOL

 

[Rio Rebel]

I have the Canon S5 IS, and it's a wonderful camera. The SX30IS he mentions above is the latest of this line, and would be a nice upgrade from mine.

I have been looking to possibly replace my S5 with something smaller. I am not a serious photographer, and I frequently find myself wishing I had a camera but not wanting to lug around my S5 (which means I was wise not to get an SLR - even more hardware to lug around, despite the better results and flexibility.)

Here are some tips that may be helpful for someone interested in a really nice camera but not looking for a new obsession:

1. Standard batteries. After owning several of each type, getting a camera with a proprietary lithium-ion rechargeable battery is a deal killer. I use a set of AA rechargeables (Eneloop is the best around), with one set of backups. If I forget and end up without batteries, I can buy 4 AA's in a hurry and I'm back in business. Even with a smaller camera, I personally won't get it if it doesn't use standard batteries (AA, AAA, etc.)

2. Higher megapixels is NOT the way to compare cameras now. When digicams started out, and you were choosing between 1, 2, 3 megapixels, it was a huge issue. The difference between 8 and 12 megapixels for the casual photographer is completely irrelevant, and much less important than CCD sensor/camera quality.

3. I love a good OPTICAL zoom (ignore digital zoom, you shouldn't even use it). My S5 was one of the first digital cameras that would let you zoom in movie mode as well as still shots. This is a more common feature today, but one I wouldn't do without.

4. This is less of an issue today, but I avoid cameras that use obscure memory cards. When your camera uses a good old SD card, you have the best selection and price for higher storage. Memory sticks (Sony) add much more to the total cost of ownership because you're spending much more on the memory cards.

After owning Canon, Sony, HP, Casio, Panasonic, Kodak, I'm pretty firm on Canon as my favorite. The best two cameras (picture quality) I've owned for their generation were Canon and Sony, but Sony forced me to get both the proprietary rechargeable battery and the memory stick, so I haven't been back. (As I have been told, Sony has gone to SD cards in may of their current line).

This isn't meant to be a guide or a hardcore endorsement, just some things I have picked up and might be relevant to others in my situation.

 

[iGas]

I'm not sure as how good point & shot with crazy long zoom perform, however my S95 fill the bill almost perfectly on my trip a few months back.

The S95 is slower to focus, make more focus error, and suffer more shutter lag than a DSLR, but IMHO for the majority of the situation it work just fine for a little pocket camera.

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2174197&highlight=indonesia -- Include S95 sample images that I took in Indonesia.