Recommendations or advice on "SuperZoom" digital cameras?

FastEddieB

FastEddieB

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Fast Eddie B
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Guys,

I'm looking to spend no more than about $400 or so for a “point and shoot super zoom” digital camera.

The vast majority of my photos are taken with our iPhones, following the maxim of, “The best camera is the one you have with you”!

But I’d like something a little better for when we want better shots or want to zoom in on wildlife.

Total megapixel count is not super important, as most photos are shared online.

And I think a DSLR would be overkill.

On initial search, I'm thinking something like…

1) Nikon Coolpix P520 - about $350

2) Sony Cybershot HX300 - about $398 on sale

3) Canon SX50 - about $329 on sale


Anyone own any of these or have a preference? Or brand you might prefer?

I've owned several Sony cameras in the past, and each ended up needing at least one repair.

Open to any and all suggestions and will probably make a decision in the next day or so.

Thanks in advance!
 
Not a fan of the super zoom. At a certain point, all it does is blow up the pixels and the picture isn't the best. Have both an older Nikon and newer Sony. They are ok. The more pixels, the better the image. You might be abel to find a good DLSR on ebay, optics planet, or other places.
 
I, too, have no direct experience with those cameras. But remember the optical zoom (usually specified separately from total zoom) is critical. It's how much the lenses do before the computer starts trying to blow up and interpolate pixels (reducing the resolution).

I have a variety of Nikons (DSLR and point and shoot). Most of them (barring the last point and shoot) have been excellent and Nikon makes some of the better optics on the planet. The last point and shoot was a lower end camera from what you're looking at and it had contrast and other issues.

John
 
As others have said, optical zoom is what you're after. I have a 20x olympus that is 15MP and I got it for less than $200. Its great.
 
I have an SX40, predicessor to the sx50 (maybe?) and it has a 35x optical zoom, my wife wanted a good camera that wasn't a swap the lenses kind of camera, that was the best one I could find two years ago, haven't looked since.
 
I'd look at a Canon G series, it's as good as it gets for a point and shoot camera.

Or if you want to drastically step up the image quality, the Canon EOS-M camera is a steal at what it sells for.
 
Thanks for the input so far.

The specs given for each of these cameras lead me to believe the zoom specs given are optical:

Nikon: "From its superb 42x zoom NIKKOR glass lens..."

Sony: "50x optical zoom"*

Canon: "....the PowerShot SX50 HS offering the world's first 50x Optical Zoom lens...which goes all the way from a wide-angle 24mm to 1200mm (35mm equivalent) to capture any shot you choose."

I understand the relative uselessness of digital zoom, which I can really do after the fact with image processing.

But keep those comments coming - I need to make a decision!


*it goes on to say "100x Clear Image zoom", which is where the digital zoom (2x?) comes into play, I think.
 
http://www.dpreview.com/ is the go-to site for camera information. http://www.steves-digicams.com/ is another good one. Finally, http://www.cameralabs.com/

IMHO (I shoot micro four thirds) what the superzooms deliver is amazing. My wife has a Panasonic ZS-10, which is really a compact not a superzoom, but it has a 16x zoom range and given good light, produces photos that are hard to distinguish from the ones I shoot with much more expensive equipment. I'm sure that any of the superzooms you're looking at will give you results that make you smile.

For zoom range, I strongly recommend a wide end of 24mm (35mm equivalent). 28mm, which is much more common, just doesn't give the sense of space for interior shots that the shorter focal length does. In fact the reason my wife has the ZS-10 is that she was unhappy with the 28mm wide end of her previous camera, so told me specifically that she wanted me to find her something that went wider.

Another handy thing is in-camera automatic panorama. This is becoming more common and can be very useful when taking tourist pix.

The Canon G12, G14, etc. series are spectacular cameras but choose higher quality lenses instead of a "super" zoom range. That may or may not be your chosen tradeoff. A year or so ago dpreview posted an article on high end "pocketable pro" cameras that can deliver RAW format pictures. Reading that will give you a sense of the vendors and options in this segment.

I also recommend that you get a fully articulated LCD screen. For one thing, this means that you can turn the screen so the glass is not exposed to damage. Secondly, you can shoot low- and high-angle shots in both landscape and portrait formats. Neither result is achievable with simple tiltable screens like on my new Panasonic GX7. I gave full articulation up very reluctantly and find that I miss it a lot more than I expected.
 
VanDy said:
I have an SX40, predicessor to the sx50 (maybe?) and it has a 35x optical zoom, my wife wanted a good camera that wasn't a swap the lenses kind of camera, that was the best one I could find two years ago, haven't looked since.
Click to expand...

I have a $3,000 Canon DSLR system. I push a lot of friends who are thinking about a DSLR towards the SX50 or equivalent. IMO, once you're above 10 MP, shutter lag + autofocus time is far more important than more MP. Nothing is more frustrating than to see "The shot" but not be able to make "The shot" because the camera is still thinking about what it wants to do.

Bottom line - do your research on the comparative lag times between the cameras you are looking at. Choose speed over MP or other functionality.
 
The only zoom that is worth a damn is optical zoom. So anything that is 'multiplied' by a digital zoom damages resolution.

I happened along a pocket super zoom that I absolutely love. The Nikon S9300. I bought it on close out for $100. It has an 18x optical zoom and 16megapixels - it is very small - fits in a shirt pocket. Forget the reviews, I own it and it does extremely crisp and sharp photos. It also has a GPS so you can embed location in the metadata.

You can find it for about $100 new - and there is a new model - the S9500 and S9600 if you want the latest but this is about the best digital camera I have owned.

I also own a Nikon P100 which has a 30X but its not pocket portable in the least.
 
SX50 in the lead...

I've watched a handful of YouTube comparisons, and visited some of the comparison/review sites, and they each seem to have their strengths.

Decisions, decisions...
 
FastEddieB said:
Guys,

I'm looking to spend no more than about $400 or so for a “point and shoot super zoom” digital camera.

The vast majority of my photos are taken with our iPhones, following the maxim of, “The best camera is the one you have with you”!

But I’d like something a little better for when we want better shots or want to zoom in on wildlife.

Total megapixel count is not super important, as most photos are shared online.

And I think a DSLR would be overkill.

On initial search, I'm thinking something like…

1) Nikon Coolpix P520 - about $350

2) Sony Cybershot HX300 - about $398 on sale

3) Canon SX50 - about $329 on sale


Anyone own any of these or have a preference? Or brand you might prefer?

I've owned several Sony cameras in the past, and each ended up needing at least one repair.

Open to any and all suggestions and will probably make a decision in the next day or so.

Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...

For wildlife stuff, there is no 'point and shoot' option, you really need 400mms with good optics, and that doesn't come cheap nor in a P&S format.

With a good camera you get stuff like this:
image.jpg
 
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Henning said:
For wildlife stuff, there is no 'point and shoot' option, you really need 400mms with good optics, and that doesn't come cheap nor in a P&S format.
Click to expand...


High end P&S's are very capable, and are more camera than 99% of people will ever use. From a practical standpoint (since most pictures are shared in 1 or 2 MP interweb files), the only place a high end P&S suffers in comparison to a DSLR is lag time and in low light conditions.
 
kyleb said:
High end P&S's are very capable, and are more camera than 99% of people will ever use. From a practical standpoint (since most pictures are shared in 1 or 2 MP interweb files), the only place a high end P&S suffers in comparison to a DSLR is lag time and in low light conditions.
Click to expand...

Nope, the optics and CCDs don't compare. You can't get a 400mm optical zoom on a P&S, it just doesn't fit. Most all newer P&S cameras have zero lag if you start from half cock.
 
If it were me... and it was... I'd spend another $100-200 and get a DSLR that you can buy additional lenses for. I know there are a lot of very capable point and shoots but DSLR is a sure thing and if you're not happy with the optics there are more options than you'll ever need as far as lenses.
 
Thank you Sterling Archer* et al!

The $400 is really my comfort level.

I fully expect that 95%+ of my photos will continue to be with my iPhone - the occasions where I will feel like lugging a bigger camera around are likely to be few and far between.

In a prior life I had thousands of dollars in 35mm and even 2 1/4" camera gear. BTDT, sold on eBay. My needs now are actually pretty modest.

But keep the comments and recommendations coming - I just hope no one feels slighted if I don't go with their advice!


*Karen and I are about 5 episodes into Season 1 - we just discovered it and its a lot of fun!
 
FastEddieB said:
But I’d like something a little better for when we want better shots or want to zoom in on wildlife.
Click to expand...

So are you saying this will be mainly for outdoor photography? Many of the super zooms seem to have variable and fairly small apertures (3.5-5.6), so that would probably be ok. I just helped a friend with camera selection for his wife, and steered him to a Canon G15 for "only" 5x zoom but with a fast 1.8-2.8 aperture for better indoor use. He did find a Panasonic lumix fz200 that appears to have a constant 2.8 aperture across the whole range. Impressive. The G series also has a slightly bigger sensor.

kyleb said:
IMO, once you're above 10 MP, shutter lag + autofocus time is far more important than more MP. Nothing is more frustrating than to see "The shot" but not be able to make "The shot" because the camera is still thinking about what it wants to do.

Bottom line - do your research on the comparative lag times between the cameras you are looking at. Choose speed over MP or other functionality.
Click to expand...

This x 100! Said friend above went to the store to check out speed. Faster is definitely the area where you don't want to skimp.
 
If you search Canon SX50 on YouTube or Google Images, there do seem to be some pretty stunning still shots and videos, at least as rendered on a computer/TV screen.

Which would be good enough for me.

But I'll stipulate that an SLR makes for a better camera - its just more than I need.
 
FastEddieB said:
If you search Canon SX50 on YouTube or Google Images, there do seem to be some pretty stunning still shots and videos, at least as rendered on a computer/TV screen.

Which would be good enough for me.

But I'll stipulate that an SLR makes for a better camera - its just more than I need.
Click to expand...

I tried for years to get by with a P&S after my neck surgery made it obvious I wasn't going to be able to carry my Nikon 400 2.8 EDAF lens anymore, but I missed being able to get the wildlife and bird shots. When I stopped by a camera shop in Amsterdam they had a Sony G 70-400 f4-5.6 in the case and it was compact nd light enough that I would be able to carry it, so I got it and the cheapest body, the e-33 to go with it. I'm happy enough with the lens that I'll probably upgrade the body
 
If you like the SX50, and you're concerned with size, be sure you compare with the related but smaller SX280. You're absolutely right about the "camera that's with you" mantra! I have the earlier-in-series SX230, and it slips very easily into a shirt pocket, but when you turn it on and hit the button to zoom in, well, lens just keeps appearing from somewhere like one of those old snake fireworks! :rofl:

It also includes built-in GPS for geotagging the photos, and takes excellent low-light shots. I bought it after using a friend's SX210 on a night flight, and I've been very happy with it. Gonna add a DSLR to the mix fairly soon, but I'll keep the SX230 for pocket use!
 
Thanks for all the advice and it was all read and taken into consideration.

After also visiting some review sites and watching about a dozen YouTube videos, I ended up pulling the trigger on the Canon SX50 HS.

$329 from Amazon.

Went an extra $30 for a filter adapter with 3 filters. Mainly for the polarizing filters and the UV (mainly to protect the lens). Later I'm sure I'll need a spare battery or two.

Thanks again, and I'll report on my impressions once I've had it for a while.
 
As an aside, I went ahead and downloaded the owner's manual to peruse while I await a Monday delivery.

HOLY SWEET MOTHER OF ZEUS!!!

This has got to be the most complicated piece of consumer electronics known to man!

280+ pages. :yikes:

The camera has the ability to shoot automatically if it sees you wink. ;)

Really.

And recognize faces. And who knows what else?

Really seems they were showing off and adding obscure "features" just because they could. And to access them with cryptographic icons which are just as obscure.

If you doubt me, download this behemoth and you'll see what I mean.

http://pdisp01.c-wss.com/gdl/WWUFORedirectTarget.do?id=MDMwMDAwODcwMDAx&cmp=ABR&lang=EN

Good news is there's an AUTO mode. Maybe I will learn to use some of the features buried in the 280+ pages, but I think AUTO will almost certainly be my preferred mode.

More to follow...
 
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FastEddieB said:
As an aside, I went ahead and downloaded the owner's manual to peruse while I await a Monday delivery.

HOLY SWEET MOTHER OF ZEUS!!!

This has got to be the most complicated piece of consumer electronics known to man!

280+ pages. :yikes:

The camera has the ability to shoot automatically if it sees you wink. ;)

Really.

And recognize faces. And who knows what else?

Really seems they were showing off and adding obscure "features" just because they could. And to access them with cryptographic icons which are just as obscure.

If you doubt me, download this behemoth and you'll see what I mean.

Good news is there's an AUTO mode. Maybe I will learn to use some of the features buried in the 280+ pages, but I think AUTO will almost certainly be my preferred mode.

More to follow...
Click to expand...

Are all 280 pages in one language? Often these manuals are repeated in 6 different languages.
 
Eddie,

Re the manual: The one that came with my Nikon D050 was totally useless. Seemed to have been written by someone who spoke Farsi or some obscure language. At the photo shop I found one that was much more understandable. It ain't that the camera is so complicated, it'e just the tech writers can't explain things well. Look for another book.
 
Norman said:
Eddie,

Re the manual: The one that came with my Nikon D050 was totally useless. Seemed to have been written by someone who spoke Farsi or some obscure language. At the photo shop I found one that was much more understandable. It ain't that the camera is so complicated, it'e just the tech writers can't explain things well. Look for another book.
Click to expand...

Canon usually provides a "quick start" manual which is a few pages long and shows you how to use the 90% of the camera's functionality that most people use on a daily basis. The other 10% is what fills the big manual.
 
FastEddieB said:
Hell, we all know it works in the plane, so probably well worth a try! :wink2:
Click to expand...

I don't know what it has for aperture settings or if it's fixed hole, but the one mode I always find is the Aperture Priority mode so I can control my depth of field. The rest is pretty much fluff.
 
I've had the SX50 a while now.
Kind of interesting to get snaps of jets about 5K feet up and be able to read the tail numbers. This is an assault camera!
 
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Henning said:
I don't know what it has for aperture settings or if it's fixed hole, but the one mode I always find is the Aperture Priority mode so I can control my depth of field. The rest is pretty much fluff.
Click to expand...

It's nice to find the Shutter Priority setting too, to be sure that you don't stop props at air shows... But yeah, lots of fluff in these things.

Keep the PDF of the manual on your smartphone so you have a reference with you for when you need one of the obscure features.
 
It's fine. I still hate the user interface, and that's kept me from using any advanced features, using it mainly as a point-and-shoot. And that, rarely. Have taken a few stills and videos recently of deer and turkeys feeding on our property.

As they say, the best camera is the one you have with you, and my iPhone 6+ is always with me and does such a good job the Canon just does not get used that often. Plus I love being able to edit on the phone and easily share via Flickr.
 
I have a Nikon compact point and shoot, but it's starting to have problems. I probably will replace it with a similar form factor, but the larger camera, like yours, are tempting to look at.
 
I have an SX-60 and I'm happy with it. I wanted something simple but better than the point and shoot standard. It's not terribly heavy or cumbersome to carry either. I've gotten some decent shots with it as well.

IMG_1618_hdr_mode_1_zpsm4xbk4iq.jpg


IMG_1516_hdr_mode_1_zpsrxr8ujrl.jpg


IMG_1396_hdr_mode_1_zpswvaqkftb.jpg


IMG_1209_hdr_mode_1_zps05f1escw.jpg
IMG_0618_zpsazypvcke.jpg
IMG_0591_zpsjfktnqtq.jpg
 
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