Get extensive focal range and
high-tech features in a camera that’s smaller and lighter than a typical
telephoto lens
While interchangeable-lens cameras offer
superior versatility and image quality, there's a lot to be said in praise of
fixed-lens, compact cameras, particularly those with extreme zoom capabilities.
All of the cameras here offer telephoto
reach of at least 500mm*, and many go much further. For some perspective,
Canon's 500mm //4 L EF IS II USM lens sells for upwards of $10,000. To be fair,
that lens represents some pretty awesome optical engineering and technology truly
in a very different class of optics than those found on fixed-lens cameras but
for most of us, it's just not affordable.
That's where a big-range zoom camera can
give us access to a closer perspective on subjects like sports, wildlife and
stage performances normally reserved for professional photographers backed by
generous equipment budgets.
Not only are these cameras very affordable
on a price-per-millimeter basis, but they're extremely light and portable.
Continuing our admittedly unfair comparison but just to make the point - the
Canon 500mm //4 weighs in at a little over seven pounds and is 15 inches long.
By contrast, the Canon PowerShot SX50 IIS
featured in this article offers a 35mm-equivalent focal length of 1200mm on the
telephoto end, but weighs just 1.3 pounds and measures less than five inches in
its biggest dimension.
These cameras don't just offer extreme
telephoto perspectives at an agreeable price, size and weight; they also
include some advanced technology 7. In fact, many of the most innovative
features that eventually find their way to interchangeable-lens cameras make
their debut in high-performance compact models like these.
Pushing the optical zoom range even
further, you'll see that the models we've included here also offer digital zoom
capability. There are different approaches to digital zoom, but the main thing
to know is that it's something of a compromise in image quality. Digital zoom
technology has improved over the years, and it's nice to have the option for
longer reach when you need it, but for the very best results, stick to the
optical zoom range of the camera.
Canon Powershot SX50 HS
With its extreme 50x zoom, the PowerShot
SX50 IIS is the leader in focal-length reach, starting at a wide 24mm and
extending all the way to an incredible 1200mm.* And, with digital zoom enabled,
the telephoto end quadruples to 4800mm - yes, you read that correctly.
To counteract the inevitable camera shake
when shooting handheld at super-telephoto lengths, the camera features Canon's
Intelligent IS, which analyzes camera movement and selects the best optical
shake correction method automatically; six methods are available, including
Macro and a Dynamic mode ideal for video. Speaking of video, you can capture
1080p full HD with stereo sound.
Canon
Powershot SX50 HS
The 12-megapixel SX50 IIS is fast, too it
can capture up to 10 frames per second great for action subjects. You can
record in RAW or JPEG, or both simultaneously. Like a DSLR, you can shoot in
manual, aperture- or shutter-priority and program modes, but the camera also
features a Smart Auto mode, by which the camera evaluates the scene and
compares it to 58 predefined scenarios, selecting the most appropriate camera
settings for the subject and conditions.
Other noteworthy features include a
hot-shoe for using an external flash, and a Vari-angle LCD flips and swivels
for easy viewing. Users of Canon PIXMA and SELPHY printers can connect directly
to the printer via USB for one-touching printing.
Estimated Street Price: $429.
Fujifilm Finepix F800EXR
The F800EXR features a 20x optical zoom,
ranging from 25mm to 500mm*. That range is expandable to 40x or 1000mm with its
digital zoom. A combination of sensor-shift stabilization and auto ISO boost
work together to reduce camera shake when shooting handheld.
The camera can capture 16-megapixel images
at just under 8 frames per second, or as fast as 11 frames per second with
8-megapixel resolution. It's a speedy camera in other ways, too. In addition to
full I ID 1080p video with Face Tracking AF, there's a High Speed Movie mode
that can capture video at up to 320 frames per second at a reduced resolution
of 320x112, or 80 frames per second at a higher 640x480 resolution.
Fujifilm
Finepix F800EXR
A related feature is the Best Frame Capture
mode. Using this, the camera starts recording 8-megapixel images at 11 frames
per second. When the moment is just right, fully depress the shutter release
and the camera saves 16 frames both before and after that instant letting you
choose the shot that best captured your subject's action or expression.
The F800EXR also offers Wireless Image
Transfer, allowing you to send photos from the camera directly to your
smartphone using a free app for Apple iOS or Google Android. Estimated Street
Price: $319.
Nikon Coolpix P510
Another option for incredible zoom range is
Nikon's P510, with a 42x optical zoom spanning 24mm to 1000mm*, and up to 2000mm
with digital zoom enabled. It also includes a close-up mode, letting you focus
as close as 0.4 inches. The P510 incorporates lens-shift optical Vibration
Reduction.
In addition to the large Vari-Angle LCD,
there's an electronic eye-level view-finder that provides approximately 100% coverage
a nice alternative when shooting outside in bright conditions makes the LCD
harder to view.
The P510 captures its 16-megapixel images
in JPEG format at about 5 frames per second. In movie mode, it can record full
I ID 1080p at 30 frames per second with stereo sound and continuous AF.
Nikon
Coolpix P510
Do you use geo-location features in your
photo software to organize shots by where they were taken? If so, the P510 can
automatically tag photos and videos with built-in GPS. Want to capture the full
impact of the locations you visit? The camera's Easy Panorama mode
automatically merges multiple frames into a 180 or 360 degree panoramic photo.
In addition to standard exposure modes like
program and shutter-or aperture-priority, the P510 includes 18 Scene modes
tailored to a variety of subjects and shooting situations. The P510 also offers
in camera editing, allowing you to crop, soften skin, apply filter effects and
more. Estimated Street Price: $349.
Olympus SP-820UZ iHS
With its 40x zoom, the SP-820UZ iHS
delivers a focal range of 22.4 to 896mm*. You can double that to 80x, or
1792mm, by enabling digital zoom.
The 14-megapixel camera can capture
full-resolution images at 3 frames per second, or you can opt for a much faster
30 frames per second at 3-megapixel resolution. The SP-820UZ iHS also can
record full I ID 1080p video. To keep stills and video sharp when shooting
handheld, Dual Image Stabilization employs sensor-shift correction and boosts
ISO for faster shutter speeds.
OLYMPUS
SP-820UZ iHS
Smart Panorama mode lets you quickly create
panoramas easily; just trigger the shutter and steadily pan across the scene,
and the camera does the rest. When shooting into the sun, the Backlight HDR
Adjustment makes multiple exposures and merges them into a single image with
extended dynamic range.
Like other Olympus cameras, you have
multiple Magic Art Filters to apply to your images for unique looks, including
Pop Art, Watercolor, Soft Focus and many more, some of which can be applied to
video clips, too. There's also a Beauty mode, which automatically smooth’s
portrait wrinkles, and a Beauty Make-Up mode, which lets you simulate the
effects of adding eye shadow, teeth whitening and more, all in-camera.
Estimated Street Price: $329.
