Advanced Zoom Cameras
The next camera category goes by a lot of different names. Some companies call them "superzoom" cameras. Sony
calls them "full-featured" cameras (and that is probably very true),
other companies call them "prosumer" cameras. I'll call them advanced
zoom cameras until someone convinces me there's a better name. The one
thing that they all have in common is that these cameras are
essentially a DSLR with a permanently fixed lens--you can't change
lenses. You can, however, view your composition through the lens via a
electronic viewfinder and the LCD. And in that one respect (that you
can view live through the LCD) they have an advantage over real D-SLR
cameras. The downside is...well, we'll get to that, but the downside is
that electronic viewfinder (EVF). I find it very annoying because it
has the look of a grainy video screen. On the other hand I own an Olympus SP810 UZ (released in autumn 2011) that has an EVF and I've grown used to it. One of the advantages of an EVF is that you can see effects like exposure compensation or in-camera effects filters before you shoot the picture--so you know exactly what you'll be getting.
The images these cameras create are absolutely professional. In
illustrating the original edition book, The Joy of Digital Photography, since replaced by The NEW Joy of Digital Photography, I
used advanced zoom cameras extensively (including the Coolpix 5700). I
didn’t think it was fair to be writing about how great zoom cameras
were and then use Pro D-SLRs to shoot the pictures. I fell in love with that Coolpix despite the electronic viewfinder (which on that particular camera produced both a peephole and an LCD display).
When this group of cameras first peeled away from their compact
brethren they touted modest zooms of 2x or 3x and resolutions of 3 or 4
megapixels. Today a resolution of 10 or 12 megapixels represents the entry
point and you can expect that pixel count to escalate among advanced zoom cameras. The zoom lenses themselves are now up to 36x (that's what the Olympus SP810 UZ has) and those are optical zoom lenses, not digital zooms (ignore all references to digital zoom lenses when you're shopping--they mean absolutely nothing, the ONLY thing that matters is the optical range). The 36x zoom lens on the Olympus camera is like having nearly a 900mm on a 35mm camera! Those focal lengths are long enough for any wildlife or sports shooting! (And it's one blazingly sharp lens for a camera that retails around $300.) Most of these cameras have good image stabilization, so your photos will be very sharp.
Features, Quality & Price
You’ll find 10x to 12x zooms are becoming standard in this group and
several cameras, as I said, have 24x, 30x or even 36x optical zooms (and a few companies like Olympus offer even longer optical zooms). Manufacturers are not holding
back their top-shelf glass for these cameras either--these are great zooms with excellent glass. Yes, you can expect some optical deterioration at the longest range of those zooms, but to me, that's a small price to pay for such great optical flexibility. Also, because most of these cameras feature threaded
front elements, you can add accessory lenses, filters or even
ring-flash units for close-ups.
Virtually all of these cameras offer the same advanced metering and
exposure features boasted by all D-SLRs, but you’ll also get a
plethora of subject-specific exposure modes--some of which are missing from DSLR cameras. Some of the scene modes you'll encounter include: Face-detection, smile detection, portrait, party/Indoor, night portrait, beach/snow, landscape, sunset, night
landscape, fireworks and more--if you can think of a subject to shoot, some camera has a specially designed exposure mode for it.
Again, another attractive
feature is anti-shake (image stabilization) technology that is being built virtually all new zoom cameras. Telephoto and zoom lenses with image stabilization means better sharpness at shutter
speeds two or three stops lower than you’re used to using safely.
Anti-shake will be a part of all cameras soon, so consider it an option
worth paying for if you handhold your camera a lot.
As I said, all advanced zoom cameras provide dual viewing options: an
electronic viewfinder (EVF) and a large bright LCD panel and unlike the
D-SLRs, you can compose “live” on the LCD panel. And while I find the
slow reaction time and pixelated look of some EVFs annoying, having to
live with one is not a deal breaker for me. But YOU should try it
before you buy it: visit your local camera shop (mine is Milford Photo
in Milford, Connecticut) and ask them to let you play with an ELF
camera. They will.
Advanced zoom cameras also lead the way with some very cool in-camera
processing innovations. Most zoom cameras can remove red eye right in
the
camera, for example. Other in-camera processing tricks to look
for include the ability to
control contrast, tonal range and sharpness and even built-in HDRI (high-dynamic-range-imaging).
To some degree price is in this group is pegged to pixel counts and
optical zoom lengths, but price typically ranges from under $200 up to
$500 (for high-end cameras). If you can afford a model with a 24x
or higher zoom, that's certainly something to consider paying a bit more
for--especially if you like to shoot sports or wildlife. Other features
that I think are worth having include the availability of wide-angle
and telephoto lens accessories, as well as a flash hot shoe so that you
can add an accessory flash.
Go to the manufacturer's websites and you'll find all the feature and accessories listed for each model.
|
