Extra Zoom Digital Cameras
Extra zoom digital cameras tend to give you the best of both worlds. Picture quality is usually a clear step up from more basic digital cameras, the cameras can offer a wide range of features, build quality is very good, but these cameras are not much larger than pocket sized.
Impressive Zoom Range
Zoom lenses fall in the range of 10 - 15x zoom. The lenses also tend to have wide angle capabilities. That gives you plenty of flexibility as you can capture more or less any type of photo opportunity from wide scenes to more distant subjects.
Why this Type of Camera is Ideal for Holidays
It is the combination of flexibility and relatively compact body size that makes this type of camera popular with holiday makers and travellers. A number of the cameras now offer GPS picture tagging capabilities. This means that every picture you take can be flagged with coordinates of where you were at the time you took the picture. When you are viewing your photos at a later date you can pinpoint where you were in the world when the picture was taken.
Advanced Features Available
If you are a more advanced photographer many Extra Zoom digital cameras come equipped with a set of manual exposure features. These give you greater control over the way your photos will look. This type of camera can also be used in fully automatic mode if you prefer the idea of something more straightforward.
Record All Your Best Moments
The actual features vary from camera to camera, but the vast majority of these cameras offer the ability for you to capture High Definition movies. Some of the more advanced and more expensive models in this category can also record sound in stereo. This is another advantage if you are planning a holiday as you may decide that you do not need to carry a separate camcorder with you.
Price Range
Cheaper models cost around £100 with more expensive models being priced up to around £250. As well as a wider range of features the more expensive models tend to offer better picture quality. Towards the top end of the market there is not always much difference when it comes to the quality of the photos these cameras are capable of taking. If you are shopping for a more expensive model your choice is likely to be based around the features a camera has and how you judge the overall value for money on offer.
Who Offers the Best Extra Zoom Cameras?
Leading brands in this category are Panasonic, Canon, Sony and Fuji. Panasonic and Sony have a feature that allows you to decrease the number of megapixels in return for extra zoom power. This can come in very handy if you are unable to get in close enough to photograph a more distant subject. Fuji tends to offer a decent mid priced alternative to the most expensive models. Panasonic offer cameras with the most comprehensive features.
Batteries
Batteries are lithium ion. If you are planning to take your camera on holiday it may be advisable to take a spare, fully charged battery.
Pros
Picture Quality
Build Quality
Length of lens for relatively small body size
Range of features
Cons
Battery life can be short when GPS positioning is turned on (you can always turn it off when not required).
Suggested Extra Zoom Digital Cameras
This is a selection of my current top rated cameras in this category.
Fuji Finepix F550EXR Rating: 86/100
Extra Zoom 16 Megapixels 15x Zoom
The Finepix F550EXR offers GPS positioning, manual exposure controls, full High Definition movies, RAW capture and image stabilisation. It is also able to shoot at 8 frames per second. It can record stereo sound and capture low resolution, high speed movies for slow motion playback. Features are included to reduce noise in lowlight situations and increase detail in the lightest and darkest areas of a scene.
Guide Price: £168.46 See latest prices: Fuji Finepix F550EXR Prices
Related Pages: Fuji Finepix F550EXR Review Fuji Finepix F550EXR Spec
Fuji Finepix F80EXR Rating: 86/100
Extra Zoom 10 Megapixels 10x Zoom
This is one of the most advanced compact digital cameras you can find. There are lots of features that all help towards taking the best possible photos. These include pro focus and lowlight modes, manual exposure controls, tracking AF and 5 film simulation modes. You can also shoot High Definition movies. Fuji has also included a 3 inch LCD screen.
Guide Price: £99.99 See latest prices: Fuji Finepix F80EXR Prices
Related Pages: Fuji Finepix F80EXR Review Fuji Finepix F80EXR Spec
Sony DSC HX5 Rating: 86/100
Extra Zoom 10 Megapixels 10x Zoom
The Cybershot DSC HX5 has more than its fair share of features. These include GPS tagging so that you know where a photo was taken, a wide angle lens, sweep panoramas, stereo sound, High Definition movies, a built in compass and a 3 inch LCD screen. That is a lot packed into a compact body size.
Guide Price: £159.95 See latest prices: Sony DSC HX5 Prices
Related Pages: Sony DSC HX5 Review Sony DSC HX5 Spec
Digital Camera Types
Straightforward, simple cameras. These are also the cheapest you will find.
The most common type. Most are simple and straightforward.
On similar lines to the pocket camera, but a little larger.
Extra zoom over and above more basic cameras, but retaining a fairly compact size.
Extreme zoom lens. Normally with plenty of manual features.
Contain features normally associated with a Digital SLR, but in a smaller body.
As well as being waterproof many cameras are also drop proof and freezeproof.
Compact System Cameras are a cross between a typical compact camera and a Digital SLR. They offer you excellent picture quality, a wide array features and are a small size.
Entry level Digital SLRs for enthusiasts.
Top of the range for the most demanding professional photographers.
