If you are looking for a digital camera suitable for sports or wildlife photography then a Super Zoom model could be the answer. These tend to vary in price between £100 and £250. This is certainly the cheapest option if you are looking for a powerful zoom lens.
At present the zoom capability tends to be between 10x and 18x. Some of the cameras can also use tele converter lenses to further increase the telephoto capacity. To add one of these can add an extra £100 to the cost though. In most instances you will also need to purchase a lens adapter before you can fit the lens converter. If this appeals to you then you need to check before you buy to ensure your camera has this facility.
Almost all the super zoom cameras I have tested offer fully manual exposure controls. This includes aperture and shutter priority. The more expensive ones offer a very wide range of features. This makes them suitable for people who see photography as a hobby rather than someone who is looking for a digital camera to take a few snapshots with.
Most of the cameras are designed along the lines of a traditional SLR camera. This enables you to get a good grip on them when you take a shot. The downside of this is that they can be heavy and bulky. You need to take this into consideration when buying and I would suggest considering a camera bag to carry them around with.
When you use cameras with long lenses there is a tendency for camera shake to become an issue. This is accentuated in lowlight and any time when you are using a slow shutter speed. Manufacturers have attempted to combat this to some degree by introducing image stabilisation. This helps the camera to make minor adjustments to compensate for any movement of the camera when you are taking a shot. Although every little helps the best solution is often to use a tripod whenever you can. By using a tripod you can often see a clear difference in the sharpness of a shot.
On the whole picture quality is good. I have found it difficult to separate a number of super zoom cameras in my picture quality tests. It is worth pointing out that all the super zoom digital cameras I have tested suffer from purple fringing once the zoom lens gets close to its full extension. There seems to be no way from stopping this happening. Although it can be removed if you use a software package such as Photoshop this is certainly far from ideal.
One big plus is the fact that the flash unit pops up on the majority of these cameras. This helps to take the flash away from the lens. This means that red eye is very rare in portraits where the flash is used.
If you are looking for a step up from a super zoom model then you can look at the range of Advanced Digital Cameras or consider a Digital SLR.
Pros:
Price
Suitable for sports and wildlife photography
No red eye
Cons:
Larger cameras
Purple fringing
Panasonic DMC FZ38
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| Store | Price | Visit Store |
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GBP 256 | ![]() |
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GBP 259 | ![]() |
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GBP 259.99 | ![]() |
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GBP 265 | ![]() |
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GBP 299 | ![]() |
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GBP 299.99 | ![]() |
Canon Powershot SX1 IS
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| Store | Price | Visit Store |
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GBP 364.99 | ![]() |
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GBP 373.9 | ![]() |
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GBP 378.99 | ![]() |
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GBP 395.9 | ![]() |
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GBP 426.64 | ![]() |
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GBP 429 | ![]() |
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GBP 490.64 | ![]() |
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GBP 499.95 | ![]() |
Sony DSC HX1
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| Store | Price | Visit Store |
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GBP 299.99 | ![]() |
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GBP 329.9 | ![]() |
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GBP 339 | ![]() |
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GBP 372.4 | ![]() |
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GBP 372.48 | ![]() |
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GBP 376.08 | ![]() |
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GBP 389 | ![]() |
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GBP 389.99 | ![]() |
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GBP 399 | ![]() |
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GBP 425.00 | ![]() |
Digital Camera Types | |
| Simple and Easy | Straightforward, simple cameras. These are also the cheapest you will find. |
| Standard Plus | A step up on the most basic models with a few extra features available. |
| Pocket Sized | The most common type. Most are simple and straightforward. |
| Stylish | On similar lines to the pocket camera, but a little larger. |
| Extra Zoom | Extra zoom over and above more basic cameras, but retaining a fairly compact size. |
| Super Zoom | Extreme zoom lens. Normally with plenty of manual features. |
| Advanced | Contain features normally associated with a Digital SLR, but in a smaller body. |
| Waterproof | As well as being waterproof many cameras are also drop proof and freezeproof. |
| Digital SLRs | Entry level Digital SLRs for enthusiasts. |
| Professional Digital SLRs | Top of the range for the most demanding professional photographers. |
Super Zoom Digital Cameras
