Compact camera reviews: Super zoom cameras including Panasonic Lumix and others

Powerful zoom is a sought-after feature in pocket-sized cameras. There are some settings in which you can’t get close to your subject – think about the zoo, where getting close could mean getting eaten – so you have to reply upon a zoom camera lens. Or, perhaps you want to zoom in on your children at play, relying upon your lens to capture their most precious moments.

In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the best pocket-sized superzoom cameras. Particularly, we will look at cameras that

  • Have powerful optical zoom – at least 7x minimum. Note that the zoom must be optical – digital zoom produces grainy, pixelated images, whereas optical zoom is true zoom.
  • Are small enough to carry in a pocket or purse. You don’t want to miss out on that perfect shot when it comes along, so we’re going to look at cameras you can keep with you at all times. Specifically, we’ll only consider cameras that are no more than 2 inches thick.
  • Are point-and-shoots – meaning, all you have to do is aim at the subject and snap the photo. Some of the cameras we’ll examine here offer sophisticated means for composing shots as options, but you shouldn’t have to have advanced photographic expertise to take basic pictures.

At the top of the class is the Panasonic Lumix family of cameras. They all feature 10x optical zoom, great for bringing your subject close to you. In addition, they have image stabilization – this is important because if you’re holding the camera as you shoot (rather than using a tripod), any jitteriness or problems keeping the camera still can be magnified by the zoom lens. Panasonic’s image stablization corrects for this and helps you get clear pictures from far away. Here are links to cameras from the Lumix family. All are very affordable and great values given the feature set offered:

The camera’s owners seem to love the camera. In the reviews of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5K, one reader comments that the LCD screen “is the nicest I’ve ever seen on a camera.” Another user complimented the removable battery with separate charger, because he can buy a spare battery, charge it up, and always have it ready for trips. Another user “bought it for mom and dad” and found it simple to operate, noting the “10x optical zoom in a small package is amazing.”

The Olympus Stylus family of cameras are also highly rated. They can’t get you as close to the action as the Lumix cameras can (they only offer 7x zoom), but they offer higher resolution at 10 megapixels. One reviewer notes that “the battery lasts seemingly forever” and another praised the quick 2-hour recharge with the included adapter. Another reviewer praised it for taking quick pictures, allowing her to get shots she wants of her newborn baby without taking a second or two to focus. Several readers recommended getting a MicroSD card, rather than the standard xD, for use with this camera. Here are links to more information about the Stylus camera family:

The Pentax Optio Z10 8MP Digital Camera with 7x Optical Zoom appears to be a great value for the money. Relatively inexpensive (listed at about $135 as of the time this was written), and one reviewer said its pictures were “very juicy in color, and clear.” He also complimented the menu, which was very helpful selecting the correct shooting mode, for those who don’t have time to read the manual. Another reviewer also complimented the color and picture quality, and called the Optio “a masterpiece” because of its moving-mirror 7x optical zoom.

The Canon Powershot cameras are said to offer the best image stabilization in their price range. If you have unsteady hands, the Powershot may be just what you need. At a thickness of 1.8 inches, they just barely qualify as pocket cameras, but they offer superior zoom (10x) and resolution (9 megapixels). Some reviewers especially liked the fact that this camera runs on AA batteries, so you don’t have to deal with ordering special batteries or chargers to power the Powershot.

Other options worth considering:

Finally, a superzoom camera to avoid: The Sony Mavica MVC-FD73 and other Mavica cameras. These cameras may come with 10x zoom, but the medium they use for storage – floppy disks – is dinosaur-era technology. These disks can store about 1/1000th of what a modern camera memory card can store, and many computers don’t even come with floppy disk drives these days. Because the storage is so skimpy, Sony had to turn the resolution way down – 0.3 megapixels, compared with 5-10 megapixels for the cameras above. Decent-looking 8×10 photos are not a possibility with the Mavica.

For more cameras to choose from and lots of reviews, check out Amazon.com’s camera and photo store.

October 12th, 2008 in Cameras