Small Cameras, Big Zoom

Small Cameras, Big Zoom | Top Gadgets Review

It used to be that if you wanted a long zoom lens, you had to tote a bulky camera. No longer: More and more manufacturers are packing serious zoom factor into cameras that you can carry in your back pocket. With all the options to choose from, though, there are a few things you should consider when you're looking for the right superzoom camera.

When it comes to lenses, it's not just the degree of optical zoom (12x or 14x, for example) you should look at. Focal length is a better indicator of how close to your subject the lens can actually take you. For example, Panasonic boasts 16x optical zoom in its $380 DMC-ZS10. But the focal length of the lens only reaches to 384mm. The $350 Canon PowerShot SX230 IS, on the other hand, has a 14x lens, but focal length is longer at 392mm.
Since these models have slightly larger bodies than standard compact point-and-shoot cameras, there's room for extra goodies inside. But you need to decide which extra features you need—and what you want to pay for. Take HD video, for one: All of the cameras here are capable of recording high-definition video, but only a few capture 1080p (1,920 by 1080) footage. The others record smaller-size videos (720p), but can ocassionaly have higher frame-rates (up to 60 per second).
A few of these cameras integrate GPS for geotagging your photos. Models like the Casio Exilim EX-H20G, Canon PowerShot SX230 HS, Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX7V, Fujifilm FinePix F600EXR, and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10 all include GPS. When you view your photos from those cameras in a program that supports geotagging, like Google's Picasa (4.5 stars), they'll be plotted on a map with location information, and you'll also see the direction in which each photo was taken. The DSC-HX7V also has some innovative in-camera software for reducing image noise, and a cool feature called iSweep Panorama that lets you swipe the camera up, down, left or right, while it fires multiple images and then stitches them together in a few seconds.
It's not all about fancy features, though. The Casio Exilim EX-ZR100 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX7V, both $300, are the least expensives model here. They're both able to pump out impressive photos. For some, that's the most important feature of all. For more, hit our Digital Cameras Product Guide for the latest camera reviews and The 10 Best Digital Cameras for the top-rated models.
Superzoom Cameras Featured in this Roundup:
Canon PowerShot Elph 510 HS

$349.99 direct
The Canon PowerShot Elph 510 HS is a very good choice if you want a lot of zoom (12x) from a small camera body, and you prefer a touch screen to physical controls. But poor low-light performance and a slow start-up time hold this compact superzoom back.

Canon PowerShot SX230 HS

$349.99 list
The Canon PowerShot SX230 HS is a top choice if you want a long 14x zoom lens, plus bonus features like GPS, in a camera that can fit in your pocket.

Casio Exilim EX-H20G

$349.99 list
If you're an avid traveler, you'll like the sharp photos, 10x zoom lens, and integrated GPS the Casio Exilim EX-H20G offers, but if you don't need to geotag your photos, you can get better performance for the price.

Casio Exilim EX-ZR100

$299.99 direct
The 12.5x-zoom Casio Exilim EX-ZR100 is a speed demon that shoots excellent photos and video, but its high price tag, and quirks with zooming and autofocus, hold it back somewhat.

Fujifilm FinePix F600EXR

$349.95 direct
The GPS-equipped Fujifilm Finepix F600EXR shows a lot of promise on paper, packing a long 15x zoom lens into a compact body. But the GPS doesn't work as well as we'd like, and images from this superzoom camera are very noisy in low light…

Nikon Coolpix S9100

$329.95 direct
The speedy-shooting Nikon S9100 delivers a big 18x optical zoom lens and a high-res LCD in a small, pocket-size package at a great price.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10

$379.99 direct An impressive set of specs including a 16x zoom lens, a high-quality touch screen, GPS, and 3D image capture, can’t compensate for the subpar image quality and low-light performance you get with the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX7V

$299.99 direct
The compact 10x-zoom Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX7V packs in features and delivers impressive, low-noise images even at its highest ISO. But it falls a bit shy of its predecessor in terms of image sharpness.

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 By Jim Fisher