Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

What Mega-zoom camera should I buy

by skt149 Jan 27, 2011 8:55PM PST

Dear All,
I am new here. I am also much new in using advance digital camera. I use simple digital camera for last 2 years. Now I want to take a step to buy a mega zoom hybrid camera. I have some requirements.

a. The quality of the still image has to be good
a. The camera has capability to video HD movie
b. Good performance in low light
c. Image stabilizer
d. No motor noise when zoom in/out within a video


After long search in internet, watching review I narrow down my search in 4 cameras. Those are:

1. Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1
2. Nikon Coolpix P100
3. Canon PowerShot SX30 IS
4. Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100

please discuss on those cameras according to the requirements. And Advice me which will be best.

Thanks in advance.

Discussion is locked

3 Posts
- Collapse + Expand Details
- Collapse -
Big Zoom
by snapshot2 Forum moderator Jan 27, 2011 11:43PM PST

I suggest you look at this comparison/review of big zoom cameras:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/Q110superzoomgroup/

The Canon SX30IS is the latest version of the SX20IS.
The Panasonic FZ40 is the latest version of the FX35.
The Panasonic FZ100 is the FZ40 with a hot shoe and it uses a CMOS sensor.

I don't know of any mega zoom camera that has good performance in low light.
One may be better than another, but it won't be "good performance".

The only truly silent zoom motor will be in the Canon SX20IS/SX30IS cameras.

- Collapse -
Which Mega-zoom camera should I buy
by skt149 Jan 28, 2011 2:12AM PST

thx for the reply.

I do not want to say "good performance". But I need to know which one is better as u said over another.

- Collapse -
Mega Zoom
by snapshot2 Forum moderator Jan 28, 2011 4:00AM PST

The comparison/review site I mentioned shows the Panasonic FZ35, Canon PowerShot SX 20 IS as the best choice for low light.
But not by a great margin:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/Q110superzoomgroup/page19.asp

But those are the older models of those cameras.

The newer models: Canon SX30IS and Panasonic FZ40/FZ100
have gone from the older 12 megapixels to 14 megapixel sensors.

The 14 megapixel sensor does raise the camera's noise level.
Which lowers the image quality slightly.

I don't think any of the cameras has enough difference in low light ability to say one is better than the other.

Back to Cameras forum

CNET Forums

Operating Systems
Software
Electronics & Gadgets
Hardware
Tablets & Mobile Devices
General Help
Brand Forums
Roadshow Autos
Off Topic

Other Forums

Forum Info