Looking for ultra-zoom camera - please help with recommend one

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lisali

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Hi,

I'm looking for an ultra-zoom camera, so I'd really appreciate some recommendations. I have had a Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ5 for a couple of years now, and it's a fantastic little camera, but I'm looking to move up a bit now.

I would ideally like all of this:

-Zoom 18+
-Good pictures in low-light indoor conditions
-Really good Macro mode (what's the closest a camera can get to a subject without zooming in?)
-Manual mode/Aperture and shutter priority modes (I love bokeh)
-Rechargeable battery

Any suggestions?
Many thanks!
 
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I think what you'll find with the cmopacts and bridge camera that have a massive zoom range is that they make compromises in other areas. Usually the image quality isn't particularly amazing, especially at the long end of the zoom at at low light. To really get as close to the kind of quality you want you are looking at spending quite a bit of money that'll get you in to the lower end of the DSLR price range. Do you really need a compact camera or is the image quality more important?
 
Do you have a budget in mind? Fuji HS10 is probably worth a look.

Having such a large zoom range usually results in optical quality compromises though - most people on here have an SLR with separate lenses for macro, telephoto, low light/shallow DOF etc etc - but it depends how much you want to spend and how into it you want to get.
 
Hi,

Many thanks for your replies. I kind of suspected that the ultra zoom would mean compromise in other areas.

@Rob - I kind of need both a relatively compact camera and good image quality. I do not want a DSLR for now; I do not want to have to deal with the weight, and all the lenses.

@grum - I'm thinking up to £350.

I'd rather have really god macro/manual modes and low-light performance than ultra-zoom though.

Thank you!
 
Would an LX5 do? That can zoom quite far when you re-duce the pixels it captures at and the quality looks pretty good.

Not too sure if it's within the price range though, haven't had a look at the prices for it..
 
How about the canon SX30IS - Comes in at about the right price, and the zoom range... equiv 24-820mm. ISO to 1600, close focus to 0cm (apparently.... not sure how that's supposed to work).
 
There's more to it than aperture - the smaller sensor size comes into play also. An F2.8 lens on a small-sensor compact will have much more depth of field for the same field of view as an F2.8 lens on a DSLR - the focal lengths will be different, of course.
 
Some examples from an LX5

You can get DOF with a compact but its very hard.....

Almost impossible in any kind of landscape...

Flowers @ kew



Grass @ Kew



P1010014



P1010029


P1010301a

P1010344a



a quickr pickr post
 
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A refurb Fuji HS10 from the FUjishop is £269.99, This would give you manual control, good macro, good low light a a superzoom. I realise this was mentioned above.

Size may be an issue for you, cos it is not small, but then your not gonna fit everything that you want into a little camera.

You need to get this, a dslr, something like a panasonic GF1/G1, or something like the olympus PEN, and the second two will not do all that you want.

Remember that Bokeh can be added afterwards.

The Hs10 is a great camera, and will do all the jobs you need. And the zoom is 700mm equiv!!

Can shoot RAW also.
 
@mipevo6 - Thanks so much for the samples photos, I always like to see that!

@lawrie29 - Thanks for the suggestion, but some of the others have advised that you can not really get super-zoom AND great macro/DOF in one. I do not want to be adding bokeh afterwards, it's not really the same.

So not sure what to choose now...confused!
 
you can not really get super-zoom AND great macro/DOF in one
Click to expand...

To get a really good shallow DOF and bokeh - essentially you need a reasonably big sensor (and wide aperture lenses). All super-zoom cameras as far as I know have small compact type sensors.

You could buy a cheap entry level SLR and try and get a macro zoom lens, and something like the 50mm 1.8 for bokeh - it's still not going to give you the crazy zoom range though, and it will cost more than your budget.

That's just the way it is I'm afraid. :shrug:
 
Why is there a need to have such a colossal amount of zoom - 18x is ridiculous, and is almost certainly going to be horrid at the long end.
 
Hi Grum,

Many thanks for that - I am starting to lean towards what you suggested; a cheap DSLR and a macro lens, for close-up shots of flowers, bugs, etc. As I have not used a DSLR before and know nothing about lenses - if I buy, say, a macro lens, can I use that for regular, non-macro shoots of people, buildings etc? Or do you need a different lens for that?

Many thanks!
 
PS: When you say "big sensor" - what should I be looking at? It's not just about the amount of pixels/resolution, is it?
 
lisali said:
Hi Grum,

Many thanks for that - I am starting to lean towards what you suggested; a cheap DSLR and a macro lens, for close-up shots of flowers, bugs, etc. As I have not used a DSLR before and know nothing about lenses - if I buy, say, a macro lens, can I use that for regular, non-macro shoots of people, buildings etc? Or do you need a different lens for that?

Many thanks!
Click to expand...

Macro means you can focus closely at a decent level of magnification.

The lens works perfectly as a normal lens. The quality of the macro lenses is very good Imagine quality wise.

lisali said:
PS: When you say "big sensor" - what should I be looking at? It's not just about the amount of pixels/resolution, is it?
Click to expand...

Think of it like film... Large format camera v 35mm v 110mm :-)

The sensor size varies from large (full frame) getting smaller through crop sensors cameras down to very small compact sensors.

read me

This has a big impact on the dof due to the angles the light rays hit the sensor at.

Generally:-
large sensor = narrow DOF
Small sensor = wide DOF

Hence everything always being in focus on a compact...

Hope the above helps...
 
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lisali said:
@mipevo6 - Thanks so much for the samples photos, I always like to see that!

@lawrie29 - Thanks for the suggestion, but some of the others have advised that you can not really get super-zoom AND great macro/DOF in one. I do not want to be adding bokeh afterwards, it's not really the same.

So not sure what to choose now...confused!
Click to expand...


Macro and DOF are 2 different things, you can certainly have good Macro on a superzoom, Susane shoots all her shots on an earlier version of the HS10
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=35079 froa couple of examples. The Macro is very very good.

And all of this thread were shot with an earlier version:

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/for...ad.php?t=44724

I am not telling you not to buy a DSLR, all I am saying is not to rule out this camera. it will cost you a lot less than a Dslr and lenses with more flexibility. It is an all round camera, rather than the start of a system,which a DSLR is.

The HS10 is a seriously good camera, and is perfectly capable of a good DOF.

Most Bokeh you see on here is added in PP, so I don't understand why that bothers you so much?

Edbray has one if you want a second opinion.
http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/member.php?u=8827

thanks
 
trencheel303 said:
On this site?
Click to expand...

Well, I've not counted every post, but a lot I come across seems to be, yes.

I'm not saying that is a bad thing, I'm saying it can be done in post to a very high standard, so good you wouldn't notice it, so why worry about producing it in camera?
 
lawrie29 said:
Well, I've not counted every post, but a lot I come across seems to be, yes.

I'm not saying that is a bad thing, I'm saying it can be done in post to a very high standard, so good you wouldn't notice it, so why worry about producing it in camera?
Click to expand...

Personally I would say the more you can achieve with the camera the less work you have to put into a shot afterwards. If I'm going to sit in front of a computer for a while working on a shot I don't really want to spend the time simulating an effect that I could have achieved by taking the right tool for the job in the first place.

Since I like good subject separation a DSLR is definitely the right tool for me - and as the majority of users on this site have at least one DSLR I refute your claim most bokeh here is added post. It isn't.
 
I agree with you Richard, I would rather not spend hours in front of PC to sort a shot, when I can do it first time in camera.

I'm not going to argue about the Bokeh, I am just speaking from my personal experience.

It is fairly clear to me that the OP is not going to get everything she wants from a bridge, but if the Bokeh is the one thing that she can compromise on, then the fuji ticks all the other boxes.

I do get frustrated with people criticising Bridge cameras all the time, yes they are not a DSLR, but they do fit a portion of the market and offer a lot of flexibility.

Yes you can say that 18x zoom is going to be horrendous at the long end, but have you tried it? and what are you comparing it to? The HS10 goes to 700mm, where else can you get a 700mm autofocus, IS lens for £260? It may not be for you, but that does not mean that it is crap either.

rant over....
 
You might check this out if your looking for a superzoom.

dp review group test

Looks like the Panasonic/Canon come out best....

Both support RAW
 
@mipevo6 - Thanks so much for that link, that's such a good group review of ultra-zooms. I am starting to lean towards a Panasonic, as I am used to their control, but not sure ultra-zoom will satisfy my macro cravings. Will see!
 
lisali said:
@mipevo6 - Thanks so much for that link, that's such a good group review of ultra-zooms. I am starting to lean towards a Panasonic, as I am used to their control, but not sure ultra-zoom will satisfy my macro cravings. Will see!
Click to expand...

No Problem...

My lumix LX5 did pretty decently at macro. I am not sure what the close focus is like on the Panasonic... I would suggest searching for reviews online...

Such as

safari camera

trusted reviews

Or look at this flickr group

fz38 macro group

Good luck with your purchase
 
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