what's the cheapest and highest Optical Zoom Camera on the market ?

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Dick Splodge - 08 Dec 2004 14:41 GMT

..but also offers Image Stablisation. I need the big zoom for Nature Photos
but have a very limited bank balance :-)

any help is much appreciated guys . Also a price in Canadian Dollars would
also help greatly :-))

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David J Taylor - 08 Dec 2004 14:59 GMT

> ..but also offers Image Stablisation. I need the big zoom for Nature
> Photos but have a very limited bank balance :-)

Canon S1 IS may be the most economical "stabilised zoom per dollar"?

David

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Pete Fenelon - 08 Dec 2004 15:03 GMT

> ..but also offers Image Stablisation. I need the big zoom for Nature Photos
> but have a very limited bank balance :-)
>
> any help is much appreciated guys . Also a price in Canadian Dollars would
> also help greatly :-))

The cheapest decent one is probably a 3.2 megapixel Canon S1 IS with
x10 lens or the Minolta Z3 (x12, 4 megapixel).

Now the Lumix FZ-20 is out you might find cheaper FZ-10s (x12,
4 megapixels, but a much nicer quality than the Minolta Zs - more
comparable to the A series) out there.

I like the Minolta Dimage A series cameras a lot but the Zs feel cheap
and the pictures from them aren't anything like as crisp.

pete

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Dick Splodge - 09 Dec 2004 02:29 GMT

thanks guys I'll look at those ones you mentioned

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js - 14 Dec 2004 21:14 GMT

Look at the new Panasonic FZ3 which has a 12 X optical zoom, image
stabilizer, and is a reasonably small and compact size.
John

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Pete Fenelon - 14 Dec 2004 22:44 GMT

> Look at the new Panasonic FZ3 which has a 12 X optical zoom, image
> stabilizer, and is a reasonably small and compact size.
> John

Looks like a decent "entry level" ZLR if you can live with the relatively
low resolution of "only" 3 megapixels. If your budget runs to one of
these or an S1 IS then I'd certainly compare them back to back...

Physically, it has slightly smaller LCD screen, and hasn't got the
manual focus ring of the FZ10 or FZ20. Plastic body that's smaller and
considerably lighter than the other x12 stabilised Panasonics and a less
impressive flash (and no shoe for an external one) But it has got the
same beautiful lens....

I think if you want a ZLR-type camera mainly for shooting outdoors in
daylight, generating images to put on the Web or for small prints (6x4,
say), this could be enough for the job... the lens is by far the best
bit of the pricier FZs and this is a cheap way of getting hold of it.

pete (*very* happy FZ10 owner)

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blimey - 16 Dec 2004 19:44 GMT

sounds great !! thanks

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blimey - 16 Dec 2004 19:44 GMT

BTW - are you able to add another zoom lense to all these cameras to make
them even more powerful ?

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Pete Fenelon - 17 Dec 2004 00:06 GMT

> BTW - are you able to add another zoom lense to all these cameras to make
> them even more powerful ?

Yes....

Raynox do quite a full a range of wide-angle and telephoto converters
(Panasonic also do some of their own). With the biggest Raynox
teleconverter (I think x2.2) you're able to get out to about
900mm-equivalent, which is scary enough for anyone, I'd say ;)

(I can't - yet! - see any need to go beyond x12/420mm, but I suspect
spooks, ornithologists and a few other kinds of specialist might feel
the need!)

pete

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blimey - 20 Dec 2004 15:43 GMT

thanks Pete :-)

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