ElectronicsPhotography

What are the best superzoom cameras?

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Oct 10, 2017

Last
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Here’s the Deal

4 Options Considered

Best superzoom cameras	Price	Weight	Battery Life
-- Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ2000/FZ2500	$1,199.99	915 grams	350 shots
-- Sony Cyber-Shot DSC RX10 III	$1,399.99	1051 grams	420 shots
-- Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ1000	$699.99	831 grams	360 shots
-- Nikon Coolpix P900	$599.95	899 grams	360 shots

Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ2000/FZ2500

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Top Pro

You can change frame rates while filming

When you’re shooting a video, you can change it to slow motion while continually filming. So you can shoot both slow motion and normal mode in one video clip. See More

Top Con

The lens cap is loose

You can easily knock the camera lens protector off with very little effort. See More

Specs

Weight:915 grams

Battery Life:350 shots

Sensor type:20 MP, 1″ BSI-CMOS

ISO Range:Auto, 125-12800

Top Pro

You can set the shutter to fire with a half press button

Minimizes camera shaking, because you can trigger the shutter with a slight press and take pictures quicker. This is great when shooting unpredictable subjects like birds or during sporting events. See More

Top Con

This is a bulky camera

When you turn it on, the lens will automatically extend from the camera and stay that way, making it bigger and longer than it already is. See More

Top Pro

Powerful zoom

The FZ2000/FZ2500 has 20x built-in optical zoom lens. See More

Top Con

Heavy

Weighing almost a kilo, this camera is not for someone who wants to travel light. See More

Top Pro

It takes excellent quality videos

With its 4K cinema mode, you can shoot cinema like scenes, because the large video frame format will make your videos appear wider. Moreover, there is no longer a 30 minute 4K video limit. This was an issue in the previous model. See More

Top Con

Expensive

If you are on a budget, this camera is pricey. See More

Top Pro

Video and photo settings are separately saved

It saves and keep video and photo preferred settings separate. Great when going back and forth between video and photo modes See More

Top Con

The input and output jacks are placed where your lcd screen folds out

When cables are attached to your camera, they gets in the way, making it hard when you’re doing selfies or just looking at the LCD. See More

Top Pro

You can customize the settings while looking at the Electronic Viewfinder (EVF)

The camera settings are visible in the EVF so you'll no longer have to take your eye off when operating the buttons and you can focus more on your object and how it would look after the shot. See More

Top Pro

It has touch screen auto focus

You can easily direct which part of the screen you want your camera to focus and this works even when you are looking through the Electronic Viewfinder (EVF) See More

Top Pro

It has built-in Neutral Density (ND) Filters

ND Filters help to tone down bright areas, making it very convenient when working under such conditions. Choosing which filter to use is quick and easy. See More

Top Pro

Takes superb time lapse videos especially during sunrise and sunset

You can set the 2, 4 or 6-stop Neutral Density (ND) filters to tone done down sun glares at different times of the day so you'll have a more balanced video. This is all built-in which is great for Vlog clips. See More

Sony Cyber-Shot DSC RX10 III

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Top Pro

Has very high frame rates

You can capture 14 shots per second and film smooth slow motion videos. See More

Top Con

No touch screen

You’ll have to rely on buttons and knobs only See More

Specs

Weight:1051 grams

Battery Life:420 shots

Sensor type:20 MP, 1″ BSI-CMOS

ISO Range:Auto, 100 - 12800

Top Pro

Pictures are very sharp

The 20.1 Megapixel sensor ensures that the pictures you take are very sharp. See More

Top Con

Manually zooming the lens takes a lot of work

When moving the lens manually, you’ve got to turn it over and over again to get it to really move and it gets pretty tiring at the end of the day. You can, however, use the zoom lever but at the expense of battery life. See More

Top Pro

Powerful zoom

The RX10 III has 25x built-in optical zoom lens. See More

Top Con

Limited LCD movement

Tilting LCD means it has a limited movement unlike other cameras where you can fully articulate their screens. See More

Top Pro

Fast auto focus

You can capture images quickly. See More

Top Con

Not good for very bright areas

No built-in Neutral Density (ND) filters and you cannot attach one yourself. See More

Top Pro

Great in low light conditions

Captures excellent pictures under low light conditions. See More

Top Con

Very heavy

Weighs over a kilo. See More

Top Pro

Good battery life

You can take around 420 pictures per one full charge. See More

Top Con

Expensive

Comes with a very hefty price tag. See More

Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ1000

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Top Pro

Very good photo quality

This camera is known for its very good photo quality at this price range. It has an excellent color reproduction that is crisp, sharp, detailed and natural looking. See More

Top Con

You cannot record videos when using HDMI output

You’ll have to settle with 3” LCD screen when recording a video. See More

Specs

Weight:831 grams

Battery Life:360 shots

Sensor type:20 MP, 1″ CMOS

ISO Range:Auto, 125-12800

Top Pro

Great value for money

Not very expensive yet very versatile camera that can hold on its own in comparison to newer and more expensive models. It is packed with the latest features, such as 4K video capability and a large, 1-inch 20-Megapixel sensor like those of the higher price range models. See More

Top Con

No touch screen

You’ll have to rely on buttons and knobs only See More

Top Pro

Has a very good optical image stabilization system

The FZ1000 handles stability correction pretty well, you can use this camera without a tripod even if you have hand tremors. Your pictures will turn out very clear and sharp. See More

Top Con

No built-in Neutral Density (ND) Filters

ND filters helps tone down bright areas. You can use external filters by screwing them in front of the lens. See More

Top Pro

Turn on time is very fast

You can start taking pictures in just one second. See More

Top Con

SD card and battery slot are at the bottom

It is takes a lot of work removing them when the camera is locked on a tripod. See More

Top Pro

Has very fast point to point autofocus

It takes just a couple of milliseconds for the auto focus to catch up with you. See More

Top Con

You're not gonna get a full frame 4k videos/pictures

When on 4k mode, you'll lose that wide angle coverage because the camera crops them. So your pictures and videos will come out in a reduced size format. See More

Top Pro

Photo quality is still very good even in low light conditions

When you find yourself in places such as poorly lit reception halls, darkened football fields and the like, your pictures will still turn out bright and won't lose too much background detail. See More

Nikon Coolpix P900

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Top Pro

Macro shots are very good

The P900 macro photos are impressive. You can zoom very close to your object and still capture sharp images in great detail. See More

Top Con

Only supports jpeg and no RAW format

This camera supports JPEG format only. Most professional photo editors prefer a RAW file because they are much less likely to lose any of the photo quality. See More

Specs

Weight:899 grams

Battery Life:360 shots

Sensor type:16 MP, 1/2.3" BSI-CMOS

ISO Range:Auto, 100-6400

Top Pro

Has a snapback review button

If you have already thought of which area to shoot, you'll find it very convenient that you can zoom in and out of that area for a better perspective with one click of a button. See More

Top Con

Manual focus ring is dissappointing and difficult to operate

You will have to mostly rely on the electronic zoom because the built-in manual focus is cumbersome. See More

Top Pro

Image stabilization is good

Handles small movements, such as hand tremors, pretty well. Pictures turn out crisp and clear, without the blur. See More

Top Con

Must use tripod for stability

For a clearer and sharper pictures when zooming to a considerable distance, you need a good tripod for stability. See More

Top Pro

It has built-in GPS

Great when tagging pictures to places you have been. You can get it via a downloadable text log file from the camera. See More

Top Con

Not great in low light conditions

This Nikon camera doesn't deal well with noise (visual distortions) in poorly lit areas. See More

Top Pro

Great value

Considering all the features, P900 is relatively cheap. See More

Top Con

Mobile utility app is underwhelming

The only features that the app has are the viewfinder and shutter control. You can’t record videos. Moreover, the settings are limited, and there is a substantial lag when zooming. See More

Top Pro

83x zoom is optical

Optical zoom will not degrade image quality because it remains unaltered. You'll maintain clear and crisp photos when zooming at far greater distances. See More

Top Con

No touch screen

You’ll have to rely on buttons. See More

Top Pro

Unmatched zooming capability

Has 83x optical zoom and up to 166x digital zoom. The highest in its class. See More

Top Con

Does not take 4k videos and photos

1080 is the best resolution it can handle. See More

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