Top 5 Compacts with LONG-zoom Lenses...

CNET ASIA: Compacts with long-zoom lenses

By Leonard Goh, CNET Asia
Dec 03, 2010

Most point-and-shoots have a zoom range of 3x to 5x, but there's a group of shooters with a longer zoom range. The trend was probably started by Panasonic with its TZ series, but these days most brands have their own long-zoom compact offering an optical zoom range of 10x and above. They are ideal for travelers who want a camera that allows them to capture distant subjects without weighing them down, the way dSLRs or superzooms sometimes do. Also, some of these shooters have manual exposure controls or specialized low-light modes, making them suitable for enthusiasts. While compact long zooms may be more expensive than the average point-and-shoot, their advanced features justify the premium.

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	1.	Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ10    CNET Asia rating: 8 out of 10 The good: Manual exposure control; multi aspect ratio sensor; GPS works for geotagging; quick performance; good image quality. The bad: Design hasn't changed from previous TZ shooters; a bit heavy. The bottom line: Panasonic listened to consumers and fixed the issues which bugged the TZ10's predecessor, making the current long-zoom compact a joy to use. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	2.	Nikon Coolpix S8100 First take The Nikon Coolpix S8100 is the company's latest compact long-zoom offering and this model succeeds the S8000. The snapper touts several upgrades, such as full-HD video and an improved image-processing engine. However, the point-and-shoot faces competition from rivals such as the Canon PowerShot SX210 IS and the popular Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ10. First take | See full specs | Rate this
	3.	Fujifilm FinePix F300EXR CNET Asia rating: 7.8 out of 10 The good: Fast focusing; long zoom lens; stylish design; unique panorama mode captures 360-degree view; decent picture quality. The bad: Lens return to wide-angle setting automatically when switching from EXR to normal modes; ISO setting is set at each exposure setting and requires manual adjustment. The bottom line: The F300EXR is recommended for those who want a compact camera with a long zoom lens and speedy focusing system. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	4.	Canon PowerShot SX210 IS CNET Asia rating: 7.4 out of 10 The good: Simple, uncluttered design; variety of shooting modes; interesting Miniature Effect and Fisheye scene modes; 14x optical zoom in a slim chassis. The bad: Stiff mode dial, unlabeled navigation pad; image quality degrades from ISO 200. The bottom line: The SX210 IS is a very capable camera that does what it promises, but we think the image quality could be better. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	5.	Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V CNET Asia rating: 8 out of 10 The good: Speedy shooting performance; compact, lightweight design; plenty of fun, useful features; very good low-light photo quality for a compact camera. The bad: Soft photos, videos; limited manual controls; GPS can't be quickly powered on and off. The bottom line: The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V has shooting options for solving common snapshot camera issues, but some users still won't be thrilled with the results. Review | See full specs | Rate this