Best Pocket beginner zoom camera

tinkerdorabelle

DIS Veteran
Joined
Mar 7, 2001
We narrowed down our choice of camera due to size, zoom, wifi, selfie capability to these 4, Sony Cyber HX80, Sony Cyber HX90, Canon SX730, Lumix DCZ570. The first two have 30 optical zoom, the last 2 I believe 40. We almost got the Sony 80 which we were leaning towards and is in a local store, but after looking some said doesn't do as good in low light. Then another said you can raise the iso and it is better but not as clear. Can anyone with this camera tell me what their thoughts are on it, the Sony HX80 or HX90? What I want is nice color etc. also. If the Sony takes better quality pictures maybe I can deal with it not being as good in low light? I like capabilities that are similar to the phones where you can play with color etc. and looking for something fun, easy to use but step up from phone cameras of course. The other two I don't know that much about but was hoping some here would. Anyway anyone have any thoughts on any of these smaller zoom cameras would appreciate! Or one that would be even better. PS: We had a Fuji many years back that was tiny and is not pretty obsolete but it took incredible color pictures but we don't see any with decent zoom?
 
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OK. First off, don't get too attached to the long zoom feature. Only under a specific set of circumstances will you be able to handhold a shot that won't come out blurry. The longer the zoom, the more ANY movement will be accentuated in the capture.

That being said, the limiting factor is really going to be the small sensors in this price range. And, at the price point I'm thinking you're at, the differences in image quality among the cameras is going to be so minor as to be unnoticeable at 5x7/8x10 range. Although the point about Sony having an issue with low light is definitely true.

And while I'm technically a Canon person, Panasonic is many times the best bang for your buck. If you're looking for a pocketable compact with long zoom, I would recommend the Panasonic DC-ZS70/90. For further detail, see page 10 of this link.
 
The best pocket zoom camera in that price range is the Sony RX100 ------ But it depends what you're shooting and how.
The RX100 will deliver far better image quality, pretty close to dSLRs, it will have vastly superior low light capability than the cameras on your list. It has much more limited optical zoom range.

That's the price of a larger and superior sensor. There are a couple of reasons that there is no such thing as a 30x zoom for dSLRs: 1 --- small P&S cameras are achieving their big zoom range as a side effect of having a tiny cruddy sensor. So the camera makers market this negative in a positive way "wow, 30x 40x zoom"
2--- Nobody trying to take decent photos really needs a 30-40x zoom (unless photographing birds in flight, but those cameras aren't optimized for that anyway).
The only thinga 40x zoom can do --- is take a mediocre uninteresting shot of things in the far distance. To make any shot decent, you truly need to get in fairly close to the subject.

So basically... those cameras on your list will deliver image quality on par or below today's cell phones, but with lots of optical zoom. So if you want a camera with image quality as or below today's smart phones, but lots of zoom, those cameras on your list are all basically equal. If you have a current smart phone, it will probably give better low light performance than those cameras.

If you're looking for better image quality, look at the Sony RX100, the Canon G7X, Canon G9x, Panasonic TZ100, Panasonic LX10/LX15.
Those are really the best pocketable compact cameras on the market in a similar price range.
 
Yes if I purchase a point and shoot I want it to take better pictures and have more zoom than my camera, but it doesn't have to have 30 to 40 times zoom.
 
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So now we're down to these or just upgrading our phone lol. Didn't want too large a size to carry around. I'm leaning to the CANON SX730. There is a woman on this board that is shooting the most beautiful pictures with the Canon SX730, absolutely gorgeous, they look as good as many of the DSLRs, or better honestly, but she has a great eye also. She has a thread on here. My husband likes the NIKON COOLPIX A900, which has 4K video. Which would have more deeper saturated colors? Another was Panasonic LUMIX TZ90 also 4K video and reviewed in link with the others I've been considering. We wanted tilting screens that allowed for selfies. I have to say the SONY RX100 which size wise also is perfect and read great things about is the one we really want, but not sure we want to spend that amount, at almost $1000 is it over twice what we were looking on spending. If it were incredibly better possibly, but honestly were thinking half that originally. https://www.ephotozine.com/article/nikon-coolpix-a900-review-31016
 
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If you can find an RX100 and not the II or III version, you should be able to get one for ~500. The Canon will cost you 400 and the Sony is worth the extra 100.
 
Look them up on dpreview.com. You’ll get good reviews of all the cameras you are considering.

FWIW, I love Sony.
 


So now we're down to these or just upgrading our phone lol. Didn't want too large a size to carry around. I'm leaning to the CANON SX730. There is a woman on this board that is shooting the most beautiful pictures with the Canon SX730, absolutely gorgeous, they look as good as many of the DSLRs, or better honestly, but she has a great eye also. She has a thread on here. My husband likes the NIKON COOLPIX A900, which has 4K video. Which would have more deeper saturated colors? Another was Panasonic LUMIX TZ90 also 4K video and reviewed in link with the others I've been considering. We wanted tilting screens that allowed for selfies. I have to say the SONY RX100 which size wise also is perfect and read great things about is the one we really want, but not sure we want to spend that amount, at almost $1000 is it over twice what we were looking on spending. If it were incredibly better possibly, but honestly were thinking half that originally. https://www.ephotozine.com/article/nikon-coolpix-a900-review-31016

Those are all perfectly decent cameras, as is every camera on the market. But your image quality with the SX730 and A900 is probably below what you would get with an iphone X or Google Pixel 2 phone. But you will get much more zoom range, obviously.
 
Thanks all for the replies, appreciated. We ended up with the Canon SX730 largely because of a person on this very Photography board shooting pics with it and blown away by her pictures, people were asking her questions thinking she had a DSLR, as did I. The colors are extremely beautiful and saturated, better pics than my cell which is the Samsung Note 4 and took pretty good pics, has the 40x zoom, and is small to carry. I didn't necessarily need 40x zoom, but wanted more zoom than my phone, and although still learning the camera, it's working for me! puckerup:
 
Good for you. Look at it this way, the best camera out there is the one you have in your hands.

Best of luck and hope to see you posting some shots here in the future.
 
If you have time for another recommendation, I would have you consider a mirrorless system camera. Sometimes they are called mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras (milc) which works for me.

Now a Sony rx100 is a very nice cam and at about $500 is not too hard on you for what you get. By all accounts the built in zoom lens has adequate range for most family pics and the quality of optics is very good. Low light performance is this cams wheelhouse so don't expect to really reach out for those long shots. It will do it's best ... But it's an all in one cam.

Now compare to the original eos m. You can find them used on Amazon with a great fixed lens for darkdrides (22mm f/2) for about $270. A kit lens like the 15-45mm zoom is comparable to the rx100 built in one and can be bought for about $120. With either of these two lenses in, the camera will perform as good or better as the Sony, is as easy to use, put it in CA mode and camera does everything.

And gives you a great deal of flexibility in where and how you shoot. The new Speedlite 90x is a great flash for character meets. There are specialty lenses available for interesting shots. Like fish eye and extreme telephoto. I'm currently playing with a 500mm telephoto lens on mine. It came with a 2x adapter as well so its actually a 1000mm f8 lens. I bought it on Amazon new for $110. Only really used on AK safari ride and fireworks.

Point is, the rx100 is great at snapshots. But there will be times where a bit if flexibility would help. Milc style cameras get you there.

Honestly, for the money, the Yi m1 is actually a decent camera. Latest firmware is doing g well to chase out early release glitches.

In any case. Good luck.
 
If you have time for another recommendation, I would have you consider a mirrorless system camera. Sometimes they are called mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras (milc) which works for me.

Now a Sony rx100 is a very nice cam and at about $500 is not too hard on you for what you get. By all accounts the built in zoom lens has adequate range for most family pics and the quality of optics is very good. Low light performance is this cams wheelhouse so don't expect to really reach out for those long shots. It will do it's best ... But it's an all in one cam.

Now compare to the original eos m. You can find them used on Amazon with a great fixed lens for darkdrides (22mm f/2) for about $270. A kit lens like the 15-45mm zoom is comparable to the rx100 built in one and can be bought for about $120. With either of these two lenses in, the camera will perform as good or better as the Sony, is as easy to use, put it in CA mode and camera does everything.
And gives you a great deal of flexibility in where and how you shoot. The new Speedlite 90x is a great flash for character meets. There are specialty lenses available for interesting shots. Like fish eye and extreme telephoto. I'm currently playing with a 500mm telephoto lens on mine. It came with a 2x adapter as well so its actually a 1000mm f8 lens. I bought it on Amazon new for $110. Only really used on AK safari ride and fireworks.

Point is, the rx100 is great at snapshots. But there will be times where a bit if flexibility would help. Milc style cameras get you there.

Honestly, for the money, the Yi m1 is actually a decent camera. Latest firmware is doing g well to chase out early release glitches.
In any case. Good luck.

yes, mirrorless is more flexible and versatile
the original M was good ... at $100
the newer models M5, M6, M100, M50 etc are much better but higher priced.
www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless
 

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