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Digital Photography

Extended-Range Zoom Lens Cameras by Alfred DeBat Compact SLRs are getting a big new feature - zooms of up to 18X! Article rating: 5.80

Most point-and-shoot digital cameras have modest 3X zoom lenses, which typically offer an equivalent film camera focal-length range of 38-114mm. Therefore, it was a little surprising when several manufacturers announced cameras with 18X extended-range zoom lenses that are rated from wide-angle 28mm to 504mm super telephoto settings.

These cameras are the size of small, compact SLR models and have the same kind of look. All the extended-range zoom models are targeted to advanced shooters, who have progressed beyond the snapshot stage of photography and feel that they can take advantage of the dramatic range of zoom focal lengths. However, with automatic camera settings and programs, almost anyone can successfully take pictures.

A few words of advice: Unless you are shooting in bright sunlight with a high shutter speed, it is difficult to make sharp handheld exposures using ultra long telephoto settings. At a 500mm focal length, most photographers employ tripods or other camera supports to eliminate camera movement. Luckily, in the digital world, these big-zoom cameras are equipped with optical image stabilization features, which can help to eliminate some minor handheld camera shake.

Extreme-range telephoto lenses aren’t designed for flash photography and cameras tend to rely on boosting sensor ISO sensitivity. Therefore, they have ISO 1600 and higher sensitivity. Unfortunately, when ISO sensitivity is increased to high numbers, the quality of the image is degraded. A better solution in low-illumination situations is a powerful accessory flash, since built-in flash units are usually weak and won’t go the distance. A supplementary flash connection (called a “hot shoe”) is required to attach a more powerful auxiliary flash unit to the camera. Hot shoes aren’t found on most cameras – in fact, only the Canon PowerShot S5 IS is so equipped in the following list of extended-zoom lens cameras.

When you are selecting a zoom lens camera, only pay attention to “optical zoom lens” specifications. Some manufacturers tout their cameras’ “digital zoom” capabilities and often advertise the combined focal-length effect of both optical and digital zooms. Unfortunately, digital zoom is only in-camera cropping of the image, which lowers its definition and makes for blurry photos.

One significant advantage of extended-range zoom lens camera over interchangeable-lens SLRs is that the fixed-lens models do not permit dust to accumulate on the camera sensor, which is possible when changing SLR lenses.

So what are you going to do with an extended-range zoom lens? Perhaps the biggest advantage is the ability to make in-close photos without actually being near the subject. They are perfect for an African photo safari or a day at the local zoo, when you’d like to take a close-up of a tiger’s whiskers. The best portraits are usually made in the range of equivalent 135mm; noses aren’t distorted as they are at near wide-angle focal lengths, and backgrounds can be out of focus. Flowers and other small objects can be made at telephoto settings so that they appear bigger than life. Super telephoto settings are perfect for sports photography, no matter if the subject is football or yacht racing. Any subject is fair game if you can’t get in close, such as photographing circus performers, musicians at rock concerts, or snapping photos of acrobatic planes at an air show.

Let’s take a look at a few of the extended-zoom cameras.

• The 8-megapixel Fujifilm FinePix S8000 fd with an 18X optical zoom (27-486mm) employs both an eye level electronic viewfinder depicting through-the-lens views and a traditional 2.5-inch LCD (liquid crystal display) monitor. Features include face detection technology, which recognizes and focuses upon up to 10 faces in a photo; automatic red-eye removal with in-camera software; 22 photo subject modes; continuous 1.3 frames per second (f.p.s.) burst for three photos; and accepts both xD Picture and SD memory cards. The camera offers both mechanical image stabilization and digital picture stabilization, which increases shutter speed and sensor sensitivity in low-light situations.

• The 7.1-megapixel Olympus SP-550 UZ ($500) is equipped with an 18X zoom (28-504mm), plus an accessory 1.7X Telephoto Conversion Lens that produces an 857mm ultra telephoto view. The model has two image stabilization solutions: sensor-shift, which compensates for shake by actually moving the image sensor inside the camera, and digital image stabilization, which boosts sensor chip sensitivity for the highest possible shutter speed. The SP-550 UZ employs both an eye level electronic viewfinder depicting through-the-lens views and a traditional 2.5-inch LCD monitor. Other features include 30 shooting modes, including automatic, for different subject types and sequential action burst mode at 1.2 f.p.s. for seven photos.

• The 8.1-megapixel Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18 ($400) features an 18X zoom lens (28-504mm) plus an accessory 1.7X Telephoto Conversion Lens that produces an 857mm ultra telephoto view and 0.7X Wide-angle Conversion Lens that creates a 19mm wide-angle view. It is equipped with optical image stabilization, which automatically adjusts for small camera movements to prevent blurring, and Intelligent ISO Control, which raises sensitivity and shutter speed settings for sharper photos. Features include eye level electronic viewfinder and 2.5-inch LCD monitor; face detection technology, which automatically focuses on up to 15 faces in a scene; automatic Scene Detection, which selects the best photography mode setting from more than 30 different subjects; and burst mode at 3 f.p.s. for seven photos.

• The 8.1-megapixel Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H9 ($480) with a 15X (31-465mm) zoom has an eye level electronic viewfinder and 2.5-inch LCD monitor. Features include optical image stabilization, face detection, continuous burst shooting and 11 photo modes. It employs Memory Stick memory cards.

• The 8-megapixel Canon PowerShot S5 IS ($370) with a 12X zoom lens (36-432mm) has an eye level electronic viewfinder and 2.5-inch LCD monitor. Features include: anti-shake stabilizer, 20 subject modes, 1.5 f.p.s. continuous-shooting mode, face detection mode for multiple subject portraits, external hot shoe for a supplementary flash unit, and an accessory 1.7X Teleconverter Lens that offers a 734mm super telephoto setting.

• The 7.1-megapixel Kodak EasyShare Z712 IS ($250) has a 12X (36-432mm) zoom with an eye level electronic viewfinder and 2.5-inch LCD monitor. Features include optical image stabilization and 15 photo shooting modes, such as built-in panoramic-stitching software.

• The 7.1-megapixel Olympus SP-510 UZ ($280) is equipped with a 10X zoom lens (38-380mm), eye level electronic viewfinder, and 2.5-inch LCD monitor. Two supplementary lenses are available for the camera: 0.7X Wide Conversion Lens (26.6mm) and 1.7X Telephoto Conversion Lens (646mm). Features include digital image stabilization, which automatically increases sensor ISO sensitivity; 28 subject modes; panorama mode to automatically “stitch” together up to 10 images; and 1.15 f.p.s. sequential shooting mode.

• 6.3-megapixel Fujifilm FinePix S6500 fd ($300) has a 10.7X zoom lens (28-380mm), plus an accessory Wide Angle Lens that produces a 22mm view, with eye level electronic viewfinder and 2.5-inch LCD monitor. Features include face detection technology, which recognizes and focuses upon up to 10 faces in a photo; digital picture stabilization, which increases shutter speed and sensor sensitivity in low-light situations; 20 photo subject modes; burst mode at 2.2 frames per second (f.p.s.) for three photos; and accepts both xD Picture and SD memory cards.

Please note that the prices published here are recent “street prices” and may change. All the lens specifications mentioned are in equivalent 35mm film camera focal lengths.

You can learn more about these cameras at the manufacturers’ websites: www.canon.com, www.kodak.com, www.fujifilm.com, www.olympusamerica.com, www.panasonic.com, and www.sonystyle.com.

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i think the kodak easyshare Z712 is the best camera in the world Posted by: Bob May 3, 2008 @ 4:44 PM EST

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