Superzooms

[Published: In Times Life on 18.11.12 of Times of India by Javed Anwer]

 

IF you’ve outgrown your standard point-and-shoot, but are still uncomfortable with the manual controls in a DSLR, then you might want to consider superzooms. Regardless of what you want to capture, whether candid moments at a birthday party, split-second action photos of your kid on a football pitch, or even the scenic vistas of Manali, these shooters can handle it all...

Sony HX200V

We discovered the HX200V to be a solid performer, equipped with a range of pre-set filters, as well as the capability to shoot 3D photos and panoramas. And it is fast, acquiring focus in a snap and allowing us to shoot multiple pictures without any discernable lag.

Overall, it is a well-rounded package that appeals to users who value image quality and the versatility that comes from having the ease of a point-andshoot combined with the flexibility of manual controls.

What we like

• The camera has excellent build quality. Though it is all plastic, the construction feels solid. Also, a rather large DSLR-like righthand grip helps the user keep the camera steady while clicking pictures.
• Very good image quality in all shooting conditions: Colours look bright and vibrant, and details look sharp and clear. Features like panorama mode and HDR work well.
• You can zoom in and out while shooting movies, and subjects remain in sharp focus. The camera records audio in stereo sound. Usually, the mechanical zooming in and out of the lens introduces audio disturbances in videos. But on the HX200V, the interference was barely audible.

What we don’t like 

• The HX200V has a problem while focussing on subjects closer than three metres if you are using maxed-out zoom. Not exactly recommended for macro photography.
• While the camera offers 30x zoom, we would have liked to see some more at this price point.

 

Nikon P510
 

When it comes to optical magnification, the P510 is king with its whopping 42x zoom. In comparison, most entry-level DSLRs, when paired with a standard telephoto lens, have a zoom that ranges between 15x and 18x. Besides, this shooter boasts of performance that matches its specs.

That said, the P510’s user interface is standard affair; not as exhaustive and full of features as that of the Sony HX200V. Still, it covers the basics like auto mode, scene selector, program modes, etc.

If you’re looking for maximum zoom, the P510 is the camera for you – ideal for a person who loves adventure holidays and the great outdoors.

What we like

• The zoom! If you are used to point-and-shoot cameras, you will be amazed with the reach that the P510 allows you. And what’s more, the extra zoom also helps in getting amazing defocused/soft backgrounds when clicking portrait shoots.
  
• The image quality is mostly good, even at the high-end of the focal range. Colours are rendered accurately, with lots of detail and the right amount of exposure.
  
• In video mode, the camera captures audio in stereo, and also allows you to take advantage of its full optical zoom. It picks some faint sounds from the lens movement, but this is not a deal-breaker.

What we don’t like

• The P510 is built using glossy plastic and that feels cheap. Also, for its size, the camera is pretty light, something that doesn’t inspire confidence in its build quality.
  
• The performance in low-light conditions leaves much to be desired. The shooter is slow to acquire focus, and pictures have lots of noise or grain in them. In cases where its flash is used, the camera tends to underexpose the pictures. In short, low light photography is the P510’s Achilles heel.
• Focus is slow to latch on during videos. This means if you zoom to pan in and out, there could be moments when your subjects will not be in focus.

                    

 FujiFilm Finepix SL300

Despite its price, the SL300 packs in a decent 30x zoom lens. It also boasts of an electronic viewfinder though it’s not very bright or sharp and we mostly used the LCD display to frame our pictures.

On paper, this shooter looks good, but don’t expect miracles in terms of performance from it. Still, given its price, it’s a decent deal if you are looking to buy a highzoom shooter on a budget.

What we like

• The SL300 is a bridge camera (i.e. a point-and-shoot with a DSLR-like body) with solid build quality. The lens has a nice rubber grip, while its matte plastic body has been given a thin coating of soft rubber around the screen area. Its size and form factor make it comfortable to handle, and easy to hold steady during shoots.    
•  30x zoom seems good at its price, and pictures shot at maximum focal length come out well when the camera is used outdoors in sunlight.

What we don’t like

• The SL300 is a slow performer. In low light, acquiring focus takes a few seconds. Durations between continuous shots are also longer when compared to other shooters reviewed here: Once you have clicked a picture, the camera takes just a tad longer to process the image and although it all happens within a split second, the difference is apparent between rapid shots. This means you might not enjoy clicking action photos with this one    
•  Image quality is good in proper light, with accurate colours. But in low-light conditions – for example, in the evening – images lack sharpness. The main problem is the over-smoothing that the SL300 applies to images This reduces details and makes the pictures look a little washed out.
• Videos are limited to 720p and grain is visible in footage Besides, you can’t use the full 30x zoom during videos Also, the camera lacks ability to record stereo sound.

 Canon SX260HS

SX260HS is a pint-size camera, but it still packs in a lens that can provide up to 20x zoom. And while it was the only device in this shootout that did not have a viewfinder, it still performed solidly making it an ideal buy for anyone looking to get lots of zoom without sacrificing on portability.

What we like

• For an ultra-compact camera, SX260HS is fast. It acquires focus in a snap, and duration between shots is virtually non-existent in well-lit conditions.
• Barring the pictures shot in extreme low-light, the SX260HS snaps excellent photos even at the high-end of its zoom. The pictures have lots of details and look sharp and clear.
•  Its small size is an advantage, making it an ideal travel camera.

What we don’t like

• The quality of movies made indoors is average, with visible noise. Also, the camera picks up audio from the lens mechanics while zooming in and out.
•  Battery life is below average with the camera lasting for around 200 shots on full charge.

[Update: 10.05.14]Canon EOS 1200D 

 

 

Specifications for EOS 1200D (Body)

Type	Digital, single-lens reflex, AF/AE camera with built-in flash
Recording media	SD memory card, SDHC memory card, SDXC memory card
Image sensor size	Approx. 22.3 x 14.9mm
Compatible lenses	Canon EF lenses (including EF-S lenses) * Excluding EF-M lenses (35mm-equivalent focal length is approx. 1.6 times the lens focal length)
Lens mount	Canon EF mount
Image Sensor
Type	CMOS sensor
Effective pixels	Approx. 18.0 megapixels
Aspect ratio	3:2
Dust delete feature	Dust Delete Data appending, Clean manually
Recording System
Recording format	Design rule for Camera File System (DCF) 2.0
Image type	JPEG, RAW (14-bit Canon original) RAW+JPEG Large simultaneous recording possible
Recording pixels	L (Large):	Approx. 17.9 megapixels (5184 x 3456)
	M (Medium):	Approx. 8.0 megapixels (3456 x 2304)
	S1 (Small 1):	Approx. 4.5 megapixels (2592 x 1728)
	S2 (Small 2):	Approx. 2.5 megapixels (1920 x 1280)
	S3 (Small 3):	Approx. 350,000 pixels (720 x 480)
	RAW:	Approx. 17.9 megapixels (5184 x 3456)
Create / select a folder	Possible
File numbering	Continuous, Auto reset, Manual reset
Image Processing During Shooting
Picture style	Auto, Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, Faithful, Monochrome, User Def. 1 - 3
Basic+	Ambience-based shots, Light/scene-based shots
White balance	Auto, Preset (Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten light, White fluorescent light, Flash), Custom White Balance correction and White balance bracketing possible * Flash color temperature information transmission enabled
Noise reduction	Applicable to long exposures and high ISO speed shots
Automatic image brightness correction	Auto Lighting Optimizer
Highlight tone priority	Provided
Lens peripheral illumination correction	Provided
Viewfinder
Type	Eye-level pentamirror
Coverage	Vertical / Horizontal approx. 95% (with Eye point approx. 21mm)
Magnification	Approx. 0.8x (-1m-1 with 50mm lens at infinity)
Eyepoint	Approx. 21mm (from eyepiece lens center at -1m-1)
Built-in dioptric adjustment	Approx. -2.5 - +0.5m-1 (dpt)
Focusing screen	Fixed, Precision Matte
Mirror	Quick-return type
Depth-of-field preview	Enabled with Custom Function setting
Autofocus
Type	TTL secondary image-registration, phase detection
AF points	9-point (Cross-type AF sensitive to f/5.6 with center AF point)
Focusing brightness range	EV 0-18 (Center AF point) EV 1-18 (Other AF points) (With One-Shot AF, at room temperature, ISO 100)
AF operation	One-Shot AF, AI Servo AF, AI Focus AF
AF-assist beam	Small series of flashes fired by built-in flash
Exposure Control
Metering modes	63-zone TTL full-aperture metering Evaluative metering (linked to all AF points) Partial metering (approx. 10% of viewfinder at center) Center-weighted average metering
Brightness metering range	EV 1 - 20 (at room temperature, ISO 100)
Exposure control	Program AE (Scene Intelligent Auto, Flash Off, Creative Auto, Portrait, Landscape, Close-up, Sports, Night Portrait, Program), Shutter-priority AE, Aperture-priority AE, Manual exposure
ISO speed (Recommended exposure index)	Basic zone modes*:	ISO 100 - ISO 3200 set automatically
	* Portrait:	ISO 100
	Creative Zone modes:	ISO 100 - ISO 6400 set manually (whole-stop increments), ISO 100 - ISO 6400 set automatically, maximum ISO speed settable for ISO Auto, or expandable to "H" (equivalent to ISO 12800)
Exposure compensation	Manual:	±5 stops in 1/3- or 1/2-stop increments
	AEB:	±2 stops in 1/3- or 1/2-stop increments (can be combined with manual exposure compensation)
AE lock	Auto:	Applied in One-Shot AF with evaluative metering when focus is achieved
	Manual:	By AE lock button
Shutter
Type	Electronically-controlled, focal-plane shutter
Shutter speeds	1/4000sec. to 30sec. (Total shutter speed range. Available range varies by shooting mode.), Bulb, X-sync at 1/200sec.
Flash
Built-in flash	Retractable, auto pop-up flash
	Guide No:	Approx. 9.2 / 30.2 (ISO 100, in meters / feet) or Approx. 13 / 42.7 (ISO 200, in meters / feet)
	Flash coverage:	Approx. 17mm lens angle of view
	Recycling time approx. 2 sec.
External flash	EX-series Speedlite
Flash metering	E-TTL II autoflash
Flash exposure compensation	±2 stops in 1/3- or 1/2-stop increments
FE lock	Provided
PC terminal	None
Drive System
Drive mode	Single shooting, Continuous shooting, Self-timer with 10- sec. or 2-sec. delay and 10-sec. delay with continuous shooting
Continuous shooting speed	Max. approx. 3.0 shots/sec.
Max. burst (Approx.)	JPEG Large / Fine:	69 shots
	RAW:	6 shots
	RAW+JPEG Large / Fine:	4 shots
	* Figures are based on Canon's 8 GB test card and testing standards (ISO 100 and Standard Picture Style).
Live View Shootings
Aspect ratio	3:2, 4:3, 16:9, 1:1
Focusing methods	Contrast detection (FlexiZone-Single, Face detection Live mode), Phase-difference detection (Quick mode) Manual focus (approx. 5x / 10x magnification possible)
Focusing brightness range	EV 1 - 18 (at room temperature, ISO 100)
Metering modes	Real-time metering with image sensor
Brightness metering range	EV 0 - 20 (at room temperature, ISO 100)
Grid display	Two types
Movie Shooting
Recording format	MOV
Movie	MPEG-4 AVC / H.264 Variable (average) bit rate
Audio	Linear PCM
Recording size and frame rate	1920 x 1080 (Full HD):	30p / 25p / 24p
	1280 x 720 (HD):	60p / 50p
	640 x 480 (SD):	30p / 25p
	* 30p: 29.97fps, 25p: 25.00fps, 24p: 23.98fps, 60p: 59.94fps, 50p: 50.00fps
File size	1920 x 1080 (30p / 25p / 24p):	Approx. 330MB/min.
	1280 x 720 (60p / 50p):	Approx. 330MB/min.
	640 x 480 (30p / 25p) :	Approx. 82.5MB/min.
Focusing	Same as focusing with Live View shooting
Metering modes	Center-weighted average and evaluative metering with the image sensor * Automatically set by the focusing mode
Brightness metering range	EV 0 - 20 (at room temperature, ISO 100)
Exposure control	Autoexposure and manual exposure
Exposure compensation	±3 stops in 1/3-stop increments (Still photos: ±5 stops)
ISO speed: (Recommended exposure index)	With autoexposure shooting:	ISO 100 - ISO 6400 set automatically (ISO 100 - ISO 3200 for still photo shooting)
	With manual exposure:	ISO 100 - ISO 6400 set automatically / manually
Video snapshots	Settable to 2 sec. / 4 sec. / 8 sec.
Sound recording	Built-in monaural microphone Sound-recording level adjustable, wind filter provided
Grid display	Two types
Still photo shooting	Possible
LCD Monitor
Type	TFT colour liquid-crystal monitor
Monitor size and dots	Approx. 7.5cm (3.0-in.) (4:3) with approx. 460,000 dots
Brightness adjustment	Manual (7 levels)
Interface languages	25
Feature guide	Displayable
Playback
Image display formats	Basic info, basic info + image quality / playback number, shooting info. display, histogram, image index (4/9)
Zoom magnification	Approx. 1.5x - 10x
Highlight alert	Overexposed highlights blink
Image browsing methods	Single image, jump by 10 or 100 images, by shooting date, by folder, by movies, by stills, by rating
Image rotation	Possible
Ratings	Provided
Movie playback	Enabled (LCD monitor, HDMI OUT) Built-in speaker
Image protection	Possible
Slide show	All images, by date, by folder, by movies, by stills, by rating Five transition effects selectable
Background music	Selectable for slide shows and movie playback
Post-Processing of Images
Creative filters	Grainy B/W, Soft focus, Fish-eye effect, Toy camera effect, Miniature effect
Resize	Possible
Direct Printing
Compatible printers	PictBridge-compatible printers
Printable images	JPEG and RAW images
Print ordering	DPOF Version 1.1 compliant
Custom Functions
Custom functions	11
My menu registration	Possible
Copyright information	Entry and inclusion enabled
Interface
Digital terminal	Computer communication, Direct printing (Hi-Speed USB equivalent), GPS Receiver GP-E2 connection
HDMI mini OUT terminal	Type C (Auto switching of resolution), CEC-compatible
Remote control terminal	For Remote Switch RS-60E3
Eye-Fi card	Compatible
Power
Battery	Battery Pack LP-E10 (Quantity 1) * AC power can be supplied via AC Adapter Kit ACK-E10
Number of possible shots (Based on CIPA testing standards)	With viewfinder shooting:	Approx. 500 shots at room temperature (23°C / 73°F) Approx. 410 shots at low temperatures (0°C / 32°F)
	With Live View shooting:	Approx. 180 shots at room temperature (23°C / 73°F) Approx. 170 shots at low temperatures (0°C / 32°F)
Movie shooting time	Approx. 1hr. 15min. at room temperature (23°C / 73°F) Approx. 1hr. 10min. at low temperatures (0°C / 32°F) (with a fully-charged Battery Pack LP-E10)
Dimensions and Weight
Dimensions (W x H x D)	Approx. 129.6 x 99.7 x 77.9mm / 5.10 x 3.93 x 3.07in.
Weight	Approx. 480g / 16.93oz. (CIPA Guidelines), Approx. 435g / 15.34oz. (Body only)
Operating Environment
Working temperature range	0°C - 40°C / 32°F - 104°F
Working humidity	85% or less
Battery Pack LP-E10
Type	Rechargeable lithium-ion battery
Rated voltage	7.4V DC
Battery capacity	860 mAh
Working temperature range	During charging: 6°C - 40°C / 43°F - 104°F During shooting: 0°C - 40°C / 32°F - 104°F
Working humidity	85% or less
Dimensions (W x H x D)	Approx. 36.2 x 14.7 x 49.0mm / 1.4 x 0.6 x 1.9in.
Weight	Approx. 45g / 1.6oz.
Battery Charger LC-E10
Compatible battery	Battery Pack LP-E10
Recharging time	Approx. 2 hours (at 23°C / 73°F)
Rated input	100 - 240V AC (50 / 60Hz)
Rated output	8.3V DC / 580 mA
Working temperature range	6°C - 40°C / 43°F - 104°F
Working humidity	85% or less
Dimensions (W x H x D)	Approx. 67.0 x 30.5 x 87.5mm / 2.6 x 1.2 x 3.4in.
Weight	Approx. 85g / 3.0oz.
Battery Charger LC-E10E
Compatible battery	Battery Pack LP-E10
Power cord length	Approx. 1m / 3.3ft.
Recharging time	Approx. 2 hours (at 23°C / 73°F)
Rated input	100 - 240V AC (50 / 60Hz)
Rated output	8.3V DC / 580 mA
Working temperature range	6°C - 40°C / 43°F - 104°F
Working humidity	85% or less
Dimensions (W x H x D):	Approx. 67.0 x 30.5 x 87.5mm / 2.6 x 1.2 x 3.4in.
Weight	Approx. 82g / 2.9oz. (excluding power cord)

•	All the data above is based on Canon's testing standards and CIPA (Camera & Imaging Products Association) testing standards and guidelines.
•	Dimensions, maximum diameter, length and weight listed above are based on CIPA Guidelines (except weight for camera body only).
•	Product specifications and the exterior are subject to change without notice.
•	If a problem occurs with a non-Canon lens attached to the camera, consult the respective lens manufacturer.

[Update: 10.05.14] Sony Alpha 3500 , Alpha 58