More zoom, less room: Compact megazoom cameras

Joshua Goldman
Senior editor March 21, 2011 (updated on: August 16, 2011)

Compact megazooms, also known as travel zooms, are some of the most popular point-and-shoot cameras on CNET. That's likely because they offer wide-angle lenses with long zooms, giving you a lot of shooting flexibility, but without the bulk of larger dSLR-style megazooms. All of the major camera manufacturers have at least one, if not two or three, in their lineups, so figuring out which one best meets your needs is tricky. To help, I've rounded up six of my current favorite recommendations.

Bargain hunters should pick up the Sony Cyber-shot HX5V while it's still available. It's a 2010 model featuring a Sony Exmor R sensor for improved low-light photos and faster shooting performance and a high-end Sony G lens, but for around the same price as the less capable H70 from this year. (Though the H70 is a good camera, too.) If you want the latest and greatest, track down the HX7V, which has new shooting options like a Background Defocus mode to simulate a shallow depth of field.

If you want the convenience of AA-size batteries and manual controls, the Canon PowerShot SX130 IS is the way to go. In fact, if you want a body this small with AA batteries, it's the only option.

For those who want an easy point-and-shoot experience (no manual or semimanual shooting modes), check out the Nikon Coolpix S8100 or S9100. They both offer all-around very good photo quality and shooting performance, and they carry a 10x and an 18x zoom lens, respectively, in compact bodies.

The Canon PowerShot SX230 HS and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10 are those manufacturers' top compact megazooms for 2011--the ones with the most features, the longest lenses, and the highest prices. If you need great low-light/high-ISO photo quality, I'd go with the Canon. The Panasonic is otherwise the better of the two, with faster shooting performance, a wider, longer lens, and more features.

However, if you're looking for the camera with the most features as well as excellent photo and video quality, check out the Sony HX9V. It is currently my top choice for a compact megazoom, but it might be more camera than some people want or need.

There are a lot of cameras in this category, though, so this certainly isn't all of what's available. Look for future reviews of models from Fujifilm, Casio, Olympus, and others.