Superzooms slim down or bulk up

The Canon PowerShot SX10 IS, an example of a bulky superzoom. (Click to enlarge.)"

Some of the new superzoom cameras I reported on earlier this year, which were shown at CES and PMA, are just starting to show up in stores. All have 20x or more optical zoom, which is a good thing, but they're pretty chunky for point-and-shoots. Still, if maximum zoom is your priority, they're the way to go.

On the other hand, if you wouldn't mind sacrificing a little zoom power for smaller size, you might be interested in some slimmer models that are hitting the market now.

We're testing both types so you can see how they compare and decide which you'd prefer:

Chunky: These superzooms can have as much as 26x optical zoom, but they're hefty. They have many buttons and controls, and have some options that few point-and-shoots have, such as a hot-shoe for attaching an external flash. They also generally have viewfinders, which can be helpful in bright-light situations when the LCD gets washed out. They can also be among the priciest point-and-shoots.

A slimmer, lighter superzoom, the Samsung HZ10W. (Click to enlarge.)

Slim: These superzooms generally have either a 10x or 12x optical zoom lens and come in a form factor that's only slightly larger than most compacts. They're more portable than the larger models, but often have fewer buttons and controls to change exposure settings and don't include a viewfinder. Generally, they're cheaper than the chunkier models.

Check our digital camera Ratings for more details on these and other models. —Terry Sullivan

Comments

[Alan H]

Consumers are frustrated about prices of cameras being different in stores than in "Consumer Reports". But, the prices of cameras varies greatly over time.

For example, the Canon A590 sold for around $200 for the first six months it was in stores. Then the price dropped to around $140. Just before it was discontinued by most stores, the price dropped to $110. After most stores had replaced it with the Canon A1000, the Canon A590 become something of a "collector's item", and the price went back up to $200 at Amazon.com....prices of popular Canon models change DAILY at Amazon.com, with one color being $30 more or $30 less than another color.

And, I have seen the same pattern with most "popular" Canon models...high when new...price drop in six months...big price drop just before being replaced...huge price hike AFTER being discontinued.

This makes it impossible for "Consumer Reports" to predict what the price of what a given camera will be on a given day...Amazon.com is a good place to track daily price changes.

[Scott P]

This last comment is completely off the mark on price. Maybe he was looking at some sort of kits. I bought the Canon A590 for my son for $120.00.

[Brian B]

Problem with the current review is your prices are WAY off. The Canon SD1100 IS Elph is not $150 but more like $200. The Canon A590 IS is NOT $110 but more like $260 even on Amazon. The Canon SX110 IS isn't $210 but more like $230. If the rest of you pricing is off by that much it's time to drop my subscription.