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Tech Test Drive: compact 10x zoom cameras

Thursday, February 11th, 2010 at 7:34 am

Compact 10x zoom models must be selling well, because camera makers continue to churn them out. With many people buying their second, third or fourth digital camera, they likely already have something more compact with a 3x or 5x zoom, and it seems the first thing they want to improve is that range. The bodies of the compact 10x zoom models get smaller, but the lenses stay long.

Fujifilm FinePix F70EXR

The good: Overall, very good photo quality; lots of useful features; very good dynamic range and high-ISO performance in EXR modes; extremely compact for having a 10x zoom, wide-angle lens.

The bad: No HD movie mode; limited aperture settings; menu systems take some getting used to; above-average amount of purple fringing in photos; two EXR modes use 5-megapixel resolution.

The bottom line: A compact megazoom with a lot to offer, the Fujifilm FinePix F70EXR is very good for its class, but it has a few limitations.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H20

The good: First-rate design; simple operation; excellent feature-to-price ratio.

The bad: Narrow lens; lens cap is a pain.

The bottom line: If you don’t mind its extra bulk and narrow lens, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H20 is an otherwise excellent compact megazoom camera.

Canon PowerShot SX120 IS

The good: Easy to use; best-in-class

photo quality; manual and semimanual controls.

The bad: Fewer features, slower performance and bulkier design than competitive models.

The bottom line: Canon’s SX120 IS pocket megazoom falls behind the competition in every aspect except photo quality.

— CNet.com