Have you ever encountered a prosumer camera with an unusually long range of zoom? These prosumer cameras are equipped with more than 15x zoom or an equivalent of 24-400 mm in a 35 mm sensor. Wow, that’s an awesome digit, considering these cameras only cost around $400 – $500. Even though its shape resemble a DSLR, these prosumer cameras has permanently attached lenses so it’s not interchangable. And also the quality of results differ. Let’s take a quick look at the characteristics and advantages of these superzoom prosumer cameras.
Advantages
– Has a lens with a very long zoom range (ideal for photographing subjects that are far away; such as birds or panoramic views of mountains and others).
– By contrast, superzoom’s lens can reach up to 500mm. A few also reach as long as 1000mm (equivalent in 35 mm sensors). While DSLR cameras, on the other hand, mostly have 200-300 mm and you’ll have to purchase them seperately.
– Size and weight of these cameras are lighter and smaller. Very practical for traveling.
– A few types have a continuous shooting speed of more than 10 photos per second.
– Relatively cheaper than DSLR cameras.
Disadvantages
– Photo quality is still lower than that of DLSR cameras because it uses smaller sensors. The photo quality produced is more like what pocket cameras or high-end mobile phone cameras would produce.
– Because the lens aperture becomes smaller the more you zoom, you’ll need a more well-lit environment. If it’s in a rather low-light, such as evenings or indoors, the photo quality will decrease. Using a tripod will be very helpful when indoors.
– Lenses aren’t interchangable.
– Many aren’t equipped with hotshoes (external flash holders). The external flash would be very helpful for photographing indoors, portraits, and still-life (food, products, etc.).
Conclusion
Nowadays, due to its decline in popularity (because of the heightened popularity of DSLRs), the superzoom cameras are sold at more affordable prices. Zoom lenses, with the increase of zoom quantity will mean a decrease in its quality. That’s why high-quality zoom lenses are expensive and why professional zoom lenses (usually) don’t have more than 3 – 4x zoom (24-70 mm, 17-40 mm, 70-200 mm). The only good reason to purchase one of these prosumer cameras is if we really like extra zooms but aren’t keen to carrying a bulky and expensive camera and lens.
