Small Cameras, Big Zoom

These eight compact superzoom digital cameras can get you close to the action—and they'll slide right into your back pocket.

It used to be that if you wanted a long zoom lens, you had to tote a bulky camera. No longer: More and more manufacturers are packing serious zoom factor into cameras that you can carry in your back pocket. With all the options to choose from, though, there are a few things you should consider when you're looking for the right superzoom camera.

When it comes to lenses, it's not just the degree of optical zoom (12x or 14x, for example) you should look at. Focal length is a better indicator of how close to your subject the lens can actually take you. For example, Samsung boasts 15x optical zoom in its $350 HZ35W. But the focal length of the lens only reaches to 360mm. The $350 Canon PowerShot SX210 IS, on the other hand, has a 14x lens, but focal length is much longer at 392mm.

Since these models have slightly larger bodies than standard compact point-and-shoot cameras, there's room for extra goodies inside. But you need to decide which extra features you need—and you want to pay for. Take HD video, for one: All of the cameras here are capable of recording high-definition video, but only a few capture 1080p (1,920 by 1080) footage. The others record smaller-size videos (720p), but can ocassionaly have higher frame-rates (up to 60 per second).

A few of these cameras integrate GPS for geotagging your photos. Models like the Casio Exilim EX-H20G, Canon PowerShot SX230 HS, Samsung HZ35W, Fujifilm FinePix F500EXR, and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V all include GPS. When you view your photos from those cameras in a program that supports geotagging, like Google's Picasa, they'll be plotted on a map with location information, and you'll also see the direction in which each photo was taken. The DSC-HX5V also has some innovative in-camera software for reducing image noise, and a cool feature called iSweep Panorama that lets you swipe the camera up, down, left or right, while it fires multiple images and then stitches them together in a few seconds.


It's not all about fancy features, though. The FujiFilm FinePix F80EXR ($300) is the least expensive model here, and its best feature is the ability to pump out impressive photos. For some, that's the most important feature of all.

Canon PowerShot SX210 IS

$349.99 list
The Canon PowerShot SX210 is a no-nonsense camera that packs a long 14x optical-zoom lens into a small body. But this camera doesn't excel in low light, and images show some color fringing.

Canon PowerShot SX230 HS

$349.99 list

The Canon PowerShot SX230 HS is a top choice if you want a long zoom lens, plus bonus features like GPS, in a camera that can fit in your pocket. 

Casio Exilim EX-H20G

$349.99 list
If you're an avid traveler, you'll like the sharp photos, 10x zoom lens, and integrated GPS the Casio Exilim EX-H20G offers, but if you don't need to geotag your photos, you can get better performance for the price. 

FujiFilm FinePix F80EXR

$299.99 list
The pocket-size Fujifilm FinePix F80EXR gives you enough zoom to get close to the action, and it takes some pretty impressive photos, but the user interface on this camera needs a serious overhaul. 

Fujifilm FinePix F550EXR

$349.95 list
Fujifilm's FinePix F550EXR is a feature-rich compact camera, and even adds a few controls and goodies for photo enthusiasts—but its image quality is subpar, especially for the $350 price. 

Nikon Coolpix S9100
 
$329.95 direct
The speedy-shooting Nikon S9100 delivers a big 18x optical zoom lens and a high-res LCD in a small, pocket-size package at a great price. 

Samsung HZ35W

$349.95 list
Samsung packs a lot of fun features and a 15x zoom lens into its HZ35W, but noisy images hold this pocket camera back. 

 

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V
 
$349.99 direct
While you can get more zoom in a same-size camera from competitors, Sony makes up for it with a wealth of innovative features and clever in-camera software in the Cyber-shot DSC-HX5V.