Compact Ultra-Zoom Cameras

Pocket-sized long-zoom digital cameras

Many ultra-zoom digital cameras are noticeably bulkier than point-and-shoot cameras, with a protruding lens and a body that's difficult to hold in one hand. But the Canon PowerShot SX230 HS (*Est. $190) manages to pack a 14x optical zoom lens into a body that's just over an inch thick and less than 8 ounces. In fact, CNET's Joshua Goldman says the little flat bulge of the SX230 HS's retracted lens "is the only thing keeping this from being slipped easily into a tight pocket; there's no problem dropping it in a handbag or coat pocket, though."

Image quality is really the star here, though: The SX230 HS avoids the usual grainy-in-low-light pitfalls that plague other long-zoom cameras, with a 12.1-megapixel image sensor turning out photos that actually look quite detailed even in dim light (ISO 800). Even at higher ISOs, experts say images look clear enough for small prints. In a week-long test at Imaging-Resource.com, the tester says, "I took shots in a variety of situations and the Canon SX230 always got the job done, often doing it much better than I'd hoped." Video clips shot with the full HD movie mode look nice, too, say testers at DPReview.com and CNET, although both note that since it shoots at only 24 frames per second (fps), you'll see some juddering if you pan too quickly.

A robust feature set completes the package, reviewers say -- options like slow-motion video, plenty of shooting modes like "snow" and "fireworks," and manual controls for things like shutter speed, aperture and white balance that will appeal to enthusiasts. A built-in GPS receiver lets you geotag your photos; expert testers find it works well, but some owners say reception is iffy, and they all agree it drains the battery. Still, complaints about this camera tend to be minor, and it wins numerous awards -- including a rare Gold Award and a first-place tie in DPReview.com's exacting six-camera ultra-zoom shootout.

The Fujifilm FinePix F550EXR (Discontinued) comes with an equally compact body and a lot of the same features as the Canon, including full HD video capture and GPS tagging. It's recommended as a good value by several consumer-oriented publications. But its image quality disappoints experts at dedicated photography websites like PhotographyBlog.com, showing up grainy even in decent light (ISO 400). Tester Mark Goldstein blames Fujifilm's move to a 16-megapixel image sensor: "The resulting drop in image quality rather spoils the party."

PhotographyBlog.com also prefers the Canon PowerShot SX230 HS to the competing compact Panasonic ZS series (TZ series outside the U.S.), calling the Canon "more sensibly priced and better-specced." Imaging-Resource.com and DPReview.com agree, saying the Canon's image quality beats the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10 (Discontinued) , a compact ultra-zoom that also bills itself as a fast-shooting camera. We discuss the DMC-ZS10 in our separate section on Best Ultra-Zoom Cameras.