GoCathy

We need to get a camera for our safari in Kenya with a longer lens than our little point and shoot. However, we do not want to get an SLR with all the various lenses. Has anyone used any of the digital cameras with the zooms from 10xoptical up to 20xoptical zooms? I am wondering how big a zoom we really need. We are not looking for photos to publish or anything like that - just for our family to enjoy.

cary999

Good decision. The "super zooms" made by Canon, Panasonic, Sony, are all good. And a 10x to 12x zoom range is fine. I have used the Canon S2/S3/S5 series for about five years with good photos. (I also use DSLRs). They also take good video clips.

The well respected web site dpreview did a super zoom camera comparison recently and I'm sure you would find it useful.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/Q109superzoomgroup/
The "conclusion and ratings" page summarizes it all.
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/Q109...oup/page16.asp

regards - tom

cary999

Kind of interesting how dpreview begins their intro to reviewing the seven cameras-
"You don't need to be on <b>safari</b> to appreciate the benefits of a big zoom range"

regards - tom

Siro12

I know the Panasonic FZ28 has gotten great reviews in the photo magazine I read here in Norway. I had a Panasonic FZ20 for a long time ago and was very satisfied.

Anyway, don't think you can go wrong if you choose one of those top 3 in the link from cary.

Good luck

sealstep

We recently got the Panasonic Lumix with the 10X zoom, and it is really great. We took it to Botswana and I think the pictures I got with it rival those of my husband's with his Canon Eos Rebel SLR.

atravelynn

Just try out whatever of the super zooms you plan to buy. Make sure it feels good and is intuitive in your hands. I changed brands when I did that. You'll get great photos from any of those "Top 3."

mytmoss

I also have the Panasonic. I have stayed away from Sony because I do not like dealing with companies that use proprietary memory chips. Canon and Panasonic both use standard memory.

Mike

cary999

I think Mike means memory cards, I agree. The Sony uses their own "Memory Stick". The other top two use SD cards which are widely used (along with CF cards). So that would turn me off of Sony and leaves the Canon SX10 or Panasonic DMC-FZ28. But as Lynn says, you must try them out.

regards - tom

Percy

There is a new Canon Digital small camera in the Sure Shot series

it is the Canon SX200 IS

It has a 12 optical zoom and 12 pixels

It can almost fit in your shirt pocket.

mytmoss

Yes, meant memory cards, I was at work when I replied....brain was turned off

stokeygirl

I've got the Panasonic Lumix FZ-28 with the 18X optical zoom and I also had its previous incarnation, the FZ7 (? or FZ8?) which had the 12X zoom. I found both of them to be excellent for safaris.

Two of the top selling points seem to be the Leica lens and the image stabilisation. I certainly noticed the effect of the image stabilisation when taking photos in low light conditions at dusk and also on night drives. I got some amazing clear shots of leopard illuminated by spotlight when others in my vehicle with considerably more expensive SLRs just got blurs. The only problem I found when I moved up to the 18X zoom was on night drives it was too tempting to just zoom up to maximum, and then I'd struggle to get shake free shots. In the end I switched back to the 12X for night drives.

I've just uploaded an example here (from South Luangwa in Zambia):

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/stokey...72795360279250

GoCathy

Thanks everybody. I will go to a camera store and hold these cameras to see which feels best, though from what I read here and in that article (thanks Cary), the Panasonic sounds good to me...