I have a DSLR with number of lenses but I felt that I need a camera that I can carry with myself everyday in my pocket or in my waist back. It must be as compact as possible and must have the biggest zoom as possible. I need it to make pics of rare and interesting birds if I met them occasionally when I don't have my DSLR with myself. I do not need quality pics. Just pictures that can proove the observation of this bird species. So the pics can not be of high IQ but they need to be sutable for the fine ID of the bird to species level. With such thoughts I was thinking about buying one of those cameras in December 2019:
Canon SX 700, 710, 720, 730, 740
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX50, HX60, HX90V, HX90, WX500
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60/TZ80
Nikon Coolpix S9900, A1000, A900
In December 2019 found used copy of Canon Powershot sx620 hs in a new condition with all the documents and even working warranty just for 80$. Had the opportunity to try it in different birding conditions during a week. Here are my impressions:
1. Lightweight but not very small. Probably if Canon used micro Sd and smaller screen it could be smaller. But still it is the smallest point and shoot camera with 25x zoom.
2. It has only 2 frames per second in continuous shooting mode which is very bad for birds!!! But! It also have the Burst mode with dozens of frames per second but in 5 megapixel size. But in this mode you can not use digital zoom. I found that this mode fits me. I can get lot of pics of bird in this mode that are sutable for ID. Most of them are sharp even in bad light. In normal mode most of the pics of the bird in dark condition are blurry.
3. 25x zoom is very nice! It is 625 mm in 35mm equivalent. Also I like the 4x digital zoom. With the help of it you can get 2500 mm in 35 mm equivalent. And the dimentions of the image will be the same as on max optical zoom. But you need to have very firm hands to get sharp image on that zoom range.
4. Max iso 3200 is not enouth at all in bad light conditions. Wish it had much more.
Overal. I like this camera. It partly suits my needs as everyday pocket camera just for birds ID pics when I don't have my dslr with myself.
BUT!!! Wish it could be more smaller, more lighter, could have more zoom, could have more frames per sec in normal mode and could have more ISO. But there is no such a camera on the market. Much lighter, faster per sec., sharper and a bit smaller in size is Sony wx350. But it has only 20x zoom. If some camera making company could make the same camera with same size and weight but with 40x zoom it will be the superb camera!
The Update:
A bit disappoined by its zoom
Now I think that 25x zoom is not enougth for birding So I will probably get Canon SX720 or SX730 or SX740 with its 40x zoom despite its heavy weight
The Update #2:
Sold Canon SX620 and bought Canon SX720 with 40x zoom and good burst mode that can be used with digital zoom also. Very happy with this camera!
Canon SX 700, 710, 720, 730, 740
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX50, HX60, HX90V, HX90, WX500
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60/TZ80
Nikon Coolpix S9900, A1000, A900
In December 2019 found used copy of Canon Powershot sx620 hs in a new condition with all the documents and even working warranty just for 80$. Had the opportunity to try it in different birding conditions during a week. Here are my impressions:
1. Lightweight but not very small. Probably if Canon used micro Sd and smaller screen it could be smaller. But still it is the smallest point and shoot camera with 25x zoom.
2. It has only 2 frames per second in continuous shooting mode which is very bad for birds!!! But! It also have the Burst mode with dozens of frames per second but in 5 megapixel size. But in this mode you can not use digital zoom. I found that this mode fits me. I can get lot of pics of bird in this mode that are sutable for ID. Most of them are sharp even in bad light. In normal mode most of the pics of the bird in dark condition are blurry.
3. 25x zoom is very nice! It is 625 mm in 35mm equivalent. Also I like the 4x digital zoom. With the help of it you can get 2500 mm in 35 mm equivalent. And the dimentions of the image will be the same as on max optical zoom. But you need to have very firm hands to get sharp image on that zoom range.
4. Max iso 3200 is not enouth at all in bad light conditions. Wish it had much more.
Overal. I like this camera. It partly suits my needs as everyday pocket camera just for birds ID pics when I don't have my dslr with myself.
BUT!!! Wish it could be more smaller, more lighter, could have more zoom, could have more frames per sec in normal mode and could have more ISO. But there is no such a camera on the market. Much lighter, faster per sec., sharper and a bit smaller in size is Sony wx350. But it has only 20x zoom. If some camera making company could make the same camera with same size and weight but with 40x zoom it will be the superb camera!
The Update:
A bit disappoined by its zoom
Now I think that 25x zoom is not enougth for birding So I will probably get Canon SX720 or SX730 or SX740 with its 40x zoom despite its heavy weight The Update #2:
Sold Canon SX620 and bought Canon SX720 with 40x zoom and good burst mode that can be used with digital zoom also. Very happy with this camera!