megazooms

The most remarkable thing about the Samsung WB700 is its 18x 24-432mm lens crammed into a body that's just less than an inch thick. Of course an 18x zoom will only get you so much attention, so Samsung's decided to lead with the camera's Smart Zoom feature that digitally extends the zoom range to 24x. (Judging by the sparse details in the press release, it sounds similar to Panasonic's Intelligent Zoom feature that basically crops in on a photo and then sharpens for better detail.)

In other zoom-related digital hocus-pocus, the WB700 has active noise cancellation … Read more

Ah, it's that time of year again where we reflect on the technology that arrived and got us to open our wallets and try to predict what will tempt us in the coming year to toss last year's model for the new shiny shiny.

In past years, when it came to digital cameras the majority of announcements at CES were for refreshes of budget and style lines with the exception of a few with some attention-grabbing feature or design.

However, a big reason for that was the annual Photo Marketing Association's PMA trade show that followed CES … Read more

CNET did not review the Samsung HZ30W, but we did review the Samsung HZ35W, which is very similar.

The differences between the two are few and nothing related to image quality or performance. The higher-end HZ35W has built-in GPS for geotagging photos; a 3-inch, 614K-dot-resolution AMOLED display; and Samsung's Smart Auto scene-recognition mode is available for photos and video. The HZ30W does not have GPS, uses a 2.7-inch, 230K-dot-resolution LCD, and has Smart Auto for photos only.

Again, since the Samsung HZ30W's lens, image processor, and sensor are the same for the HZ35W, we expect the HZ30W'… Read more

CNET did not review the Fujifilm FinePix S1800, but we did review the Fujifilm FinePix S2550HD, which is very similar.

Both 12-megapixel models feature a Fujinon 18x zoom and 28-504mm-equivalent lens, HD movie recording (720p), mechanical sensor-shift image stabilization, and a 3-inch LCD and electronic viewfinder. The S2550HD, however, has a Mini-HDMI out for connecting directly to an HDTV or monitor, which will cost you roughly $30 more. However, the key components are the same, so we expect that the shooting performance and photo quality would be identical.

The S1800 does have a couple extras to make you think twice … Read more

CNET did not review the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS6, but we did review the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5 and the DMC-ZS7, which are very similar.

The ZS6 is essentially the ZS5 in the body of the ZS7. The advantages of the ZS6 over the ZS5 include a stereo mic for movie recordings, a Mini-HDMI output for direct playback on an HDTV or monitor, and a 3-inch 460K-pixel display. The ZS6's lens, image processor, and sensor are the same for the ZS5, and as such we expect the ZS6's shooting performance and photo quality to be the same as the ZS5'… Read more

Having tested all the latest GPS-enabled compact megazooms, I can tell you that holding onto a signal isn't easy, particularly in a city. Casio's Hybrid GPS in its Exilim EX-H20G announced today looks like it is up to task, though.

The Hybrid GPS system combines a GPS receiver with a motion sensor that allows for autonomic positioning. Should you lose your signal, a three-way accelerometer and a three-way direction sensor combine to keep track of your movements in relation to the last coordinate received. The camera can then continue to track and geotag your photos even if you'… Read more

There really isn't much to the Canon PowerShot SX30 IS beyond its megazoom lens, though that's all most buyers will care about.

It starts at a 35mm-equivalent 24mm and goes out to 840mm--a whopping 35x magnification.

Canon paired it with a 14.1-megapixel 1/2.3-inch type CCD sensor, which is the standard size you'd find in any point-and-shoot camera. As a result, the likelihood that the SX30 will be able to resolve fine detail at the telephoto end is small. But hey, if you're that far away from your subject and you don't want … Read more

While putting together a recent roundup of inexpensive megazooms, I realized Pentax didn't have one in its lineup--budget or otherwise. However, as of Wednesday, it does: the Optio RZ10.

Priced at a reasonable $219.95, the 14-megapixel RZ10 features a 10x f3.2-5.9 28-280mm-equivalent lens with sensor-shift image stabilization and a 2.7-inch, 230K-dot resolution LCD. It can do macro shots as close as 0.4 inch from your subject, has a 720p HD-resolution movie mode, and a burst-shooting option that can capture up to 40 photos at up to 9.1 frames per second (though that's … Read more

Nikon has a decent 10x compact megazoom in its 2010 Coolpix lineup, the S8000. Its photo quality definitely falters in low-light conditions, which could be corrected with the S8100. Along with using the company's latest image processing engine, the Expeed C2, this 10x compact (30-300mm, 35mm equivalent) is packing a 12-megapixel, backside-illuminated CMOS sensor. Like other BSI CMOS cameras we've tested, Nikon is promising improved handheld low-light photos as well as faster shooting performance.

Nikon claims the S8100 can shoot at 10 frames per second at full resolution for five shots; not as good as competing models but … Read more