topic Re: looking to upgrade for better zoom in Point & Shoot Digital Cameras

looking to upgrade for better zoom

nan156 — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 17:17:43 GMT

I have sx500is with 30x zoom been looking for a stronger zoom. Any advice on sx530 or sx540?

Re: looking to upgrade for better zoom

Waddizzle — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 19:02:57 GMT

My advice? Buy an entry level DSLR kit, if image quality is a major concern.

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Are you aware that compact point and shoot cameras are difficult to clean or repair? Most of the time, the cost to repair them meets, or exceeds, the cost of a new camera. Most point and shoot cameras are expensive disposables.

A DSLR will give you clearer, cleaner pictures, especially at very long focal lengths. The downside is that DSLR lenses can be cost more than the camera, most especially the super telephoto lenses. The plus side is that image quality is good enough that you can crop a photo, and still manage to get an image of reasonable quality.

The SX530 has a 35mm equivalent zoom range of 24-1200mm. It will require steady hands, and very good image stabilization, to get clear pictures at 1200mm. At 1200mm of focal length, a tripod will be almost mandatory. Your current camera tops out at 720mm, which is just about the upper limit that most people can still handhold a camera at that focal length without introducing significant camera shake.

Having more megapixels does not necessarily equate to better image quality. The size of the image sensor's pixels, the light sensors on the surface, are the leading determining factor. Bigger pixels can collect more light, which means more contrast, dynamic range, resolution, and detail. Here's an example.

Can you see something orange in the top left window? It is the lighthouse museum's curator, who led the 20 year restoration.

That is a sample of the detail what can be done without using a super telephoto lens, by cropping a photo.

Canon's Rebel Series of entry level DSLRs come with built-in flash units, too. Unfortunately, the built in flash units in most cameras are intentionally low powered, because they would seriously drain the camera battery. DSLRs also feature a flash shoe, so that you can use a stronger flash, one that reaches more than just a few feet.

Re: looking to upgrade for better zoom

nan156 — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 20:11:31 GMT

WOW now Im really confused lol but thank you for your speedy reply. I just want to find something a bit closer than the 30x I have. An I donot have a lot to spend. I am very limited in photo terms and settings I just use Auto mode

Re: looking to upgrade for better zoom

Waddizzle — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 20:19:05 GMT

@nan156 wrote:
WOW now Im really confused lol but thank you for your speedy reply. I just want to find something a bit closer than the 30x I have. An I donot have a lot to spend. I am very limited in photo terms and settings I just use Auto mode

About 40 years ago, I spent two thousand dollars on a stereo system. Many people asked why I spent so much. I told them it is better equipment, built to last. I still have all of it. Those same people have spent 2-5 times as much over the years since that time. They're amazed that my stuff not only works, but outperforms almost all new consumer gear out there today.

Re: looking to upgrade for better zoom

kvbarkley — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 21:37:30 GMT

Do you still play the 8 track tapes? 8^)

Re: looking to upgrade for better zoom

Waddizzle — Thu, 07 Jul 2016 16:47:51 GMT

@kvbarkley wrote:
Do you still play the 8 track tapes? 8^)

No, but I stil listen to "The Imperial March" from time to time.

Re: looking to upgrade for better zoom

Richcanon — Sun, 25 Mar 2018 20:59:47 GMT

I personally love the sx530. It is a very good compact little camera. I recommend it greatly if you are looking for a better upgrade. look at my instagram @echophotographer to see of my shots from the canon sx530.