Photo is of Hooded Merganser pair on Nestucca River, Oregon. Camera Canon SX30 thru picture window from 150'.

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I recently had my SX30 stolen and I started looking at inexpensive Bridges and compared photo tests of the major players (keeping an eye on used costs) and two seemed to have an edge. They were the Nikon p600 and the lumix FZ70. These are not the latest and greatest but are easily affordable. The P600 had a slight edge on sharpness at high zooms but the FZ70 was a close second and was considerably cheaper on EBay. I bought a like new FZ 70 for 119.00 with no accessories. My long distance photos are very nice of the local birdlife and Oregon big game. The secret while taking through picture windows for sharpness is use a quality tripod and the exposure timer. Obviously there are newer and better cameras these days but they are not cheap. The FZ70 fits my large hands and the weight is certainly reasonable. While in the field I find The "IS" mode does very well on contrast and color integrity and the 60X is do-able with very good results. Any more zoom than this will show camera shake on most exposures. Overall I am very pleased with this inexpensive super zoom.

John Zeggert

Deceased juvenile Elk on Nestucca River with natures cleanup crew on site. Distance 150 ft through a picture window. Canon SX30 - settings unknown.

Photo of a deceased juvenile Elk with natures cleanup crew reacting to cleaning up. Canon SX30 from 150 ft through a picture window. Settings unknown

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First attempt at posting on the website. Photo is of a male hooded merganser taken through the family room picture window. Camera was a Canon SX30 but don't recall the settings. Distance was about 150 ft.

What is your opinion of the Nikon P600 ? I am interested in your results.

John Z

Hello fellow NYer. I am from Binghamton and an old geezer that came up from the Kodak Brownie, several Pentax models and longtime digital cameras. Just joined this site and am impressed with so many knowledgeable folks. Recently had my Canon SX30 stolen and am waiting delivery of a used Lumix FZ70. Being retired I don't have a lot of cash to get into the high quality units. I specialize in wildlife and scenic photos and Live in a remote area of Oregon now with abundant wildlife opportunities. I will start posting soon.