CAM1017 Loc: Chiloquin, Oregon

I have followed the many topics on bridge cameras. Particularly the Canon 30 & 40 SX IS Cameras. I wonder what the next series of camera might be like. What I would like to see is a more compact camera. Maybe a mirror less version with a similar 35 X built in lens and a separate view finder from the main screen. It would have built in RAW capability and maybe 18 meg file capacity. Any thought on this subject out there?

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

I look for, eventually, someone managing to cram a full frame sensor in a "bridge" camera for under $1000. Probably not that far-fetched an idea if you think about it. Maybe an incorporated Zeiss optic? And filter capability as well as RAW. HDR and bracketing would be necessary features too. Maybe a translucent mirror for the viewfinder? (Sony, are you watching this post????)

Maybe a Nikon P5??? That would be a serious gamechanger!

Carioca

I'd be thrilled to bits with a mere APS-C sensor in a bridge cam. :)

melismus Loc: Chesapeake Bay Country

When you scale up the sensor you must grow the optics in proportion. Quickly gets unmanageable.

artistwally Loc: Scotland

Bridge cameras are in fact "mirrorless"; the Fujifilm ones, which I have used for years are great value and good lenses for the price. The HS20 which I have now,as a back-up to my DSLR, gives a 22meg RAW file.
A.

rhyde Loc: Little Rock, AR

I believe the Sony NEX cameras are APS-C.

Hanoverfarms Loc: Littleton , Colorado

What do you all think of the, soon to be released, Panasonic lumix FZ 200. At $599. ?

CAM1017 Loc: Chiloquin, Oregon

Don't know anything about it. What does it offer?

Gavin Robert Loc: Isle of Wight UK

I just sold the Panasonic FZ150 last weekend and although probably the best of the bunch at the time of sale I honestly don't think Bridge cameras are up for anything serious right now.

Saying this I believe there is going to be a huge leap forward in the compact and bridge camera market to the benefit of keen photographers. Compact camera sales are down massively due to people using phone cameras which can only benefit the remaining camera consumers. The market is getting smaller so I can see manufacturers putting their fighting gloves on and fighting for the shrinking market with higher end innards packed into small end bodies.

G.Feduccia Loc: Paradise in Florida Panhandle

I agree with Gavin, that the Manufacturers are now undergoing a huge overhall of the compact and bridge cameras and will come out with more and even more features for compact and bridge cameras. This said, I think some zooms over 1000 mm (like in the current Nikon P510) will be possible, as well as RAW shooting and so many options that one's head will swim.

The weight of a DSLR (much, much lighter than the ole film SLR's,) with every lens you want/need is so much MORE than a bridge camera or current DSLR (even though better quality), that most consumers will demand a lighter, most everything camera, with mega-zoom and manual/auto/everything settings, that I expect to be on the market soon.

This said, I wanted to get a Nikon D5100 and some lenses like I had from my old SLR's - 28m to 200mm. Geese, the price for these nice DSLR combos was way above what I wanted to spend! So, I researched and purchased the Bridge Camera, Nikon P-510.

Don't judge me from getting away from my mighty nice and expensive Canon and Nikon cameras and lenses; but they were all film jobs.

Yeah, I am most happy with my choice, and it does more than I needed it to do. What a "Learning Curve", however!

Yee Hawh! Gary

Carioca

But they don't offer anything like the zoom range of the SX40.

robert taylor

I have a Fujifilm HS30 bridge camera which is the latest in technologly from Fujifilm. This camera has a 30Xoptical zoom and has 16 megapixels. I have been using this camera for a couple of months now and have found it to be a fast camera. It has an electrical viewfinder as well a tilting LCD screen as well. I am sure that this camera would be worthwhile looking at. The price of this camera is around the $400aus. This camera can take some handy videos and still photos can be taken from the video while recording. Hope this info helps you.

sirlensalot Loc: Arizona

Next bridge camera? How about a built-in solar panel to help recharge battery? Lighted control dials maybe. How about a little Retro by going back to a slide cover off/on switch like the old Oly stylus film cameras?
Already talking about the 20th century pentaprism and pentamirror technology as outdated. Interesting times.

RaydancePhoto

Well... I think you all might be tired of my enthusiasm with the Sony RX-100, but got to chime in here. It is a pocket sized camera, 20Mp, has a Carl Zeius lens, 18-135 f/1.8 and a 2x extender built in, not digital zoom and barely degrades the image. (don't know how they do that) It has a 1 inch sensor, has RAW capability. HDR built in and variable from +-1 to +-6 stops. Can take up to 12 frames a sec. ISO up to and including 3200 is very usable. Can be set to take 6 images HDR in extremely low light and produce a usable image. All the HDR settings can be done hand held, has a wonderful processor that stitches them seamlessly. Can do all manual, even manual focus. manual focus has highlighting that shows in red the areas that are in focus, makes focusing a breeze. This is the coolest camera I have ever owned and the quality of images rivals any DSLR I have had. The rx-100 go's with me anywhere I go, and is now my favorite camera. It has all the controls we are used to in an SLR, so easy to learn the menus. I think for the camera capabilities 650.00 is a good price for this gear. I could go on on the features.

Down side.

It has no viewfinder, I am finding that very hard to get used to. It is VERY small, I put a strap on it and keep that around my neck, I am afraid I will drop it. So I have a pocket sized camera that I can not put in my pocket because of the strap. No external mic jack for video. I rarely do video, but like ext mic's.
No hot shoe. The flash is shit. Ok, that said, it will take a clear pic in light you just would not believe unless you try it yourself.

All in all, this is a fantastic (incredible) camera, you will not be disappointed. Is it a bridge? Hmmmmm, I would call it a Pro point and shoot.

This is SOTC, I cropped it, light was a single 60 watt bulb about 10 feet away. 1/15 f/2.3 ISO 6400 6 image HDR. She was not perfectly still, so some blurring and aggressive noise reduction softened the image. But hey, consider the lighting, and ISo. I selected the noise reduction filter in PP when I croppped, but was not enough to worry about, so just canceled that.

RaydancePhoto

In my last post, I meant to start off that post with "I think the next thing in bridge cameras is already here. The RX-100 Sony".