I, too, am looking at the long zoom "bridge" cameras and am finding the side-by-side comparison feature HERE
https://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/cameras to be useful. At first glance many of them look very comparable but there are significant differences depending on your needs. I have decided, for example, that I want to be able to shoot RAW and many (surprisingly) do not support that, including several Nikon models. Panasonic offers a shorter zoom (still very long) but weather sealing. Sony lenses look to be a stop or more faster, and manual operation is more like the old SLR days than any I have handled. Which brings up another point: there is much benefit to actually messing around physically, at a shop, with a couple different cameras since, as in other camera options, how it feels in hand and how intuitive, for you, the menu systems play out are important considerations. I am leaning toward Sony at the moment, DSC - HX400.
If you can live with a maximum equivalent zoom of around 24-400 to 600 mm you might look at one of the camera's with one-inch sensors such as the Canon PowerShot G3X, Panasonic LUMIX FZ 1000 or Sony RX 10. Nikon is soon to release something similar in a new DL series with a 24-500 mm zoom. They run around $1,000. FWIW, in my view the 16x to 25x zoom range is more usable than 50x to 83x and the larger sensor makes a big difference in the picture.
Nosaj
Loc: Sarasota, Florida
Allie wrote:
Does anyone have any experience with super zoom cameras, Nikon P900 (24-2000 lens) for example? I have done serious photography when I was younger, and would not hope to compare the quality of the shots to a good DSLR, but I am thinking of a camera that will give me decent travel photos and action photos that I would totally miss with cameras with more limited lens power and without the snap-back tracking feature.
Do you really need the highest zoom available, such as a one that reaches to 2000?
Most "super" zooms loose their resolution, clarity, focus, etc. at the highest end.
Why not pay a few dollar more and key a zoom with a more moderate range, but with a high quality 1" sensor and superior quality lens? Then, if you need to do some cropping, you'll have a very good resulting image. So, look into the Canon G3-X.
bwana
Loc: Bergen, Alberta, Canada
I have the Panasonic LUMIX FZ70 (20-1200mm) and the FZ200 (25-600mm,f/2.8). Both good cameras. I prefer the FZ200 for its f/2.8 lens and extra features.
bwa
Allie wrote:
Does anyone have any experience with super zoom cameras, Nikon P900 (24-2000 lens) for example? I have done serious photography when I was younger, and would not hope to compare the quality of the shots to a good DSLR, but I am thinking of a camera that will give me decent travel photos and action photos that I would totally miss with cameras with more limited lens power and without the snap-back tracking feature.
If you've done serious photography in the past, I suspect you will be disappointed by any digital camera with a sensor smaller than 1", unless you only ever shoot in good light, and are happy with a large depth of field.
Bugfan wrote:
I have a Nikon P900.
Generally I love the camera but then I bought it mostly for travel and as a walk around camera when I don't want to use my big heavy SLRs. The lens performs incredibly well and the images seem as good as many of my DSLR ones.
There is one caution and one complaint.
The caution is that the camera has a lengthy learning curve. When you zoom the lens all the way out it's almost impossible to not shake the camera. It does have an image stabilizer but with that zoom range it could use three. You can master it but it does take practice, that or a tripod.
As to the complaint, to charge the battery you have to plug the camera into the outlet. That's incredibly dumb since that means you can't use the camera over the charging period and you also can't charge two batteries at once. Nikon claims to have a stand alone charger, it's listed in their product lines, but I had one on back order for over a year and it never showed up so I gave up. I basically have to charge two batteries using the camera. I guess that's good for NIkon, they maximize profits by not including the charger, and they make an extra buck on a charger if one ever shoes up. It's us who suffer.
One other thing ... it's a sophisticated camera but it is also a Popint and Shoot. That means the body is not bristling with a lot of controls that save you going into a menu. I have learned how to set the camera quickly over time, the menu structure isn't that bad. But of course when you're used to all the controls on a DSLR, this one is a bit light.
I have a Nikon P900. br br Generally I love the c... (
show quote)
The charger is in stock at B&H:
Nikon MH-67P Battery Charger
B&H # NIMH67P MFR # 25883
For COOLPIX P600 Digital Camera (also for the P900)
Use with EN-EL23 Lithium-Ion Batteries
Availability: In Stock
Watson also makes a couple of chargers for the en-el23's. One is a single station and the other is a dual station charger; B&H also carries both of these.....
DOOK
Loc: Maclean, Australia
Bugfan wrote:
Hi Dook ...
Thanks for the feedback. I too have now got a light but solid tripod and ball head that solves a lot of my shake problems. That tripod also converts to a monopod which is a bit help too.
As to the charger ... can you possibly give me the name and model number of that charger? I'd love to get one, it sounds like the answer to my dreams.
Thanks!
It doesn't have a name on it, but just go into ebay like I did & type in 'Battery charger for Nikon P900'. You will see several listed--some with one battery & some with two, so take your pick. I use non-genuine batteries in all my cameras & I've never had a problem with them.
Have you used the manual focus with the FZ200 much? I am looking at that as a possibility but will want manual focus in some tricky lighting and reflection settings and want something reasonably easy to get to and use.
I've had a P900 for over a year, I think it is a great camera & can highly recommend it. I have mine on a Peak Design strap, so the camera is not hanging round my neck. I have replacement batteries & charger. For bird photography it is great. I took mine on our holiday to New England in September & got some excellent photos. We went Whale watching, and I was delighted with the photos I took.
Humpback Whale & Shearwaters
bwana
Loc: Bergen, Alberta, Canada
jim in TC wrote:
Have you used the manual focus with the FZ200 much? I am looking at that as a possibility but will want manual focus in some tricky lighting and reflection settings and want something reasonably easy to get to and use.
I've tested the FZ200 for nightscape and astrophotography, and used manual focus for the tests. The FZ200 has a "slider" on the left side of the lens that can be configured to zoom or manual focus the lens; worked quite well. However, I wouldn't recommend the FZ200 (or FZ70) for low light photography; very noisy!!
Both the FZ200 and FZ70 can be set to capture RAW and JPG file formats. The RAW format is best to work with, but still noisy for low light.
bwa
For the P900, not this one. It uses a different battery. Nikon EN-EL23.
Hi,I am new to this site. I have also been considering a new travel zoom to replace my Coolpix L830. I am tempted by the P900 80x zoom but it weighs in at almost 2 lbs and that is a lot of weight to steady. It would be OK around here in South Florida with a monopod getting wildlife,etc. I like the SX60 but it does not have an EVF. The one have been interested in has not been mentioned, yet. It is the new Coolpix B700 60X, EVF, articulating screen, Bluetooth able, only about 1.25 lb and is capable of shooting raw or jpeg. Anyone have comments or experience with the B700.
Appreciate all the previous discussion.
The Sx60 does have an EVF.
The B700 is the spiritual hier of P610, P600, and P520, family.
Nikon has taken GPS out, in favor of snapbridge and using the phones GPS to geotag.
I suspect most comments on those earlier models would be similar to the B700.
Sorry. On the SX60 it was not the EVF that was an issue. It's the SX60 secondary zoom button that I find awkward. The coolpix have a 2-way lever.
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