Reasonably priced digital camera with long-range zoom?

Question

I want to get my Dad a digital camera for his birthday. It would probably mostly be used to photograph animals in the wild from medium to long-range. (AKA deer and such in his backyard LOL)

I only have a video camera, which has a 800x digital zoom. I was thinking I would be able to find a digital camera with something similar, but all I see is 6-10x zoom.

What is a good, reasonably priced digital camera when zoom is one of your biggest priorities.

To me, reasonably priced is under $300.

Thanks so much for your help!!!!! :)

Answer 1

The 2005 models (Sony Cybershot H1 or Canon Powershot S2 IS or Panasonic DMC-FZ5) are available for $275 to $325. All these are good cameras and have 12x optical zooms. (They also have additional digital zooms, but picture quality does suffer with them)

More importantly they all have Image Stabilization, which greatly reduces camera shake at long telephoto. This reduces/eliminates the need for tripod. Still cameras are more sensitive to "jiggles" than camcorders.

I have the Sony H1 and am very happy with the 12x telephoto.

I expect the prices to continue to drop, if you can wait a while. Look at amazon.com or the camera stores shown on cnet .com. Or look at Sam's Club or Costco or sales at Target.

Remember that you also have to buy a memory card (256 MB for around $20) Maybe another family member could buy the memory card?

Your Dad is a lucky guy to have a thoughtful daughter like you!

Answer 2

I would not recommend a digital zoom because the qualiy will go way down. Only an optical zoom is a "real" zoom. For really high zoom (like 20X or more) you need to get a camcorder, not a digital camera. Keep in mind there are camcorders that will take still pictures so you'll only be missing out on compact size of a digital camera. There are expensive digital cameras with optical zoom up to about 15X, but at your price range, you'll have to settle for the 6-10X zoom you've already found.

Answer 3

I've had great luck with my Kodak DX7490. It has 10X optical zoom, which has been more than adequate for 99% of any photo op. It has a removeable SD memory card, so the memory is "flexible" for your own needs. It also has a rechargeable Lithium Ion battery that comes with it, and I've never had a situation where it didn't have a charge. No problems except maybe trouble focusing in low light situations. The most important things to look for when camera shopping are a minimun of 3-4 times OPTICAL ZOOM capability, rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries, and REMOVABLE memory card for picture storage, and at least a 2" LCD screen to view the pictures from. This camera also has a "sport" mode, which is handy for kids that don't sit still! Fewer blurry pictures!