Posted by QuickReadAbout.com Staff in To judge the best zoom digital camera, the size of the zoom lens is the most important feature of the camera. The zoom length is determined by the focal length of the camera. Different cameras naturally have different focal lengths and different-sized image sensors. Focal length is expressed by a standard measurement which is equivalent to a 35 mm film camera.
Focal Length
In a digital camera, the sensor replaces the film and the image is recorded when light comes through the lens and falls on the sensor. Most compact cameras have smaller-sized sensors and they have a wide-angle focal length of 35 to 38 mm, which is equivalent to a 35 mm camera.
The best zoom digital camera is the 10-megapixel Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS5. It is sleek and compact and has a 4x optical zoom, and a wide-angle focal length which is 28mm equivalent. The interesting feature is the handy ‘easy zoom’ button on all the latest Panasonic cameras. If you press it, the zoom spirals out to its full extension. And when you press it once again, it zooms back to the wide angle.
There are several other compact digital cameras which have larger zooms, but that does not mean that they have larger lenses. As the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS5 has a non-protruding lens, it is the best zoom digital camera having a large zoom. The lens of the camera is turned sideways and it does not poke out from the body.
Wide-Angle Lens
The wide angle lens of the camera is the best feature and the more you use it, the more you will be convinced that it is the best zoom digital camera. The wide-angle lens is Leica, and it has a 35 mm- equivalent of 30 mm. The 2.5 inch LCD screen appears a bit small, but that is because the screen is surrounded by a black bezel. It has so many flexible options, especially the point-and-shoot one.
The quick menu button makes shooting easy. There is no aperture or shutter priority, but there are options like white balance, burst mode and ISO speed. The menus are quite long, but the vertical tabs are an advantage, so that you don’t have to scroll through menus to get to the next tab.
There are some other interesting features in the camera and that is why it is considered the best zoom digital camera. This includes face detection, two burst modes, 22 scene modes and continuous autofocus. It has one of the best image stabilization systems going and hence the autofocus looks constantly for a subject, instead of waiting for you to focus on one and press the shutter.
The playback mode also makes it the best zoom digital camera, because there are plenty of choices in it. The camera has the ability to delete single pictures, or all pictures. It can make its own choice and choose multiple images which can be stored as valuable pictures.
Design
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS5 is available in three colors: red, black and silver. The design is not good, it is a bit difficult to have a finger-grip on it, and the profile is somewhat chunky. But there are other likeable features too in the best zoom digital camera. The connections on the camera are covered by a hinged door and not a flap of rubber and there is a locking switch for the memory and battery card slot. For the zoom there is a round collar rocker switch instead of a snappy flat one, and is hence easier to operate.