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Expert Recommendation
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Overview
Equipped with a sharp 10x super-zoom lens and fast image capture times, the Canon SX100IS IS will freeze action at the press of a button, and you won’t miss the winner’s moment of glory at the finish line. With its good low light performance and face-detection feature, you can keep on freezing the natural expressions of babies without startling them with a flash.
My Best In Class Pick
Canon PowerShot SX100 IS
All these cameras offer auto and numerous scene modes (including auto high sensitivity mode which helps to take blur-free shots in natural light) for novice users.
The Panasonic TZ3 has faster performance, smaller size, and a lighter body than the other two. However it lacks manual modes like Aperture/Shutter priority modes (useful to have for getting blur-free shots). It lags behind the other two on battery life and switch-on times. Its resolution is the lowest of the three.
The Canon A720 IS & SX100 IS have better low light performance (producing grainy images at higher ISOs). The TZ3 images have water-color artfacts at higher ISOs. Both have enough manual controls/modes to satisfy demanding users.
The Canon A720 IS has good performance and has an optical viewfinder (essential for keeping track of fast moving subjects). It will be top choice for motorsports.
Although it lacks an optical view-finder, the Canon SX100 has the largest reach among the three and has good performance too. The lens is sharp and bright (widest maximum aperture at tele-end of zoom). Overall the extra zoom tilts the scale in favor of the SX100.
The Canon PowerShot SX100IS is my Top Pick.
Where to buy
Canon PowerShot SX100 IS
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Best Price:
$649
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Specifications
- Zoom: 10.0x
- Image Stabilization: Yes
- Resolution: 8.0MP
- AF Shutter Lag: 0.5 sec
- Burst Speed: 1.1 fps
- Max ISO: 1600
- Easy to Use: Yes
Comparing My Best In Class Pick with Other Good Choices
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| Price | $649.00 | $572.00 | |
| Size (W x H x D) | 4.3 x 2.8 x 1.8 in | 3.8 x 2.6 x 1.7 in. | 4.1 x 2.3 x 1.4 in. |
| Weight (without batteries) | 9.4 oz | 7.0 oz | 8.2 oz |
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Effective Sensor Resolution
The Effective Sensor Resolution tells you the total number of pixels that are recorded when you take a picture. The units are MP, which stands for megapixels or millions of pixels. For outstanding fine compression prints, 3MP is required for 5x7's, 7.1MP for 8x10's, and 10.9MP for 11x14's. The effective sensor resolution is only one of many important factors that will determine the quality of the photograph when displayed or printed at different sizes.
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8.0 million pixels | 8.0 megapixels | 7.2 megapixels |
| Shutter Lag Time (pre-focused) | 0.10 sec | 0.10 sec | 0.02 sec |
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Shutter Lag Time (including auto-focus time)
This is the time from fully pressing the shutter button until the image is captured. Longer shutter lag times make it more difficult to capture the desired moment.
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0.6 sec | 0.6 sec | 0.4 - 0.8 sec |
| Power to First Shot Time | 2.4 sec | 1.4 sec | 2.7 sec |
| Continuous Shooting Speed (single shot mode) | 0.6 frame/sec | - | - |
| Max Shooting Speed (continuous) | 1.5 frames/sec | 1.4 frames/sec | 2.1 frames/sec |
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Min Focal Length (35 mm equivalent)
The 35 mm equivalent focal length is a measure that indicates the angle of view of a particular combination of a camera lens and the sensor size. The term originates from the time when the vast majority of photography was done with 35 mm film. On any 35 mm film camera, a 30 mm or less lens is considered a wide-angle lens.
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36 - 360 mm | 35 mm | 28 mm |
| Optical Zoom | 10.0x | 6.0x | 10.0x |
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Image Stabilization Available
Image stabilization features are designed to reduce the blur that results from normal, minute shaking of a lens due to hand-held shooting. However, image stabilization does not prevent motion blur caused by the movement of the subject or by extreme movements of the camera.
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Yes (Optical Lens Shift) | Yes (Optical Lens Shift) | Yes (Optical Lens Shift) |
| Manual Focus Available | Yes | Yes | No |
| Auto Focus Assist Light Available | Yes | Yes | Yes |
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Max Aperture (wide-angle)
The aperture refers to the size of the opening in the lens that determines the amount of light falling onto the sensor. The maximum aperture (wide-angle) is the largest possible size at the wide-angle limit of the zoom lens. The lens aperture is usually specified as an f-number, the ratio of focal length to effective aperture diameter. A lower f-number denotes a greater aperture opening, which allows more light to reach the image sensor.
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f/2.8 | f/2.8 | f/3.3 |
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Max Aperture (tele-photo)
The aperture refers to the size of the opening in the lens that determines the amount of light falling onto the sensor. The maximum aperture (tele-photo) is the largest possible size at the tele-photo limit of the zoom lens. The lens aperture is usually specified as an f-number, the ratio of focal length to effective aperture diameter. A lower f-number denotes a greater aperture opening, which allows more light to reach the image sensor.
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f/4.3 | f/4.8 | f/4.9 |
| Max ISO Setting | 1600 | 1600 | 3200 |
| Aperture Priority Mode Available | Yes | Yes | No |
| Shutter Priority Mode Available | Yes | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder Type | - | Optical | - |
| LCD Screen Resolution | 172,000 pixels | 115000 pixels | 230000 pixels |
| Battery Life | 400 shots | 400 shots | 270 shots |
Canon PowerShot A720 IS
The latest upgrade to Canon’s successful A-series cameras, this model offers an 8MP resolution sensor and ISO rating up to 1600. The camera has a 6x zoom lens (35-210mm equivalent on a 35 mm film cameras), which is image stabilized. It offers full manual modes (Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, etc.). The camera has an optical viewfinder, a face detection feature (when the shutter button is pressed halfway, the camera finds the faces in the frame and sets the exposure and most suitable focus point). and runs on 2 AA batteries. It supports wide-angle and tele-photo conversion lenses, which are available separately as accessories.
Where to buy
Canon PowerShot A720 IS
Specifications
- Zoom: 6.0x
- Image Stabilization: Yes
- Resolution: 8.0MP
- AF Shutter Lag: 0.5 - 1.2s
- Burst Speed: 1.4 fps
- Max ISO: 1600
- Easy to Use: Yes
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3
The Lumix DMC-TZ3 is the latest big zoom compact (1.5” thick) from Panasonic. This camera has a 7 megapixel resolution sensor and a 10x optical zoom with wide-angle lens (equivalent to 28-280mm on a 35mm camera). The lens is sharp, and the zoom is motor operated. This camera too has an Image Stabilization feature to help avoid blurry pictures because of camera shake. The feature is akin to shooting with a cheap tripod. In low light, it helps to shoot using a relatively low ISO setting. At higher ISO ratings, the camera can shoot with less light, but there will more noise in the image. The life of its proprietary battery is approximately 270 shots/charge.
Where to buy
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3
Specifications
- Zoom: 10.0x
- Image Stabilization: Yes
- Resolution: 7.2MP
- AF Shutter Lag: 0.4 - 0.8s
- Burst Speed: 3.0 fps
- Max ISO: 3200
- Easy to Use: Yes
- Recommended at DPReview.com
- Dave's Pick at Imaging-Resource.com
- Rated Very Good by CNET.com
How It Works
You tell us your budget, intended uses, and desired features. We show you personalized recommendations from unbiased experts to quickly identify the best digital camera for you.
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How to Pick Digital Cameras
- For Travel Photos
- For Photos of Children or Pets
- For Action or Sports Photos
- For Photos in Low Light
