A Quick Guide to Bridge Cameras

Why buy a bridge camera? My guide and reviews

Heard about bridge cameras but not completely sure what they are? Want to check out some reviews of a few good ones? This quick guide will clear up the main facts and introduce you to 3 excellent cameras from this category.

Essentially, the idea of a bridge camera is that it bridges the gap between a compact and a DSLR. So the name describes exactly what it does! It's a half-way-house; perfect for people who fancy something superior to a compact but aren't ready for a DSLR yet.

So how exactly do bridge, or 'superzoom digital cameras' as they're sometimes called, bridge that gap?

Watch this quick guide to some of the best bridge cameras around!

Why own a bridge camera?

Simplicity

A bridge camera has the essential simplicity of a compact with features closer to those of a DSLR. It is small, with a single non-detachable lens, like compacts. But like a DSLR, a bridge camera offers greater zoom, a range of manual controls for exposure, white balance, ISO and metering, more file formats etc.

So superzoom digital cameras are very popular digital cameras for beginners. They provide enough features to make it possible to explore photography a bit and take pictures of lots of subjects. But they don’t cost anything like a DSLR with a lens.

Lens

Bridge models enable more subjects to be captured successfully than compacts. The lens, although not detachable, offers far greater zoom. So things like sport photography become possible. Good bridge cameras actually span from a very wide angle - great for landscapes - to serious amounts of zoom, like 600mm.

Size and design

A good superzoom digital camera will have been manufactured with far more concern for how it feels in your hands than a compact. When we use compacts we just want them to be tiny and easy to carry. But a bridge is easier to hold steady and shoot with. It's larger and more 'shapely'.

Megapixels

Bridge cameras have more pixels than compacts. This means you can make larger prints from your photos. Quick tip though, don't be fooled into thinking the same MP count on a bridge and DSLR camera means equivalent quality. DSLR sensors are larger and the quality is always better.

Manual controls

I think this is one of their biggest advantages over compacts. They give you the same creative freedom as DSLR's in terms of exposure, motion blur, depth of field and white balance. You can also choose the metering modes, file types and various other settings. All this in a simple little bridge camera!

Bridge Camera Reviews

Ok, now let's take a look at 3 bridge cameras that pack a big punch. These are all excellent digital cameras for beginners, and well worth checking out.

1. Sony DSC HX1

I really like the way the LCD screen tilts on the Sony DSC HX1. It's a great feature that lets you see what you're shooting even if you're holding your camera at arm’s length above your head!

What's most amazing about this little camera is that it can shoot, wait for it...10 frames/second!! That's as good as high end, professional DSLR's! So if you like your action photography, but don’t want to splash out too much, this could be a great buy.

Another cool feature of this Sony is the panorama mode. Instead of taking a sequence of shots to stitch together in Photoshop, this camera stitches them together as you take them. So you get to see the whole finished effect instantly!

Key Specs:

Sensor	9.1MP
Lens	28 - 560mm
LCD	3"
Maximum Aperture	f2.8 - f8.0
Shutter Speed	30sec - 1/4000
Full Manual Controls	Yes
ISO	125 - 3200
Built in Flash	Yes
Movie Mode	Yes
Weight	514g

2. Panasonic Lumix DMC - FZ40

The is well known for its brilliant auto-focus system. You can lock on to your subject with almost imperceptible 'searching' time. It’s quicker than just about all other superzoom digital cameras.

It also offers tremendous range in focal length, with 25 - 600mm. Landscape, portrait, documentary, sport, wildlife - all subjects are opened up to you.

I like the fact this camera has a minimum shutter speed of 60 seconds. This is really slow and let's you get creative with long exposure photography - provided you've got a tripod!

14.1 MP is another outstanding feature and certainly enables you to produce very good quality small poster prints.

Key Specs:

Sensor	14.1
Lens	25 - 600mm
LCD	3"
Maximum Aperture	f2.8 - f5.2
Shutter Speed	60 sec - 1/2000
Full Manual Controls	Yes
ISO	80 - 1600 (+ Hi Auto)
Built in Flash	Yes
Movie Mode	Yes
Weight	494g

3. Fujifilm HS10

A 24 - 720mm lens on this Fujifilm HS10 is an incredible feature. 720mm makes wildlife photography very possible. Moreover, like the Sony DSC HX1, this Fujifilm somehow is capable of 10 frames per second! So just think of the potential if you enjoy wildlife photography. 720mm zoom with 10 fps - you'll never miss a thing!

Again, this camera has a tilting LCD screen, which is definitely one of my favourite features on all cameras. This is superb value and will enable you to produce fantastic shots without having to splash out on a DSLR.

Key Specs:

Sensor	10.3
Lens	24 - 720mm
LCD	3"
Maximum Aperture	f2.8 - f.5.6
Shutter Speed	4 sec - 1/4000
Full Manual Controls	Yes
ISO	100 - 6400
Built in Flash	Yes
Movie Mode	Yes
Weight	636g