Kodak EasyShare V610: Stylish Design With 10X Optical Zoom

You can find it online for $350.00 (Beach Camera). My wife would love a 10x zoom to go to the U2 & Pearl Jam concert in Hawaii, this December. She aways complain about the lack of zoom range in concerts, but I doubt this thing can get much contrast in a bright stage with strong shadows, as usually is in a rock concert. But what are the other options?

I must commend Tom's HW for starting camera reviews, however I find them totally lacking in suffient substance to be worthwhile.

From reading the review here, I would have strongly considered purchasing this camera. Go over to DPReview and you will see a far more indepth review which covers many many areas of concern for this camera.

I might recommend the camera below...........

http://dpreview.com/reviews/canonsd700is/

It has a 4x Optical which is quite large for small camera which usually have 3x at best.

I might also note that the 700is takes WONDERFUL low light shots.
We just bought this camera and walked around our house in the evening and took various shots in tough lighting and all were perfect. Outdoor Zooms, fantasitc. Red-Eye? None.

The lighting of Concerts would most likely make the reviewed camera here unusable. Also, it appears that it is difficult to get a good focused shot at long zoom, so it might as well not have it.

Oh, and here is another option........
Only user reviews, but it has a 6x Zoon but not quite as small.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/read_opinions.asp?prodk...

From what I have seen, all 10x + camera with good reviews are bulky.

Nice review.
But when you have a 10x zoom on a ultra-slim-compact camera, physics can't change.
What gets sacrificed?
Less lights gets on the sensor?
Is the focal length of 1/3.9 - 1/8 a problem?

I have the same kinds of questions with tiny lenses in compact camcorders with 10x zoom and cell-phone cameras. These things must have really tiny sensors.
When I ask the salesmen, they just tell me the specs are 10x optical and 4lux sensitivity.

Thanks Zenmaster, your suggestions were very helpful. I liked the Panasonic more than the Kodak, but I'm not sure if I trust the brand. The Canon has not enough zoom range.

I knew the Dpreview site, but their reviews are sometimes so lenghty, I was even afraid to go there. Anyway, it is true that you have to compromise, and my wife wouldn't mind a few quirks here and there just to get to the job done, basically. Edit: as for focusing, I think the Kodak and the Panasonic allows to fix the focus at infinity, right? I hope so, but I'll check.

For low light or indoor shots, I'd use my Nikon DSLR anytime. The thing is, you are not allowed to bring your DSLR to football games or concerts (sometimes not even ANY camera, but cellphones/Blackberrys and PDAs (which usually have cameras built-in) are allowed, go figure!), and in that situation you need something tiny and with a powerful zoom. Anything less than 6x is not enough, unless the optics are Leica-like-perfect and you are willing to crop a tiny part of a 30 Mb scan in photoshop.

I'll keep seaching.

I would really check the DPReview sight and select the Panasonic Manufacturer. They seem to be the only manufacturer that really specializes in the high zoom/small body cameras.

They have a number of models.
Just jump to the conclusions - that is what I do :>
I would read the full article only when it appears I might buy it.

I cant speak too much for Panasonic, but my Father bought one of the small body/high zoom cameras with a 6x about a 1 1/2 years ago and was reasonably pleased. However, he is not really a photographer but it seems to do the job.

The Panasonics all seem to get decent reviews, but they are "comprimise cameras" so you are not getting the best picture or the best zoom, but generally work when you dont want to have to lug a monster camera around.

This topic has been closed by Reynod