# Recommendations wanted for compact long zoom camera with full exposure control **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 12, 2014, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-wanted-for-compact-long-zoom-camera-with-full-exposure-control/685961 "2014-04-12T21:13:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2014, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-wanted-for-compact-long-zoom-camera-with-full-exposure-control/685961/1 "2014-04-12T21:13:24Z")
I have a Canon dSLR that I like just fine, except that it is too large and bulky to always have with me. I have a little Nikon point-and-shoot that goes everywhere (and an Android phone) but which are both frustratingly impossible to control, exposure-wise. Now I’m starting to see a class of cameras which look like a good compromise: compact and pocketable, long zoom (5:1 and up, sometimes way up), with full exposure control modes (P, Av, Tv, M). Some even have WiFi connectivity, which would be quite the plus. My so-far random walk through the stores and websites has turned up the Canon Powershot G16, the Samsung WB 800F, the Sony Cybershot DSC-HX/50V, and many similar ones until my head started to spin. Anyone have a favorite camera in this class? One with full control, great image quality, and good reliability? Money is no object, at least up to $500 or so. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2014, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-wanted-for-compact-long-zoom-camera-with-full-exposure-control/685961/2 "2014-04-13T00:35:06Z")
Anticipating a trip where I didn’t want to carry my Canon dSLR I bought a Sony NEX-3. It doesn’t have the long zoom you want, but other than that it’s a fine camera with interchangeable lenses. Newer models may have additional features. ---
**Author:** ![Imasquare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Imasquare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Imasquare)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2014, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-wanted-for-compact-long-zoom-camera-with-full-exposure-control/685961/3 "2014-04-14T03:59:35Z")
I took the following photo of the moon with an Olympus SP-810UZ at about 30x zoom without a tripod - it’s a handheld shot. I bought the camera off eBay for about $150. [http://i1281.photobucket.com/albums/a504/kg2095/Moon2\_zps88c56cfa.png](http://s1281.photobucket.com/user/kg2095/media/Moon2_zps88c56cfa.png.html) [Review of Olympus SP-810UZ](http://www.ephotozine.com/article/olympus-sp-810uz-compact-digital-camera-review-18692) ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2014, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-wanted-for-compact-long-zoom-camera-with-full-exposure-control/685961/4 "2014-04-19T05:27:26Z")
Thanks for the input! Those are some fine looking devices. So far, my leading contenders are the [Canon Powershot S 120](http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-S120-Digital-Optical/dp/B00EFILNV8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397885124&sr=8-1&keywords=powershot+s120) and the [Nikon Coolpix P330](http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-COOLPIX-Digital-Camera-Black/dp/B00BOZCSQE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397885184&sr=8-1&keywords=nikon+coolpix+p330). Anyone have any experience with either of those? Or something better?