Fujifilm FinePix S8600 - Cheapest Bridge Camera

Fujifilm FinePix S8600 is the cheapest bridge camera available in market today. If you want a camera with quality images and a bigger telephoto lens than a regular point and shoot camera but also cheaper than average ultrazoom camera in market then, here's your choice. You can buy this model for less than $150 from Amazon. Yes, If you have been search for a camera like this then you should know it's really impossible to find a high-end camera for price like that.

So if you want to know specifications, FinePix S8600 has a FUJINON lens with 36x optical zoom which is equivalent to 25-900mm. maybe it's not top notch and latest when it comes to lens since a camera like Canon SX60 has more than 60x optical zoom but price tag is more than 3 times high. Also it has a decent 16MP 1/2.3in CCD sensor. There is a 3 inch LCD screen but sadly no view finder.

Videos are not bad either, you get HD movies at 720p/30fps. After all you can't ask for more than this from a camera like this. If you want a better quality videos such as HD 1080p then better look at other models like Panasonic Lumix FZ70, which would cost you many $50 more.

Camera uses three AA batteries which will let you take around 260 - 300 photos. This will depends on things like image quality and use of flash. Best option is  using set of rechargeable batteries for this. Panasonic BK-3MCCA4BA Eneloop AA rechargeable battery set would cost you less than $15 and also these batteries last long. There are many other brands and you can get those even for cheaper. But I know from years of experience Eneloop batteries are the best and last longest.

When I posted about this camera last year it was under $150. I have yet to see a camera with better offer. So still this is great for anyone who need a cheap bridge camera. If you are looking for a good camera for your kid who want to learn about photography then FinePix S8600 is a pretty option for you. Also if you are looking for nice family camera for good price then again this is your choice.

Fujifilm FinePix S8600

Okey first lets be clear about the prices. You can find two prices for this Fujifilm FinePix S8600 camera at Amazon. You can get Certified Refurbished model for less than $100 ( Plz check HERE for exact price ) Or you can get a new one for just less than $150 ( Plz check HERE for exact price ). These refurbished cameras are good as new too and you get same warranty.

This is a perfect offer for anyone who believe spending more than $150 for a digital camera is a crime or if your kid is badly want to be a photographer and you can't trust him with your high-end compact camera or DSLR. Quality is really good and you can say more than worth for the price you get. If now this camera wouldn't get more than 51% five star ratings and over 35% 4 star ratings out of total ratings. Plz click the above links if you want to read what other buyers say or to get full details from the sales page.

So lets see specifications of this camera,

• 16MP 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor.
• Fujinon 36 x optical zoom lens (Equivalent to a 25-900mm).
• Aperture F2.9(Wide) - F6.9(Telephoto).
• ISO100 / 200 / 400 / 800 / 1600.
• Shutter speed 1/4 sec. to 1/1500 sec (Auto Mode).
• Shutter speed 8 sec. to 1/2000 sec. (All other modes).
• 3.0-inch LCD Monitor.
• Powered by 3x AA type batteries.
• 720p HD Movie Recording
• Can attach a tripod.
• NO Hot Shoe.

So this camera is nice for average user who wants camera which can do more than average point and shoot camera. S8600 is cheap but it's still a bridge camera so it can take long distance photos which your average point and shoot can't do.

Can we compare with Canon SX60 or Nikon P900 ? Not really. Those are bigger, better and 3 times more expensive cameras. You can't compare model like this with those big guns. It's not fair. If you want something dead serious then go for Canon SX60 or Nikon 900 which has even better specs than SX60. Even Canon SX50 is more expensive and better. You can't find a camera like that for less than $300.

Okey maybe except for Panasonic LUMIX DMC-FZ70 camera which you can get for less than $300 and has 60x optical zoom, 1080p/60i HD video recording and a 16MP MOS Sensor. You can find latest price for DMC-FZ70 HERE.

But if your budget is something around $150 less and you are happy with a bridge camera which can perform better than other normal point and shoots in market then FinePix S8600 is for you. Sample photos can be found in Amazon sales page.

Nikon Coolpix P900 Camera

This time Nikon has done it. Their new Nikon Coolpix P900 camera has a massive 83x optical zoom. Right this P900 is the bridge camera with longest zoom lens in market. This is no small camera either it's big as entry level DSLR camera. This blog is all about Canon bridge cameras but this monster amaze me. Latest Canon model which is equal to this one is Canon SX60 which only has a 65x optical zoom.

83x Optical zoom mean it has has something equivalent to 2000mm. This is huge and means you can take photos of  objects far far away. When I first bought Canon SX10 and even when I saw about Canon SX30 I had never dreamed something like this would happen anytime zoom. I heard Canon experimenting about a 100x zoom but I thought it's gonna take at least 10 or more years. Now Canon has a serious challenge upon them selves.

Even thought P900 everything in market when it comes to Optical zoom it has same Sensor all latest bridge cameras in market has. A 16MP, 1/2.3" CMOS Sensor which is same all other models like Canon SX60, Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ70, Sony Cyber-shot H400, Pentax XG-1 cameras have.

There are only problems or cons I can see in this camera. It doesn't have the RAW photo format and also it doesn't have a hot shoe so you can't use those powerful external Flashes for this one. Lack of RAW format is not a big problem in my opinion. This is not a professional DSLR, its more like a family camera or starter camera.It can do really good photos in jpeg. But lack for hot shoe is a real problem but again that's if you want to some serious indoor photos and things such has sports events and wedding photos. I don't think most of bridge camera users really use these features.

This camera is great for anyone who need a point and shoot camera for taking nice outdoor photos or take for your vacation or trip. It can do all kinds of superb outdoor photos. This is not a cheap point and shoot but it has a big lens and cheaper than a latest DSLR.

Here's the main features of Nikon Coolpix P900,

• 16 mega pixel 1/2.3-in. type CMOS Sensor.
• 83x optical zoom with NIKKOR lens + 4x Digital zoom.
• f/2.8-6.5 aperture.
• 4.3-357 mm Focal length (equivalent to 24-2000 mm lens in 35mm).
• Takes SD , SDHC , SDXC memory cards.
• ISO 100-12800.
• Shutter speed 1/4000* - 15 s.
• Built in Wi-Fi and Near Field Communication.
• GPS.
• Li-ion EN-EL23 Battery (360 with fully charged battery).
• Full manual exposure control.
• Twin control dials.
• Video capture : 1920 x 1080 (60p, 50p, 30p, 25p).

This camera is not a compact camera. It's big and weights same like a DSLR Camera. But it's easier to handle than a DSLR and also cheaper too. So if you are not in market for an expensive dslr but something cheaper but can give same result this is for you.

But it's expensive than cameras in it's own range. Nikon P900 cost you around $600 (30/06/2015) while next best option like Canon SX60 would be around $460. and other cameras like Olympus Stylus SP-100, Nikon Coolpix P610, Sony HX400V are even cheaper. If you want something even cheaper like maybe in range of $350 then check the Canon SX50 which you can get for less than $350 these days.

Nikon Coolpix P900 is a monster among monster bridge cameras. I think it will take a while before other companies catch up with this one. Probably  it will be the Canon with their Canon SX70. But that can take at least another year in my opinion or middle of 2016. So Unless you plan to wait for that you should be buying this cemera if it fits your budget. I'm sure it will worth every penny you spend.

Canon Powershot SX530 HS Camera

Canon Powershot SX530 HS Camera

Canon has already launched their next budget Bridge camera. Now their main bridge camera line and these budget bridge cameras are getting very close when it comes to features. Just take a look at this new Canon Powershot SX530 HS Camera. It's an 50x Optical zoom camera!

Predecessor of Canon SX60 which is Canon SX50 also has a 50x optical zoom but the difference is SX530 has only a DIGIC 4 image processor which is an old one. SX60 has DIGIC 6 one and SX50 has a DIGIC 5. I guess only reason why they added this old processor is to keep it's specs lower from their front line camera Canon SX60. Why would anyone pay $450+ when you can all for cheaper ?

Since it's smaller size I think it might work as great ladies camera. I have heard so many companies from ladies Canon Bridge cameras are way too heavy which  is kind of true. So this one is smaller and lighter but packs a really good punch.

It has some unbelievably great features,

• 50x Optical zoom (24-1200mm).
• 16.0 Megapixel High-Sensitivity CMOS sensor.
• Built-in Wi-Fi.
• 1080p Full HD video with a dedicated movie button.
• Large 3.0-inch LCD with a screen. 

Canon SX530 has features from SX50 and also most of new features from SX60. So this one not a just a normal digital camera. I think photo quality will be better than it's older version SX520. But I couldn't find anything about it's CMOS sensor apart from it uses an old DIGIC 4 image processor. HD video probably the same.

I wonder how much this camera will cost. You can buy Canon Powershot SX520 for less than $200 from Amazon these days but I think this one will be lot more expensive. You can buy a Canon Powershot  SX50 for around $350 so if this goes over $300 mark buyers will need to think again. But it won't be really hard to many since this one might be become more popular among females than men. Those who spend hours on social media sites everyday would go for this one because it has Wi-Fi. Those who want better photo quality will take the Canon SX50.

If this one become popular I think Canon SX50 will have its price more decreased. I think it would be a great for those who want a good camera to learn photography and have fun rather than share everything on Facebook. Not everyone crazy about Social Media.

18/02/2015  -  You can pre-order it from Amazon but price is $429.00. I think it's too much. Since I'm not so big on all these new features like Wi-Fi Would take SX50 or add few more bucks and buy the new Canon SX60. If I'm tight on budget then I would go for SX520 which is only around $200.

Fujifilm FinePix S4800 with 30x Zoom for Less Than 150 USD

Fujifilm FinePix S4800

Few days back I noticed this offer which I was browsing Amazon for finding some camera accessories. This Fujifilm FinePix S4800 camera was priced for just $129 with free shipping ( Check Here ) . Now that's the lowest offer I have seen for a long long time for any bridge camera out there in market today. 

Well this is not the best bridge camera in market today. For example if you compare  Fujifilm FinePix S4800 with Canon Powershot SX60 HS Camera then you would see Fuji model is nothing but a dwarf but SX60 comes with a big price tag around $450 and you get this FinePix S4800 only for $129. Now that's a huge difference.Canon SX60 has 65x massive optical zoom and many other new features like inbuilt Wi-Fi.

Price wise the nearest competitor it has is Canon Powershot SX520. This Canon budget bridge camera is avaliable for around $180 at Amazon and it has a 42x zoom. So for another $50 you get 12x more optical zoom. I do believe that's worth if you can spend extra $50. Not just because of the zoom but also SX520 has a CMOS sensor so you would get better quality photos and S4800 which only has a CCD sensor.

Better mention that Canon has launched a successor for SX520 which is known as Canon Powershot SX530 HS and it said to have a 50x optical zoom. This camera is not in market yet so we don't know what will be price tag. You can find more information from Amazon pre-sale page >> Here <<. But I doubt it would be cheaper than any of these cameras mentioned above except for Canon SX60.

Anyway if you are looks for a cheap bridge camera with good features and photo quality I think Fujifilm FinePix S4800 is the cheapest one you can find in market today. It has a 30x Zoom which is not bad comparing with average point and shoot cameras. I still use my old SX10 camera which has only 20x optical zoom which give really good photos. Plus you get 1080p Full HD videos too.

If you are searching a good camera for kid who like photography or something cheap but good in quality this is one of the best choices you have specially if you are checking the cheapest options in market. I couldn't find anything cheaper than this so far. There are several newer Fujifilm bridge cameras too but those cost you few more dollars.

Canon Powershot SX520 HS Camera

Canon Powershot SX520 HS Camera is a budget bridge camera which you can buy for lot cheaper than regular Canon Bridge camera models like Canon SX60 or Canon SX50. These cameras are high-end point and shoots camera which cost you $300+ to buy one whatever the brand you try. So Canon has started this budget camera line for those who want one for cheaper. The first one was Canon SX 500 and the second one was Canon SX510.

Canon SX520 is the third camera and also one with lot more features and also cheaper than both older models for some reason. You can get this model for just around $199 from Amazon with free shipping. I don't this there are any other good superzoom camera you can buy for this price.

SX 520 has has 42x Optical zoom which is equal to 1008mm and also 24mm wide angle lens. Even Canon SX30 has just 30x optical zoom. You can take images far away from this camera and you won't find better zoom for this price in market yet.

Next best thing about this camera is it's High-Sensitivity CMOS sensor which gives you 16 mega pixel resolution. Image processor is DIGIC 4 but it's more than enough for camera in this price rage and images are so impressive.

That's not all. It has do 1080p Full HD videos too. For a price like $200 you won't able to find better camera in market these days. It's a light weight can carry in your hang bag or purse. But might not fit into your pocket though.

List of featuresm,

• 42x Optical Zoom (24-1008mm).
• 24mm Wide-Angle lens.
• 6.0 Megapixel CMOS sensor.
• Capture stunning 1080p Full HD video.
•  Zoom Framing Assist.
• High Speed AF.
• Lithium-Ion NB-6LH rechargeable battery.
• Uses SD/SDHC/SDXC cards.  

Canon SX520 is a great good choice for someone who want a camera with good photo quality but having a low budget.

Canon SX510 HS Camera

Canon SX510 HS is a budget version for those can't afford Canon SX50 HS camera. SX510 has a 30x optical zoom but it cost only around $190 unlike SX50 camera which has 50x zoom but cost around $400. Both cameras have a CMOS sensor.

Canon SX510 is cheaper and also lighter than those Bigger SX series cameras.It gives you a 30x optical zoom which is equivalent to 720mm with same CMOS sensor Canon Powershot SX50 HS camera has. But it doesn't have a view finder and comes with DIGIT 4 image processor (SX50 has a new DIGIT 5 one)

This superzoom camera is not an upgrade for Canon SX30 or Canon SX40 cameras but for those who have old Canon bridge cameras like SX10 or SX20 models this camera might be a cheaper upgrade than the latest model which is SX50. Not everyone can afforded a $400 even it's one of the best Mega zoom cameras out there so SX510 is cheaper but a really good alternative.

Main features of Canon Powershot SX510 HS camera,

• 12.1 megapixel high-sensitivity 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor.
• Canon DIGIC 4 image processor.
• 30x optical zoom and 24mm wide-angle lens with Optical Image Stabilizer.
• 1080p full HD video in stereo sound with a dedicated movie button.
• 3-inch color LCD with a screen resolution of 461,000 dots.
• 32 predefined shooting modes.
• Built-in Wi-Fi.

You can't compare Canon SX50 and Canon SX510 cameras.SX50 is bigger and better camera hands down but expensive.Canon SX510 is a more inexpensive model. You can buy this camera from Amazon for just $170 - $200 with free shipping. This camera is really good option if you want to teach your kid about photography and about lenses. You can't compare it with an interchangeable lenses but it can take pretty good outdoor photos.