Superzoom compact shootout

by Matt Golowczynski 2 August 2013

Superzoom compacts, whose appeal should be fairly self-explanatory, have become incredibly sophisticated over the last few compact generations, to the point where their expansive focal ranges are just one of a number of headline features.

Given that such cameras are often viewed as ‘travel’ compacts, it comes as little surprise that many of these features are geared towards the photographer on the move; GPS functionality for geotagging images; Wi-fi for sharing images on the fly and even a compass to you know which direction you’re facing.

These features are typically bolstered by a range of core functionality, such as high-resolution displays, manual control over exposure, full HD video recording and super-fast burst modes, which makes them some of the most advanced compacts available.

The sector only used to comprise a handful of contributions, but today almost every manufacturer has found space in their lines for such a model. Canon, Nikon, Sony and Panasonic have all recently refreshed their respective ranges with their latest iterations, and on paper each appears as a credible competitor to the next. In this group test we find out the strengths and weaknesses of each.

The cameras

Canon PowerShot SX280 HS

Nikon Coolpix S9500

Panasonic Lumix TZ40

Sony Cyber-shot HX50

Features 

*all prices correct at time of writing

On paper all four cameras seem to offer a similar combination of functionality, but there are differences. With their lenses all four offer a similar wideangle start, although the Sony HX50 manages to continue this up to 720mm while the others finish up between 480mm and 550mm. This is impressive in itself, but the fact that it manages to offer a similar maximum aperture to the others here also shows how much Sony has concentrated on making this optic usable in all manner of conditions.

There's little to split the cameras with regards to their video recording capabilities, and only the Panasonic TZ40 offers touch control with its display. Curiously, the Nikon S9500 is the only model to offer an OLED display, in contrast to the LCD screens on the others; this may well make it more usable in brighter conditions. All four cameras offer Wi-fi and, with the exception of the Sony HX50, a GPS system too (although a HX50V variant which does is also available). Burst modes also vary from 5.1fps to 10fps, so if you tend to capture sports or other action shots this may be a stronger deciding factor.

Design and handling

Canon PowerShot SX280 HS

The SX280 HS's metal front and back plates, together with its chunky buttons, lend the camera a reassuring solidity. The power control is also large and presses well into the top plate, while the collar around the shutter-release button has a well defined protrusion to make zooming convenient. There's little to complain about when it comes to the camera's various menu systems, with all key shooting options brought up upon a pressing of the Fn button (everything else quickly accessible in the main menu). One particularly helpful aspect of the menu system is the way in which the role of any any selected option is immediately described, which is great if you stumble across an option you haven't used before.

The SX280 HS is the only camera from the quartet to have its mode dial on the rear plate; this protrudes well but it's unnecessarily stiff which can make it awkward to turn. The small hump on the front plate which acts as a grip also means you have to position your finger in a specific way for it to be comfortable; a more expansive rubber grip, such as that on the Panasonic TZ40, would be preferable.

Nikon Coolpix S9500 

The S9500 is just a fraction slimmer than the other cameras here, and it makes excellent use of metal around its front and sides to create a solid body. The top plate has a mode dial on one side, which is small but moves freely when turned. Given the lack of manual exposure controls, the dial is largely occupied by scene modes - whether you consider this to be a good or bad thing largely depends on how frequently you envisage using them.

The rear plate devotes a good deal of space to a rubber thumb rest, which allows the camera to be handled comfortably and securely. Some may find the menu pad dial to be a little small, but it rotates just as easily as the mode dial, and given the space around it it's far easier to turn if you've larger fingers than the dial on the Canon SX280 HS.

Panasonic Lumix TZ40

Despite the fact that it boasts a defined rubber grip around its front, the Panasonic TZ40 has a relatively streamlined design compared with the others here. The mode dial turns as freely as desired, while the buttons on the back - although small - all travel into the body with a satisfying click when pressed. The Playback and Wi-fi buttons are slightly more recessed than the others, though, which some may find irksome. The only other significant difference between the Panasonic TZ40 and the others is its movie record button, which is located on its top plate rather than on its back.

The Panasonic TZ40 doesn't sport a rubber thumb rest as on the Sony HX50 and Nikon S9500; instead, it makes do with just a handful of dimples, although there is at least enough space to rest the thumb without laying over any controls. The space to the right of the display also means there's little chance of keying any touchscreen controls accidentally.

Sony Cyber-shot HX50

The HX50 is - by some margin - the chunkiest camera of the group, although this may be explained by its 30x zoom which travels up to a heady 720mm focal length, and also by its hotshoe. The top plate also fits in mode and exposure compensation dials, as well as a small pop-up flash which can be sprung up manually by releasing the catch at its rear, although the control which turns the camera on is perhaps a little smaller than expected.

Performance

Canon PowerShot SX280HS

The Canon SX280HS boasts a speedy start-up time, with only around a second or so between powering up the camera and being able to focus on the subject. The camera does an excellent job in low light to bring the subject into focus in good time when its AF-assist lamp is deployed. Furthermore, when zooming from one end of the lens to the other, the SX280 HS manages to power through its focus range to bring the subject into focus without hesitation. This is matched by prompt shot-to-shot times too, although this does partly depend on the memory card being used.

Something that's particularly helpful is the camera's notification of distances between which it can focus as the focal length changes, as this helps you to decide whether you need to zoom back, move away from the subject or select the macro focusing option. Overall there's little to dislike, although if we have any small criticisms it's the screen resolution, which is a little behind the others.

Nikon Coolpix S9500

The lens moves the slowest through its focal range than the other cameras here, although this isn't always necessarily a bad thing. After all, when trying to select a particular focal length for accurate framing it helps to have a lens that doesn't zoom rapidly from one end to the other. At the telephoto end of the lens, the camera brings to subject into focus in good time and hunts less than expected, although in low light the system can struggle to lock on to the subject, even with its AF-assist lamp.

The camera's OLED display presents details well, and the screen is bright, although it's very sensitive when scene brightness changes which can make brighter scenes (particularly outdoors) appear a little dark. Despite being a touch on the small side the camera's compass works well, while the GPS system displays nearest points of interest in a small unobtrusive panel at the bottom of the screen. Its only sore point is that it doesn't always manage to find the most appropriate point of interest.

Panasonic Lumix TZ40

There's much to like about the Panasonic TZ40, with a steady, silent zoom action combined with responsive operation and respectable performance from the AF system too (even at the telephoto end, where many other cameras can struggle).  The touchscreen is about as sensitive as it needs to be, perhaps not quite as sensitive as the average smartphone or tablet, but not so far behind that it matters.

Connecting the camera to Wi-fi is fairly straightforward, and anyone intending on using the camera remotely will be pleased to learn of the surprising level of control available through the Panasonic Image App (available for Android and iOS platforms). Through this it's possible to control everything from image recording mode, self-timer and even aspect ratio, although some may prefer a larger image preview (which is, admittedly, less of an issue when using the camera in conjunction with a tablet as opposed to a smartphone).

Sony Cyber-shot HX50

Once the HX50 starts up - a touch slower than the others here, but not by much - there's little to dislike. The lens moves through it focal range at a fine pace and with excellent fluidity, and focus is confirmed quickly in both good light and sub-optimum conditions. The menu system is perhaps the finest out of the cameras here, being clear and easy to navigate, while the In-camera Guide contains a surprisingly comprehensive amount of information on how to shoot specific types of images and how to use the camera's many features, which makes the user manual practically redundant.

The Wi-fi also works well when the camera is connected to a smartphone or tablet, and the zoom helpfully slows down to give you more precise control, although it would be good to have a touch more control over camera settings from the PlayMemories app. It'd also be good to have the movie record button positioned elsewhere, as it's easy to knock accidentally when shooting in the portrait orientation (particularly when the zoom is extended, where you tend to handle the camera differently to better support it).

Image Quality