Coolpix p90 or FZ38?

[ADale]

I'm doing a month long trip to Kenya next year and really wanted an updated super zoom camera as will be on safari and want to be close to action.

I've done some research/browsing and narrowed down my preferable choices to the Nikon coolipx p90 and the Panasonic fz38, both of which i can get in my budget of about 250-300 pounds.

However, i am only an amateur and don't know which of these would be most beneficial for what i'm wanting to use it for. also i was wondering if it was worth sacrificing some of the zoom (as 18X is still adequate) for the quality of the Leica lens in the Panasonic or if the Nikkor lens is almost as good?

Any information to guide my choice or any experience with either of these cameras where you could point out positives/negatives of them.

Thanks (:

[chris-p]

Hi ADale and welcome to the forums

Basically the Panasonic is a much better camera. Nikon have always struggled with their superzoom cameras (don't have any idea why) while Panasonic have pretty much rewritten the rule book!

The only other camera that I think you should consider is the Fuji S200 EXR which is also very good. It retails for about £350 but you get £50 cashback from Fuji at the moment which brings it into your price range. It's not quite as long as the Panasonic (436mm vs 486mm) but otherwise it's got everything you'd need and is a better specified camera than the Panasonic.

Don't get me wrong, the Panasonic is a cracking camera but I've basically poo-pooed the Nikon (as it's rubbish) so I thought I'd give you another thing to worry about!

[ADale]

Thanks Chris

I'm glad i asked now as was seriously considering the Nikon camera but am going to steer clear now. I will keep the Fuji in mind and see about having a play around with both at my local camera store but if they are pretty similar then will most likely keep the extra 50 pounds to go towards the injections i need.

Thanks very much for your oppinion it's much appriciated and looking at your other posts, you seem to really know your stuff. (:

[chris-p]

Glad to be of some help. I'd keep the £50 for the injections as well!

[flake]

I'd recommend the Canon SX1 IS or the SX10 IS a 20x Zoom of very good quality 10 MP and the added bonus of it being a full HD video recorder. It has all the controls of a DSLR, but can still be used in program mode for someone who knows nothing about photography.

Steves digicams review is here The conclusion:

Bottom line - Canon has produced one awesome digital powerhouse, that can be used by anyone! The SX1 is a perfect 'bridge' camera that fills the gap between consumer point-n-shoots and entry-level dSLR systems. While the price is close to a dSLR kit, there are several features you will not get on most dSLRs at this price point, like the 20x optical zoom, image stabilization, a 2.8-inch articulating LCD, full HD movie mode, etc. This model offers outstanding performance in both single and continuous capture modes as well as awesome image quality. The CMOS image sensor is a welcomed addition compared the the CCDs used in past models, and we Love the new 1080p HD movie mode. The SX1 is sure to be a very popular model in the coming months (or years), and we have no problem giving this camera our highest recommendation to anyone who is torn between a consumer or dSLR unit. With a street price of US$599 or less, we feel the Canon PowerShot SX1 IS offers an outstanding value for the amount of control, quality and features you are receiving.

[ianpinion]

Hi ADale,

I'd say both your original choices are worth considering along with the Fuji and Canon cameras that have been mentioned. I would agree that the Panasonic does have the edge over the Nikon, but choosing between it and the SX1S or SX10S or S200 EXR is more difficult. I'd be tempted to try these out and see which one you like to use the best.

[chris-p]

Originally Posted by ianpinion

I would agree that the Panasonic does have the edge over the Nikon,

It's more than the edge. I've seen a few back to back tests and the Nikon always does very badly. Loads more CA than the Panny. DPReview did a superzoom group test which used the P80 (rather than the P90 which is the replacement for the P80) and it was pretty much bottom of the rankings most of the way through (review is here).

The Fuji S200 EXR is a cracking camera but more expensive. My girlfriend has just got one (she had a good Christmas!) and I'm very impressed with it. The Canons are also very good - it's really a decision about which you personally prefer as they are all very capable and have similar spec and similar prices.

[ianpinion]

Hi Chris,

The P90 is an imporvement on the P80 that did have it's fair share of problems, but I've read a few reviews on it and overall it didn't get a bad one at all. However, the Panasonic with it's Leica lens did fare better and the Canon SX10 IS came out top of the tree, with the Panasonic FZ28 beating the FZ38 by some margin, except on the image stabilizer which is vastly improved on the FZ38.