Trends revived the point-and-shoot from the dead. But what about the superzoom bridge camera?

The point-and-shoot, once thought to be killed by the smartphone camera, is back with a vengeance. But as trends revive compact cameras, I’m left wondering about the point-and-shoots' bulkier sibling: the superzoom bridge camera.

The bridge camera earned its name from “bridging” the gap between the point-and-shoot and the DSLR. Bridge cameras tend to still focus heavily on user-friendly auto modes, but the bulkier format means the category can often fit a much longer zoom lens inside, which is why bridge cameras are also sometimes called superzoom cameras.

But as the point-and-shoot has exploded in popularity in recent years, I haven’t seen quite the same enthusiasm for the bridge camera. Which begs the question – why not?

Bridge cameras are much larger than point-and-shoots. While meant to bridge the gap between compact cameras and DSLRs, the bridge camera looks more like a DSLR than a compact camera. If pocketability is the reason why point-and-shoots have made a comeback, then, well, then there's a very obvious reason why the bridge camera hasn’t made a comeback.

But while the bridge camera doesn’t share the same portability as a point-and-shoot, the format uses a built-in lens. Because bridge cameras aren’t afraid to be big and bulky, the format is known for its superzoom lens. Cameras like the Nikon Coolpix P1100 have a lens so long that you can photograph the craters on the moon.

That zoom lens is the bridge camera’s biggest advantage in an era where smartphone cameras are so readily accessible. Despite the advances, smartphones still can’t fit a very long superzoom lens into a pocket. I've recommended bridge cameras to birders who want to take simple pictures – and I've seen a ten-year-old wildlife photographer start out with a bridge camera.

While bridge cameras may not have the pocketability of a compact camera, that longer lens makes the format a better option for genres like wildlife photography on a budget – which is why I’d love to see the format make a comeback alongside the point-and-shoot.

As sales and trends slow, so too do new launches. Bridge cameras still exist, but manufacturers are prioritizing mirrorless cameras. A particularly devastating blow to the category is the discontinuation of the Sony RX10 series. The RX10 series used a one-inch sensor, while the bridge cameras that are still easily available favor the smaller 1/2.3-inch sensor.

While bridge cameras with a built-in superzoom lens seem to have slowed, the superzoom lenses designed for mirrorless cameras have not. There’s a wide range of different superzoom lenses that go from wide to telephoto, ready to pair with a mirrorless camera.

The larger sensor of a mirrorless camera paired with an all-in-one zoom lens will deliver better results compared to a bridge camera’s smaller sensor. And that’s likely to be the best alternative to a bridge camera – a beginner-friendly mirrorless camera with a budget zoom lens.

But mirrorless tends to be the pricier option compared to bridge cameras. Even cheap mirrorless cameras are getting impressively good at superzoom genres like wildlife photography. But, there’s still a major price gap between a cheap mirrorless with a superzoom and something like the Panasonic Lumix FZ80D / FZ82D.

I’m curious to see what the continuing trend for compact cameras will do to the bridge camera category.

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Inspired? Browse the best bridge cameras, or take a look at our favorite superzoom travel lenses to pair with a beginner's mirrorless camera.