8MP and 12x optical zoom?

[dubkers]

I am looking for a new digital camera with the combination8MP and 12x optical zoom. Is anyone of youexpecting such a new camera in the next coming months? Have you maybe heard news about this?

Thank you very much for answering my question!

Hans Dubbeldam
The Netherlands

[JimC]

You may be thinking of the upcoming Samsumg Digimax Pro 815.

It will have a zoom equivalent to 28-420mm on a 35mm camera and use an 8MP 2/3" CCD. It's relatively bright at wide angle (f/2.2), but it stops down to a largest available aperture of f/4.6 at full zoom. Most of the other (lower resolution) "Ultra-Zoom" models have brighter lenses at longer focal lengths (easier to do with less bulk with smaller sensors).

The lens will not be stabilized (so blur from camera shake in lower light could be a problem if higher ISO speeds are not useable), and image quality remains unknown to me.

So, I don't know if it will suffer from similar noise problems as the other models using a 2/3" 8MP CCD as ISO speeds are increased.

We'll just have to wait until they are shipping so that image quality can be seen.

http://www.steves-digicams.com/digin...tml#samsung815

[dubkers]

Hi Jim!

Do you know why we hear nothing about the Samsung 815 anymore?

The last few months I do not read anything news on the internet!

Thank you for answering me.

Hans

[robbo]

Doesn't the Panasonic FZ-30 have 12X optical zoom and 8 Meg resolution with image stabilization?

[LadyhawkVA]

Yes, the Panasonic FZ30 fits the bill: 12x zoom, 8MP & IS. It's very new, so I'm not sure how many reviews are available. The little bit I've read in Steve's forums indicates that the camera has a number of nice features, but the image quality may be somewhat inferior to that of the FZ20. I'm not sure, but I think Panny is trying to cram 8MP of information onto the same size sensor that they use for the 5MP FZ20. Check out the specs for both cameras to be sure.

[B1ue]

The Samsung 815 has begun selling in Europe. See the Samsung forum here. It has links to a Dutch Yahoo Group that has links to test images. Preliminary photos look great, by the way.

[Carrots]

DPReview has a review on the FZ30.

[JimC]

dubkers wrote:

Hi Jim!

Do you know why we hear nothing about the Samsung 815 anymore?

I have not tried to keep up with it.Whenever they start shipping them to reviewers, youwill probablysee more about it (depending on how many other "new models" are in the pipeline for reviews at the time, and the potential popularity of this model compared to others, as not all models get reviewedby all reviewers).