Looking for a new High Zoom camera.
 

Ok I'm looking to upgrade to a new high zoom point and shoot.
I think I've narrowed it down to two.
Nikon Coolpix P500 or the Fujifilm HS20.
Just wanted to get some feedback about both cameras.
I will be mostly using it for taking pictures at NASCAR races which some of them are at night but at well lit tracks. But there is a lot of fast moving cars to try and take pictures of.

Thanks for any input.

Honestly, the HS10 which is the camera that the HS20 is based off is not a sports camera. For sports you'll want a D-SLR. The HS10 is a fine camera just not the ideal sports camera....... I have tried it with football, track and field and basketball and it worked ok but was not the ideal camera if you want excellent sports images.

I have yet to try the HS20 or see a good review that tells us how it works for sports shooting.....

dave

Well I'm no camera buff so I don't even want to get into trying to figure out a DSLR :(
I'm just a point and shoot guy.
From your reply that's why I'm kinda leaning towards the Coolpix P500 after reading about it on Nikon's site:
http://www.nikonusa.com/Nikon-Produc...LPIX-P500.html
It sounds more suited for fast action shots and being at a race track most picture are taken from a long distance so the 36X zoom would be better than the 30X.

Or maybe the Cannon PowerShot SX30 IS.
But not to impressed with what I have read about it:(

I used to go to the nascar dirt track and asphalt track locally and all I had then was PS cameras, five mp at that. Got some great shots too.
There is a Kodak Max 30X coming out with 12 megapixels...don't know how it does on sports...it Does have a sports setting.
When I went out I just set mine to the highest shutter speed it would go...I do not like to go and use high ISO, due to noise. Well, and then the highest was 800.
One thing I did do? Was learn 'how' to shoot fast cars. Where to wait for them, where to park my butt. What to aim for, etc. With the better cameras out there it is a breeze, even with a PS.

Well I have the Kodak Z980 and then bought the Olympus SP-UZ800 and have used both of them at the tracks but haven't been very impressed with either.
If it's a day time race I do get some very good pictures from both of them buy not so good speed shots. But the biggest problem is at the night races under the lights. Neither of them take good pictures at all and I have tried all kinds of different setting. It's just a totally different game taking pictures at night at a speedway. But then again I'm no camera guru so maybe it's just me:(
I even emailed Kodak and Olympus and asked them about what setting to use for night racing and just got the generic replays that I expected to get :(

You have to realize at a stock car race your trying to take still shots of cars going by you at 200 mph. And when it's under lights it's even worse. Like I said if I go to the fasts shutter speeds I can do pretty well in daylight but not so well at night. Then the focus thing comes into play. You have to focus on where you want to take the picture at were the cars will be when you want to take the picture and then hope the focus holds until the car going 200 mph get there. It's not like you can follow the cars around the track and focus on them and take a picture. I've tried that too :(

Oh and also I have both the Kodak and Olympus cameras for sale if anyone is interested :)

From what your saying you'd be much happier with a D-SLR. The HS10 will give you similar results to your two other cameras at night and under the lights. I'd look at a D-SLR with a good lens if your serious about getting good images as you have discribed you want and under those conditions.

dave

Your requirements really calls for an entry level DSLR camera with a very fast wide aperture lens. I don't think that you would be pleased with your photos using anything less.

Sarah Joyce