The 6 Best Zoom Cameras - Fall 2024

The Sony RX10 IV is one of the best zoom cameras you can get. While it isn't cheap, it's an incredibly well-rounded bridge camera that stands above the pack. Its stacked 1-inch sensor keeps rolling shutter to a minimum and allows for burst shooting at up to 24 fps. Beyond that, its high-resolution OLED EVF gives you a sharp view of your subjects, and the camera even records decent 4k video quality.

With a 24-600mm full-frame equivalent focal length, its built-in Zeiss lens has a fairly wide 25x optical zoom range. Though it isn't the longest zoom range on this list, the camera makes up for that with features like a weather-sealed body, fantastic ergonomics, and a great battery life. In addition, you get a highly reliable autofocus system with real-time subject detection and tracking. Ultimately, if you're looking for a well-rounded zoom camera in a relatively portable and well-constructed package, and money is no obstacle, this is the one to get.

A list of the top zoom cameras wouldn't be complete without the Nikon COOLPIX P1000. It's the camera to beat if we're talking sheer zoom range. With a stunning 125x optical zoom, its bazooka of a lens can capture details on the moon's surface. Of course, that 24-3000mm equivalent focal length means this isn't the best choice if you want something even remotely portable, but it's an impressive camera nonetheless.

It's best suited to shooting in broad daylight because of its small sensor and narrow aperture at max zoom, and you'll likely need a tripod or something else to stabilize the camera when shooting at the tail end of its focal length range. However, despite its limitations, the P1000 still has something to offer besides awe-inspiring zoom, including RAW photo capture and 4k video capability, along with a high-res EVF and fully articulated screen.

The Panasonic LUMIX FZ1000 II is the zoom camera Goldilocks would choose. It's less premium and well-built than the Sony RX10 IV, but it's sturdier than budget options, with a great balance of features and performance for its price. Its built-in lens has a fairly wide-ranging 25-400mm equivalent focal length, giving you plenty of flexibility to shoot far-away subjects like birds. It also uses a 1-inch sensor, so image quality is good for its class. However, it isn't a stacked design sensor like the Sony, so it has a slower readout speed and max burst rate.

Still, the camera is packed with a ton of beginner-friendly shooting modes. That includes a '4k PHOTO' mode that lets you pull stills out of 30 fps 4k video clips, which is handy for isolating fleeting moments of fast action. It also has a good battery life and excellent ergonomics. Ultimately, this is the way to go if you're looking for a bridge camera that won't break the bank but still offers a well-rounded feature set and good build quality. However, it's getting harder to find brand new, so you may have to shop around for one on the used market.

The Panasonic LUMIX FZ80D is one of the best-value budget bridge cameras on the market. Though bridge cameras are becoming more scarce, especially ones that could be considered affordable, this refreshed version of an old budget favorite still has a lot to offer for those on a tighter budget. It uses a smaller 1/2.3-inch sensor than higher-end models like the Panasonic LUMIX FZ1000 II, but its image quality is on par for its class, and you can still get good results in bright conditions. It's also relatively portable, and the 'D' model has a new higher-resolution screen and viewfinder, so the image through the EVF is fairly sharp.

Beyond that, it offers a wide zoom range, with a 60x optical zoom range covering a full-frame equivalent focal length of 20-1200mm, giving you a ton of flexibility to capture far-away subjects. Plus, it has many of the same extra features and modes found on its higher-end stablemate above, including '4k PHOTO' mode and a macro mode. If you're willing to stretch your budget a little bit, the Canon PowerShot SX70 HS is another solid option, with a slightly longer zoom range, a slightly higher-resolution sensor, and an articulated screen. However, the LUMIX is cheaper and has a better autofocus system.

If you're looking for the best compact zoom camera, it doesn't get much better than the Sony RX100 VII. The RX100 series has long been a favorite for street and travel photos. These cameras balance zoom range with a wide array of features you don't often see in compact point-and-shoots. Like the Sony RX10 IV above, the RX100 VII uses a stacked 1-inch type sensor that captures above-average image quality and has a quick 20 fps burst rate for faster-moving subjects.

In addition, it has a tilt-out screen for waist-level shots, a pop-up viewfinder that comes in handy on sunny days, and a small pop-up flash that you can use as a fill light in harsher lighting. Plus, Sony's real-time AF tracking ensures you'll rarely miss focus. With a 24-200mm full-frame equivalent focal length, it doesn't have nearly as much zoom range as other options here, but if the price isn't a dealbreaker, this is one of the best premium point-and-shoots on the market. If you want to save some money, you can also find older models in the RX100 series on the used market.

Looking for something small on an equally small budget? Check out the Canon PowerShot SX740. It offers a 40x optical zoom range in a highly compact form factor. You can easily bring this point-and-shoot with you wherever you go, and its highly intuitive user interface makes snapping photos a breeze.

Unlike the Sony RX100 VII above, this model uses a smaller 1/2.3-inch sensor. However, you can still capture decent images in bright conditions, and its 24-960mm full-frame equivalent focal length gives you a ton of flexibility to zoom in on faraway subjects. Also, while it doesn't have a viewfinder, it features a flip-up screen for waist-level shooting or selfies, and it can shoot bursts of up to 10 fps for faster subjects. If you can find it, the Panasonic LUMIX ZS80 is even cheaper and has a viewfinder to help with framing and composition, but it's been discontinued, so you might have to buy one secondhand.