Three of my Best Bridge Cameras

The challenge with buying a digital camera is selecting which one to buy, the camera market is saturated with so many different models, sizes, prices, functionalities and so on, to top it all up you also need to figure out which type of camera is right for you. In this hub I am providing details on three of my favourite digital cameras. I already have (should say had) a compact Samsung WB150 Camera, although it’s a good camera with plenty of functionality my daughter decided she wanted it, and therefore every time I looked for it, this Samsung was always either in her room or she was using it.

I decided to invest in a new digital camera for myself, but this time round I wanted something with a little bit more oomph. Looked on the market and opted to go for a Digital Bridge Camera that would give the control and magnification I required for taking pictures of distant objects. I am not a professional photographer nor do I have the time to learn the techniques to take good photographs which is why rather than going for an expensive Digital SLR camera’s I opted to go for something cheaper. The bridge cameras offered the functionality, magnification and reasonable price.

In my simple layman terms, a bridge camera is targeted at people like me who want a digital camera that gives good set of functionality, ease of use (as in many automated features), at a price that won’t break the Bank. Bridge Cameras target a niche market and sit in between digital compact cameras and DSLRs. This is what makes them ideal for hobbyist, amateur or professional photographers who like the simplicity of a compact camera, while wanting a powerful lens and value add features, but don't want to spend and invest in something more expensive which requires some training to use it. The Bridge camera is not something that you can put in your pocket and walk around, it certainly is heavier and bulkier than your typical digital compact camera.

The first in my list is the Fuji HS30 model which comes with an Electronic Viewfinder, an expanded sensitivity range that makes it better suited to shooting in low light. The HS30 has a manually operated 30x optical zoom which gives it an incredibly flexible focal range. Notice I am trying not to go into the technical jargon.

The Fuji HS30 also offers a 16MP EXR CMOS sensor also allows it to benefit from different shooting modes. If you're looking for an all-round powerful zoom bridge camera loaded with useful features then the Fuji HS30 is one of the best bridge cameras.

Second in my list of the best bridge cameras is the Samsung WB100 16MP Bridge Camera, this one is a real wonder at a price that really no one can complain at. This Bridge camera has a powerful sensor and 26X Super Optical zoom allowing you to easily capture clear images from a distance. For people like me who want to take pictures yet don’t want to fiddle around with many buttons and dials then this WB100 offers professional quality photos, this bridge camera also lets you capture panoramic shots very easily. It provides Image stabilisation features, scene modes, LED screen to see what you camera is looking at, and uses standard ‘AA’ batteries, so if you’re travelling no need to worry about charging the batteries.

The final one in the list is the Sony HX200V; this is a feature-packed 30x zoom bridge camera that offers Sony's own Optical SteadyShot technology to help counter the effects of camera shake, much similar to the Samsung WB100 Image stabilisation feature.

It has an 18.2MP CMOS sensor offering a good performance in low light conditions, the Sony HX200V offers plenty of helpful shooting features including Sweep Panorama, Background Defocus, and Backlight Correction.

The Sony Bridge Camera also includes the ability to shoot 1080p Full HD movies, it offers full manual controls, has a built-in GPS functionality and a range of digital filter effects that can be applied in-camera without the need for a computer and dedicated image editing software.

The thing to note here is that many of the Bridge Cameras offer similar features as in image stabilisation, HD video recording, digital image filters for doing things like adding photo frames to images, cropping your image, editing your image, use memory cards for storage of your photos, most of them use standard ‘AA’ batteries. What you should look out for is the zoom capability, its video capability is 720 or 1080p, is it full HD or not. These are the things to look out for as they differ slightly between different models and also can impact the price you pay for the bridge camera.

Buying a digital Bridge Camera is the first step you will also need some of the following items, that is if you haven't purchased a package offer which in some places provide memory cards, rechargeable batteries and a camera bag. I have included links to some products that you may consider buying in addition to your camera.