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Nikon Coolpix B700 Credit: Reviewed.com / Ben Keough

The Best 50x Superzoom Digital Cameras of 2023

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Nikon Coolpix B700 Credit: Reviewed.com / Ben Keough

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Editor's Choice Product image of Nikon Coolpix B700
Best Overall

Nikon Coolpix B700

What impressed us most was this camera's fit and finish, along with its snappy operation. This is a camera that feels like it's worth every bit of its asking price. Read More

Pros

  • Compact
  • Comfortable use

Cons

  • None that we could find
Product image of Canon PowerShot SX540 HS
Best Value

Canon PowerShot SX540 HS

The Canon Powershot SX540 HS is a straightforward, simple camera that just happens to have a DSLR-esque grip and a big 50x zoom lens. Read More

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • 50x zoom lens
  • Affordable

Cons

  • Screen doesn’t flip out
  • Average build quality
Product image of Sony Cyber-Shot HX400V

Sony Cyber-Shot HX400V

Offering a 50x zoom and a 20.4MP sensor, the Cyber-Shot HX400V is an excellent superzoom camera. Read More

Pros

  • DSLR-style design
  • Tilting LCD screen
  • Built-in GPS for geotagging

Cons

  • No 4K video
  • Plasticky body
Product image of Fujifilm FinePix S1

Fujifilm FinePix S1

The Fujifilm FinePix S1 is the only 50x superzoom on the market that is fully weather- and dust-sealed. Read More

Pros

  • Great for outdoor shooting
  • Includes 10fps burst shooting

Cons

  • Noisy at ISO 800 and above
  • Image quality is lacking
Product image of Samsung WB2200F

Samsung WB2200F

Built-in Wi-Fi and NFC make it easy to share shots from the Samsung WB2200F with Android devices (especially Galaxy phones), and you can also control the camera from your phone. Read More

Pros

  • Extra grip strength
  • Easy to share photos

Cons

  • Low screen resolution
  • Noisy

One of the best reasons to buy a “real” camera, instead of just shooting everything with your phone, is to get more zoom. And while your choices today are more limited than in years past, there are still plenty of superzoom models to choose from. These days, camera makers including Canon, Nikon, Sony, and Fujifilm all offer models with 50x or larger zoom ratios.

But a big lens isn’t necessarily a guarantee of a good camera. Image quality, video capabilities, handling, features, and of course price are all important, too. So we’ve rounded up our favorites from among today’s crop, assessed their capabilities in all arenas, and put together this handy guide to help you find the right superzoom for your needs.

Editor's Note:
The recommendations in this guide are based on thorough product and market research by our team of expert product reviewers. The picks are based on examining user reviews, product specifications, and, in some limited cases, our experience with the specific products named.
Nikon Coolpix B700
Credit: Reviewed.com / Ben Keough
Best Overall
Nikon Coolpix B700

The brand-new Nikon Coolpix B700 packs an impressive range of features into a compact package. Most notable, of course, is a 60x zoom lens that’ll help you capture everything from landscapes, to portraits, to sports and wildlife. But what impressed us most about the B700 was its fit and finish, along with its snappy operation. This is a camera that feels like it's worth every bit of its $500 asking price.

Compared to some rivals, the B700 wows with extras like an articulating 3-inch LCD, 4K video capture at 30fps, RAW photo capture, and Bluetooth LE for easy file sharing. The electronic viewfinder (usually awful on these cameras) isn’t a total disappointment, and the ergonomic grip is comfortably textured for all-day use. All in all, it's a winner.

Pros

  • Compact

  • Comfortable use

Cons

  • None that we could find

Canon PowerShot SX540
Credit: Reviewed.com / Ben Keough

Canon PowerShot SX540

Best Value
Canon PowerShot SX540 HS

Some superzooms ape DSLR-style controls and features, hoping to capture users who want the pro look without pesky complications like changing lenses. The PowerShot SX540 HS isn’t one of those superzooms. It’s a straightforward, simple camera that just happens to have a DSLR-esque grip and a big 50x zoom lens.

Inside you’ll find a 20-megapixel CMOS sensor, a speedy Digic 6 processor, and WiFi and NFC connectivity for easy file sharing. The SX540 HS can shoot full HD video at 60fps, which makes it a credible dual threat. But there are downsides: The screen doesn’t flip out, which we found annoying during video shooting, and the build quality wasn't the most convincing. Still, at $399.99, it’s pretty reasonably priced.

Pros

  • Easy to use

  • 50x zoom lens

  • Affordable

Cons

  • Screen doesn’t flip out

  • Average build quality

Product image of Sony Cyber-Shot HX400V
Sony Cyber-shot HX400V

Offering a 50x zoom and 20.4 megapixels, the Cyber-shot HX400V is Sony’s flagship superzoom. Sure, the H400 has a longer reach, but this camera has all the coolest tech and can still bring all but the most distant subjects up close. It’s been in stores for a while (we first checked it out in early 2014), but it holds up to some of the newest superzooms on the market in terms of image quality and features. Oddly, though, the price hasn’t dropped much over time—there may be better values out there.

Perhaps our favorite thing about the HX400V is the comfortable, DSLR-style design, with a chunky front grip and a surprisingly grippy and silky smooth focusing ring around the massive lens barrel. The body itself is pretty plasticky, but in actual use it just melts into your hand. Other nifty features include a tilt screen, built-in GPS for geotagging, WiFi, and NFC. There’s no 4K video recording, but the camera can automatically scale your still photos for 4K displays, and will record all the 1080/60p footage you like.

Pros

  • DSLR-style design

  • Tilting LCD screen

  • Built-in GPS for geotagging

Cons

  • No 4K video

  • Plasticky body

Product image of Fujifilm FinePix S1
Fujifilm FinePix S1

We don’t love the FinePix S1, but there’s one very good reason you might: It’s the only 50x superzoom on the market that is fully weather- and dust-sealed. If you find yourself shooting outdoors in inclement weather with any kind of regularity, that’s kind of a big deal.

If you don’t, you’ll probably want to give this one a pass. Features like a tilt screen, 5-axis image stabilization, and 10fps burst shooting are nice, but the image quality just doesn’t cut it; reviewers and users universally complained that shots are way too noisy at ISO 800 and above. The price has dropped since the S1 debuted at $500 back in 2014, but even at $370 it’s a hard sell given today’s competition.

Pros

  • Great for outdoor shooting

  • Includes 10fps burst shooting

Cons

  • Noisy at ISO 800 and above

  • Image quality is lacking

Product image of Samsung WB2200F
Samsung WB2200F

Here’s a real oddball for you. Samsung, almost completely out of the camera game these days, put out this “dual grip” 60x superzoom back in 2014. Styled like a professional DSLR (kind of a munchkin-sized Nikon D5 or Canon 1D X), it can be comfortably held in either landscape or portrait orientation. The extra grip space also provides room for a huge battery that delivers about 600 shots per charge.

But don’t be intimidated by the looks: This thing is best used on full auto (though you can shoot on manual if you want). Built-in WiFi and NFC make it easy to share your shots with Android devices (especially Galaxy phones), and you can also control the camera from your phone. Still, laggy performance, a low-res screen and electronic viewfinder, and disappointingly noisy results at ISO 800 and above keep it from being an easy recommendation.

Pros

  • Extra grip strength

  • Easy to share photos

Cons

  • Low screen resolution

  • Noisy

Meet the tester

Ben Keough

Ben Keough

Contributor

@ben_keough

Ben is an experienced industry journalist who formerly served as Senior Editor of News and Features at Reviewed. He now contributes as a freelance writer and editor. Most recently hailing from the vast wilds of the American southwest, he is an avid photographer who is deeply disturbed by the lack of wide open landscapes in Boston.

See all of Ben Keough's reviews

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