Top 5 compact long-zoom shooters

Just a year ago, the compact long-zoom segment was dominated mainly by Panasonic with its TZ15. But this year, other imaging brands are beginning to introduce their own versions of such shooters as well. Much as superzoom snappers like the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1 have more zoom range, they are often more bulky because of the large lens barrel. Therefore, frequent travelers may prefer the five snappers below as they offer a good compromise between size and zoom. Also, some of these cameras have features such as video recording, manual exposure control or specialized low-light mode. Admittedly, these five snappers are a tad more expensive than the typical point-and-shoot. But compared with superzoom cameras, they are definitely easier on the wallet.

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	1.	Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7   CNET Asia rating: 7.4 out of 10 The good: 25mm ultra-wide-angle lens with 12x optical zoom; AVCHD compression lets users record longer clips; fast burst mode; above-average image quality. The bad: No manual exposure control; AVCHD compression produces uncommon file format. The bottom line: The TZ7 is a good long zoom compact camera that frequent travelers should consider if they want decent picture quality. A pity it doesn't offer manual exposure control. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	2.	Fujifilm FinePix F70EXR   CNET Asia rating: 7.6 out of 10 The good: Very decent picture quality, even in low lighting situations; useful Pro Low-Light and Focus modes; compact chassis; good color reproduction. The bad: Uninspiring camera design; shooting specifications not on par with competitors. The bottom line: If you can forgo the shooter's boring design and lack of HD video recording, the F70EXR has a lot to offer. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	3.	Canon PowerShot SX200 IS   CNET Asia rating: 7 out of 10 The good: 28mm wide-angle lens; good range of exposure options; impressive HD video quality; flash output control. The bad: Image quality could be better; obtrusive flash mechanism; slow burst mode capture. The bottom line: The SX200 IS is a capable camera that has myriads of features to satisfy both beginners and advanced shutterbugs, though we felt the picture quality could be improved. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	4.	Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H20   Among the five snappers featured here, the H20 is probably the most professional-looking with a dSLR-like grip and a faux prism hump on top of the shooter. Although it lacks a wide-angle lens, it makes up by giving shutterbugs more reach when shooting faraway subjects. The inclusion of HD video recording is a nice touch, too. Noteworthy features: 12x optical zoom, optical image stabilizer, manual exposure control and 720p-quality video recording. Related models: Cyber-shot DSC-H10 Availability in Asia: TBA See full specs | Rate this
	5.	Samsung WB550   Although the WB500 was announced in early January, Samsung wasted no time in introducing the updated version, the WB550, a few days ago. The new shooter has a larger 3-inch LCD display and higher 12-megapixel resolution. As with the WB500, the WB550 also comes with a 24mm ultra-wide-angle lens and 10x optical zoom. Noteworthy features: 24mm ultra-wide-angle lens, 10x optical zoom, manual exposure, 720p-quality video recording and optical image stabilizer. Related models: WB500, WB100 Availability in Asia: TBA See full specs | Rate this