Which long-zoom compact should I get?

--------------------------------------------------------------
This story was printed from CNET Asia.
--------------------------------------------------------------

Which long-zoom compact should I get?

By Leonard Goh
29/06/2009
URL: http://asia.cnet.com/digitalliving/ask/0,3800004928,62055553,00.htm

Question

I'm about to buy a camera and I know the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7 is a great model with good reviews. I'm also considering the WB550 from Samsung but there are not many reviews of that model. What do you think, should I go for the Panasonic or the Samsung?
Submitted by

Answer

The Samsung WB550 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ7 are very similar cameras and I understand how hard it can be to make a decision between them. However, the TZ7 has 12x optical zoom while the WB550, only 10x. For photographers who want to take pictures of subjects that are far away, like wild life, this extra zoom factor will come in handy. Also, the Lumix camera records HD videos with AVCHD compression so you can capture higher-quality clips.

However, the WB550 offers manual exposure control which appeals to enthusiasts. If you need such a feature, then the Samsung shooter might be more suitable.