Top 10 Best Bridge Cameras in 2015

Although digital technology progressed so much that it offered us DSLR and compact digital cameras, bridge cameras still remain on the market due to their exquisite market value. In other words they offer immense optical zoom while having advanced features at much more affordable prices than DSLRs. That is why we wanted to make an article on “Top 10 Best Bridge Camera in 2015″.

Modern bridge cameras can offer levels of control and speed similar to DSLRs. Other features such as wide aperture lenses, raw shooting and even Wi-Fi are also becoming more and more popular in bridge cameras. In terms of picture quality, many bridge cameras nowadays come equiped with designs bigger than 1 inch that rival even compact cameras.

Bridge Camera

1. Canon G3 X

Price: $999

The Canon G3 X packs quite a punch due to its 25x optic zoom and Canon’s very own Digic 6 image processor. This bridge camera came as a response to Panasonic’s FZ1000, yet it has its own shortcomings. Mainly the fact that the aperture drops to f/5.6 while in full zoom and also the fact fact that the camera does not support 4K. However, the camera can shoot full HD, has a large 1 inch sensor, support raw capture and an image quality with a high level of detail.

Bridge Camera

2. Sony RX10 II

Price: $1.298

This is a bridge camera that supports 4k video and that can sustain 14fps continuous shooting. The Sony RX10 II camera is a massive improvement from the RX10. It also has a 1 inch sensor and a 3 inch monitor. However, the 4K technology makes it very expensive. Another possible shortcoming might be the fact that it sacrifices zoom range for quality. In the end the Sony RX10 II is one of the best bridge cameras on the market.

Bridge Camera

3. Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ1000

Price: $769

The Panasonic Lumic DMC FZ1000 makes use of a Leica optical lense that helps users shoot in low light situations. However, this impacts the zoom capabilities of this bridge camera. It also has 4K video recording capabilities, a 1 inch sensor, 3 inch monitor, with an advanced autofocus and raw shooting. In the end you get a capable bridge camera, with 4K video recording features at a lower price than some of its competitors.

Bridge Camera

4. Canon PowerShot SX60 HS

Price: $442

This bridge camera has an incredible 65x zoom range due to its smaller senzor size of just 1/2.3 inches. It also comes packed with raw shooting capabilities and Wi-FI, altough it has to be set manually just like the eye sensor on the viewfinder. Full manual control but with lower quality pictures in dark conditions, this bridge camera is still one of the best, especially since it costs just $442.

Bridge Camera

5. Nikon Coolpix P610

Price: $367

A contender to the Canon SX60 HS, the P610 unfortunately lacks the ability to shoot raw. However, it offers Wi-Fi with NFC, but it lacks eye sensor for the viewfinder. On the other hand it has an articulating screen, 60x optical zoom a 1/2.3 inch sensor and a 3 inch screen.

Bridge Camera

6. Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ72

Price: $309

Another entry from Panasonic that has managed to remain on the marget due to its versatility and amazingly low price is the Lumix DMC FZ72. It features a higher zoom capability than that of other more expensive bridge cameras. Its 60x zoom, wide 20 mm focal length, and raw format shooting makes it a worthy competitor. However, it lacks Wi-Fi and has generally small resolution.

Bridge Camera

7. Sony Cyber Shot DSC HX400V

Price: $463

This is a bridge camera that benefits from a smaller zoom range of just 50x, Wi-Fi and even a tilting screen. Its ergonomic design makes it a pleasure to use, however it does not support raw shooting. JPEG images are supported and offer quite plenty of details and colours. Another obvious shortcoming is its low resolution electronic viewfinder.

Bridge Camera

8. Fujifilm FinePix HS50 EXR

Price: $364

This next entry comes from Fujifilm and is an overall good bridge camera. It has a shorter, 42x zoom range but benefits from shooting in raw format, a good autofocus and good image quality. Other great features are represented by its articulating screen and eye sensor for the electronic viewfinder. On the down side, it lacks Wi-Fi and the detail smoothing becomes very visible when photos are set at full size. However, for the price of just $364 it is an overall decent bridge camera, which has the feeling of a SLR due to its size.

Bridge Camera

9. Sony Cyber Shot HX300

Price: $321

The younger brother of HX400V, the HX300, borrows many features from its larger counterpart. It boosts the same 50x zoom range, 20.4 megapixel Exmor R sensor, full HD video recording and HD image quality. However it lacks some of the features that his older brother has, such as Wi-Fi and GPS location. Nevertheless, if you are content with shooting JPEG only, alongside perfect image stabilisation and a lens barrel zoom ring, this bridge camera is certainly for you.

Bridge Camera

10. Nikon Coolpix P900

Price: $610

The last entry in our list is the Nikon Coolpix P900. It sets itself apart from its competitors due to its massive 83x zoom range. It also benefits from inbuilt Wi-Fi and NFC pairing as well as an articulating screen. On the other hand, it does not offer raw formating, it is 60% heavier than most of its competitors and it also costs more. It has a standard sensor size of 1/2.3 inch, a 3 inch screen and a maximum continuos shooting rate of 7 fps. The major shortcoming that this bridge camera has is its high price. Smaller, cheaper bridge cameras with many more amazing features cost much less than this mammoth.

So there you have it, our “Top 10 Best Bridge Cameras in 2015“. Although bridge cameras face fierce competition from DSLR cameras and compact system cameras, they still manage to hold their own. Due to their balance between zoom capabilities, image quality and interesting features, bridge cameras offer high quality at more affordable prices. If you feel we have omitted one or more good bridge cameras, feel free to let us know, in the comment section below.

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