Best Digital Cameras for Advanced Photographers

For photographers who need a little extra power, but want to avoid the cost and headaches associated with digital SLRs, these Extended Zoom cameras will do the trick. Plenty of advanced features at a fraction of the cost.

With great power comes great responsibility, and with the great responsibility of a high-end professional digital camera comes great anxiety. So why not pick an affordable, advanced camera that gives you the power you crave without making you endlessly fret over a multi-thousand dollar investment? No confusing and expensive lenses, no enormous price tags; these extended zoom cameras give you superior performance and image quality without the headaches. Below, you'll find our top picks for extended zoom/advanced digital cameras.

New Twist on an Old Favorite Canon S5 IS Grade: HQ Grade: A A is outstanding and exceptional, rated in the top 10% of digital cameras. B means they are good, with some standout features. C means they are mediocre, and probably more trouble than they're worth. D & F mean they are absolutely awful or old. Avoid at all costs. from $304.00	The Canon Powershot S5 IS is an excellent extended zoom/advanced camera, capable of capturing spectacular imagery with its 8MP sensor and 12x optical zoom. Sure, it's not as long-range as some of the newer 18x models, but that just means it's more compact and portable. 12x will get you plenty far, as will Canon's reputation for reliability and quality. Even on such a powerful camera, Canon manages to maintain a user-friendly, approachable feel that will satisfy photographers of every skill level. Quick Specs: 8 Megapixels, 12x Optical Zoom, Image Stabilization, AA Batteries
Impressive 15x Optical Zoom Sony H7 Grade: HQ Grade: B+ A is outstanding and exceptional, rated in the top 10% of digital cameras. B means they are good, with some standout features. C means they are mediocre, and probably more trouble than they're worth. D & F mean they are absolutely awful or old. Avoid at all costs. from $297.72	The Sony Cybershot H7 is an popular camera with 15x optical zoom and Sony's Super SteadyShot image stabilization. This camera is now an even better choice as the price has dropped dramatically since it debuted earlier in the year. The price may have dropped, but it's still the same above-average extended zoom camera, worthy of your consideration. Interested shoppers can also compare against it's sister model, the Sony H9 . Quick Specs: 8 Megapixels, 15x Optical Zoom, Image Stabilization, Lithium-ion Battery
18x Optical Zoom Panasonic FZ18 Grade: HQ Grade: A- A is outstanding and exceptional, rated in the top 10% of digital cameras. B means they are good, with some standout features. C means they are mediocre, and probably more trouble than they're worth. D & F mean they are absolutely awful or old. Avoid at all costs. from $299.99	The Panasonic Lumix FZ18 wasn't the first camera with 18x optical zoom, but it just might prove to be the best. We were very excited when the Olympus SP-550UZ debuted, and sparked this 18x trend, but readers were lukewarm about its performance; it never got above a B+ grade. The FZ18, while very new, has a sterling pedigree, with roots in the Panasonic FZ50 and FZ30, two tremendously wonderful extended zoom cameras. Keep an eye on the FZ18, it's shaping up to be a big winner. Quick Specs: 8 Megapixels, 18x Optical Zoom, Image Stabilization, Lithium-ion Battery
RAW Power Canon G9 Grade: HQ Grade: A A is outstanding and exceptional, rated in the top 10% of digital cameras. B means they are good, with some standout features. C means they are mediocre, and probably more trouble than they're worth. D & F mean they are absolutely awful or old. Avoid at all costs. from $375.00	The Canon Powershot G9 brings some fire back to the advanced 'G' series, reconciling some of the problems consumers had with its predecessor the G7. The G9 reintroduces the RAW image format, allowing photographers to take uncompressed, full-data images. It ups the ante with a top-of-the-line 12 megapixel sensor, and luxurous 3.0-inch LCD display. The G9 is a serious shooter, and if you've got the chops to put its many features to work, your reward will be stunning, sensational photographs. Quick Specs: 12 Megapixels, 6x Optical Zoom, Image Stabilization, Lithium-ion Battery