The Best Superzoom Camera of 2006

Alright then, now that you've seen our favorite consumer-level cameras, it's time to move on to the big-guns—Enter the superzooms!

As the name suggests, the biggest striking feature about superzoom cameras is the high optical zoom level which is usually between 10x to 12x in comparison to the 3x or 4x optical zoom that you usually get in consumer level cameras. But that's not it, these cameras also add a bunch of features like manual exposure and manual focus, along with customization options that make the cameras perfect for prosumers and amateur photographers.

The following are our favorite superzooms of 2006.

Second Runner-Up

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H5
It was a tough choice between the Canon Powershot S3 IS and this one for the third position, but in the end we had to select the Sony DSC-H5 for its better features. It performs better in low-light conditions, has an innovative digital zoom that crops images instead of stretching them, and better resolution.

The thing with the Sony H5 is that its an excellent camera for a prosumer as well as someone who's just upgraded from a point and shoot level, and wants a camera that can do more. Though that may sound like a generic description for all the cameras in this category, the H5 has all the right features for it.