Bridge digital camera
Encyclopedia
Camera
A camera is a device that records and stores images. These images may be still photographs or moving images such as videos or movies. The term camera comes from the camera obscura , an early mechanism for projecting images...
s which fill the niche
Niche market
A niche market is the subset of the market on which a specific product is focusing; therefore the market niche defines the specific product features aimed at satisfying specific market needs, as well as the price range, production quality and the demographics that is intended to impact...
between the single-lens reflex camera
Single-lens reflex camera
A single-lens reflex camera is a camera that typically uses a semi-automatic moving mirror system that permits the photographer to see exactly what will be captured by the film or digital imaging system, as opposed to pre-SLR cameras where the view through the viewfinder could be significantly...
s (SLRs) and the Point-and-shoot camera. They are often comparable in size and weight to the smallest Digital SLR
Digital single-lens reflex camera
Most digital single-lens reflex cameras are digital cameras that use a mechanical mirror system and pentaprism to direct light from the lens to an optical viewfinder on the back of the camera....
s (DSLR), but almost all digital bridge cameras lack an optical viewfinder
Viewfinder
In photography, a viewfinder is what the photographer looks through to compose, and in many cases to focus, the picture. Most viewfinders are separate, and suffer parallax, while the single-lens reflex camera lets the viewfinder use the main optical system. Viewfinders are used in many cameras of...
system (film bridges generally had a lighter version of a reflex finder
Reflex finder
A reflex finder is a viewfinder system with a mirror placed behind a lens. The light passing through the lens is reflected by the mirror to a focusing screen, usually ground glass...
). In addition, SLRs normally feature interchangeable lenses
Lens mount
A lens mount is an interface — mechanical and often also electrical — between a photographic camera body and a lens. It is confined to cameras where the body allows interchangeable lenses, most usually the single lens reflex type or any movie camera of 16 mm or higher gauge...
, while current bridge cameras do not. The phrase has been in use at least since the 1980s, and continues to be used with digital camera
Digital camera
A digital camera is a camera that takes video or still photographs, or both, digitally by recording images via an electronic image sensor. It is the main device used in the field of digital photography...
s. The term "Bridge camera" was originally used to refer to film cameras which "bridged the gap" between point and shoot cameras and SLRs.
Like other cameras, most current bridge cameras are digital
Digital camera
A digital camera is a camera that takes video or still photographs, or both, digitally by recording images via an electronic image sensor. It is the main device used in the field of digital photography...
. These cameras typically feature full manual controls over shutter speed
Shutter speed
In photography, shutter speed is a common term used to discuss exposure time, the effective length of time a camera's shutter is open....
, aperture
Aperture
In optics, an aperture is a hole or an opening through which light travels. More specifically, the aperture of an optical system is the opening that determines the cone angle of a bundle of rays that come to a focus in the image plane. The aperture determines how collimated the admitted rays are,...
, ISO
Film speed
Film speed is the measure of a photographic film's sensitivity to light, determined by sensitometry and measured on various numerical scales, the most recent being the ISO system....
, white balance
Color balance
In photography and image processing, color balance is the global adjustment of the intensities of the colors . An important goal of this adjustment is to render specific colors – particularly neutral colors – correctly; hence, the general method is sometimes called gray balance, neutral balance,...
and metering. Generally, their feature sets are similar to consumer DSLRs, except for a smaller range of ISO sensitivity because of their typically smaller image sensor
Image sensor
An image sensor is a device that converts an optical image into an electronic signal. It is used mostly in digital cameras and other imaging devices...
(a DSLR has a 35mm
135 film
The term 135 was introduced by Kodak in 1934 as a designation for cartridge film wide, specifically for still photography. It quickly grew in popularity, surpassing 120 film by the late 1960s to become the most popular photographic film format...
, APS
Advanced Photo System
Advanced Photo System is a film format for still photography first produced in 1996. It was marketed by Eastman Kodak under the brand name Advantix, by FujiFilm under the name Nexia, by AgfaPhoto under the name Futura and by Konica as Centuria.- Design :The film is 24 mm wide, and has three...
, or 4/3
Four Thirds System
The Four Thirds system is a standard created by Olympus and Kodak for digital single-lens reflex camera design and development.The system provides a standard that, with digital cameras and lenses available from multiple manufacturers, allows for the interchange of lenses and bodies from different...
size CCD
Charge-coupled device
A charge-coupled device is a device for the movement of electrical charge, usually from within the device to an area where the charge can be manipulated, for example conversion into a digital value. This is achieved by "shifting" the signals between stages within the device one at a time...
or CMOS). Many bridge cameras have long zoom lens
Zoom lens
A zoom lens is a mechanical assembly of lens elements for which the focal length can be varied, as opposed to a fixed focal length lens...
es, so the term "bridge camera" is often used interchangeably with "megazoom", "superzoom
Superzoom
The term hyperzoom or superzoom is used to advertise photographic zoom lenses with unconventionally large focal length factors, typically more than 5× and ranging up to 15×, e.g., 35 mm to 350 mm. The largest ratio for digital SLR cameras is held by the Tamron 18–270 mm, giving 15×....
", or "ultrazoom." However, some bridge cameras have only moderate or short zooms (such as the Canon Powershot G9
Canon PowerShot G
The Canon PowerShot G is a series of digital cameras released by Canon. The G series cameras are Canon's flagship 'compact' models aimed at prosumer photography enthusiasts desiring more flexibility than a point-and-shoot without the bulk of a digital single-lens reflex camera.The G series offers...
), while many compact cameras have superzoom lenses but lack the advanced functions of a bridge camera.
With zoom ranges and sales rapidly increasing in the early 21st century, every major camera manufacturer has at least one 'super zoom' in their lineup.
One fixed but versatile lens
Bridge cameras typically have small image sensorImage sensor
An image sensor is a device that converts an optical image into an electronic signal. It is used mostly in digital cameras and other imaging devices...
s, allowing their lenses also to be smaller than a 35mm or APS-C
APS-C
Advanced Photo System type-C is an image sensor format approximately equivalent in size to the Advanced Photo System "classic" size negatives...
SLR lens covering the same zoom range. As a result, very large zoom ranges (from wide-angle
Wide-angle lens
From a design perspective, a wide angle lens is one that projects a substantially larger image circle than would be typical for a standard design lens of the same focal length; this enables either large tilt & shift movements with a view camera, or lenses with wide fields of view.More informally,...
to telephoto
Telephoto lens
In photography and cinematography, a telephoto lens is a specific type of a long-focus lens in which the physical length of the lens is shorter than the focal length. This is achieved by incorporating a special lens group known as a telephoto group that extends the light path to create a long-focus...
, including macro
Macro photography
Macrophotography is close-up photography, usually of very small subjects. Classically a macrophotograph is one in which the size of the subject on the negative is greater than life size. However in modern use it refers to a finished photograph of a subject at greater than life size...
) are feasible with one lens. The typical bridge camera has a telephoto zoom limit of over 400mm (35mm equivalent), although some 21st century cameras reach over 500mm. For this reason, bridge cameras typically fall into the category of superzoom cameras.
A typical example is the 24× Zoom Nikkor ED 4.6-110.4mm f2.8-5.0 on the Nikon Coolpix P90
Nikon Coolpix P90
The Nikon Coolpix P90 was launched by Nikon on February 3, 2009 as an improved version of the Nikon Coolpix P80. It is a 12-mega pixel CCD digital camera with a fixed 24× Zoom Nikkor ED glass lens giving more than twelve times image magnification fully extended. An in-camera feature compensates for...
, which in 35 mm equivalent focal length
35 mm equivalent focal length
In photography, the 35 mm equivalent focal length is a measure that indicates the angle of view of a particular combination of a camera lens and film or sensor size...
terms is a 26-624mm. To reduce aberration in a lens with such ambitious specifications, these have quite complex constructions, using multiple aspheric
Aspheric lens
An aspheric lens or asphere is a lens whose surface profiles are not portions of a sphere or cylinder. In photography, a lens assembly that includes an aspheric element is often called an aspherical lens....
elements and often anomalous-dispersion
Dispersion (optics)
In optics, dispersion is the phenomenon in which the phase velocity of a wave depends on its frequency, or alternatively when the group velocity depends on the frequency.Media having such a property are termed dispersive media...
glass. In this example pincushion- and barrel distortion can be corrected in the camera firmware as well. The ability to fit such a wide zoom range in one single small-diameter lens makes lens interchangeability redundant for most photographers. However, most bridge cameras allow the use of secondary lens
Secondary lens
In photography, a secondary lens is a lens designed to be used in conjunction with another lens, called the primary lens.A secondary lens may be designed to be used either in front of the primary lens, between it and the subject, or behind the primary lens, between it and the film.Secondary lenses...
es to improve wide angle, telephoto or macro capabilities. These secondary lenses typically screw onto the front of the primary lens either directly or by use of an adapter tube.
LCDs and EVFs as principal viewfinders
Bridge cameras employ two types of electronic screens as viewfinderViewfinder
In photography, a viewfinder is what the photographer looks through to compose, and in many cases to focus, the picture. Most viewfinders are separate, and suffer parallax, while the single-lens reflex camera lets the viewfinder use the main optical system. Viewfinders are used in many cameras of...
s: The LCD
Liquid crystal display
A liquid crystal display is a flat panel display, electronic visual display, or video display that uses the light modulating properties of liquid crystals . LCs do not emit light directly....
and the electronic viewfinder
Electronic viewfinder
An electronic viewfinder or EVF is a viewfinder where the image captured by the lens is projected electronically onto a miniature display. The image on this display is used to assist in aiming the camera at the scene to be photographed.-Operation:...
(EVF). All bridge cameras have an LCD with live-preview and usually in addition either an EVF or an optical viewfinder (OVF) (non-parallax
Parallax
Parallax is a displacement or difference in the apparent position of an object viewed along two different lines of sight, and is measured by the angle or semi-angle of inclination between those two lines. The term is derived from the Greek παράλλαξις , meaning "alteration"...
-free, as opposed to the OVF of DSLRs, which is parallax-free). A high-quality EVF is one of the advanced features that distinguish bridge cameras from consumer compact cameras.
All DSLRs, by definition, have a through-the-lens OVF. Newer DSLR models typically also allow 'live view' on the LCD screen as an alternative to the OVF.
Live-preview EVF advantages
The EVF of bridge cameras, and the LCD of bridge cameras and DSLRs in 'live view' mode, continuously show the image generated by the sensor. The continuous digitally-generated live view has some advantages and disadvantages compared to the optically-generated view through the OVF of DSLRs. One advantage is that the digital preview is affected by all shooting settings and thus the image is seen as it will be recorded (in terms of things like exposure, white balance, grain-noise, etc) which the OVF of DSLRs is incapable of showing. Another advantage is facilitating the framing from difficult angles by making the LCD movable (vari-angle). The LCD and EVF normally show 100% of the image while previewing (WYSIWYGWYSIWYG
WYSIWYG is an acronym for What You See Is What You Get. The term is used in computing to describe a system in which content displayed onscreen during editing appears in a form closely corresponding to its appearance when printed or displayed as a finished product...
). The OVF of professional DSLRs normally shows 100% of the image, but the OVF of consumer DSLRs may show slightly less than 100%.
Live-preview EVF disadvantages
The electronic screens of bridge cameras do not work as well as the OVF of DSLRs in situations of low light, or in bright daylight where the LCD screen might be difficult to see and use for framing. Also the screen has low resolution and refresh rate compared to the very high resolution and instantaneous refresh provided by an optical path in the OVF of DSLRs. Low resolution impedes manual focusing, but most modern bridge cameras implement a method that automatically magnifies a central frame within the screen (manual focus point) to allow easier manual focusing. A slow refresh rate means that the image seen on the screen will have a fraction of a second lag or delay from the real scene being photographed. The electronic screens used in modern bridge cameras are gradually improving in their size, resolution, visibility, magnification and refresh rate.Continuous operation of the sensor shortens battery life and raises temperature. A DSLR's sensor (when not in live view mode) only operates when the shutter is open, and the electronic screen is typically off more, causing less battery drain. In bright conditions the light impinging constantly on the sensor of a non-SLR so it can show the image can heat the sensor, increasing image noise
Image noise
Image noise is random variation of brightness or color information in images, and is usually an aspect of electronic noise. It can be produced by the sensor and circuitry of a scanner or digital camera...
; in a DSLR, the sensor is exposed to light only during the fraction of a second that the shutter is open.
Examples of bridge cameras
Examples of bridge cameras are the Nikon Coolpix P90Nikon Coolpix P90
The Nikon Coolpix P90 was launched by Nikon on February 3, 2009 as an improved version of the Nikon Coolpix P80. It is a 12-mega pixel CCD digital camera with a fixed 24× Zoom Nikkor ED glass lens giving more than twelve times image magnification fully extended. An in-camera feature compensates for...
2009 model with 24× Optical Zoom NIKKOR lens, some Canon PowerShot S
Canon PowerShot S
The Canon PowerShot S is a series of digital cameras released by Canon. The S-series was originally a line of compact point-and-shoot cameras, slowly evolving into a prosumer line of cameras slotting right beneath the G series cameras. The line later branched off into Canon's line of super-zoom...
and Fujifilm FinePix S-series
Fujifilm FinePix S-series
The Fujifilm FinePix S-series of digital cameras consists of the company's DSLR system and bridge camera models.-Current models:Bridge camera: * Fujifilm Finepix S1600/S1770* Fujifilm Finepix S1800/S1880...
cameras, Olympus SP-500 Ultra Zoom
Olympus SP-500 Ultra Zoom
The Olympus SP 500 Ultra Zoom is a 6.0-megapixel compact ultra-zoom digital camera introduced by Olympus Corporation in 2005.It features a 2.5" LCD display, a 10x zoom lens, and 5x digital zoom in a compact lightweight body...
, Olympus SP-570UZ, and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50 is a superzoom bridge digital camera by Panasonic. It is the successor of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30.While the FZ30 was a major upgrade of the FZ20 both internally and externally, the FZ50 differs relatively little from the FZ30...
. The Casio Exilim Pro EX-F1 could also be considered a bridge camera, though its video features distinguish it from any other consumer camera. Kodak EasyShare P-Series and Z-Series. Minolta
Minolta
Minolta Co., Ltd. was a Japanese worldwide manufacturer of cameras, camera accessories, photocopiers, fax machines, and laser printers. Minolta was founded in Osaka, Japan, in 1928 as . It is perhaps best known for making the first integrated autofocus 35mm SLR camera system...
(before the Konica Minolta
Konica Minolta
is a Japanese manufacturer of office equipment, medical imaging, graphic imaging, optical devices, and measuring instruments. It is headquartered in the Marunouchi Center Building in Marunouchi, Chiyoda, Tokyo, with a Kansai office in Nishi-ku, Osaka, Osaka Prefecture...
merger) marketed the DiMAGE series, with the Minolta GT manual fixed zoom lens. Their bridge digital cameras were known as ZSLRs (zoom lens, single lens reflex). Olympus was the first to place a 20x zoom on a bridge camera with the Olympus SP-570.
The Sony DSC-R1
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1 is a bridge digital camera announced by Sony in 2005 . It featured a 10.3 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor , a size typically used in DSLRs and rarely used in bridge cameras...
(2005–2006) and the Sigma DP1
Sigma DP1
The Sigma DP1 is a high-end compact digital camera introduced by the Sigma Corporation. It features a 14-megapixel Foveon X3 sensor , a fixed 16.6 mm F4.0 lens , a 2.5” LCD and a pop-up flash...
(2008) are bridge cameras with APS size imaging sensors. The DP1 is much smaller than typical bridge cameras, and has a fixed focal length (non-zoom) lens. Current superzoom model from Sony is CyberShot DSC HX1, which replaced the CyberShot DSC H50. The HX1 has a CMOS sensor, which is very rare for non-DSLR cameras. The Nikon Coolpix P6000
Nikon Coolpix P6000
The Coolpix P6000 is a digital camera introduced by the Nikon Corporation in August 2008.The built-in GPS is a first in its price-range....
, Canon PowerShot G
Canon PowerShot G
The Canon PowerShot G is a series of digital cameras released by Canon. The G series cameras are Canon's flagship 'compact' models aimed at prosumer photography enthusiasts desiring more flexibility than a point-and-shoot without the bulk of a digital single-lens reflex camera.The G series offers...
series, and Panasonic LX-3 are other examples of smaller bridge cameras with smaller zoom ranges.
Most bridge cameras have flash arrangements similar to compact cameras. Few have an external hot shoe
Hot shoe
A hot shoe is a mounting point on the top of a camera to attach a flash unit.- Design :The hot shoe is shaped somewhat like an inverted, squared-off "U" of metal. The matching adapter on the bottom of the flash unit slides in from the back of the camera and is sometimes secured by a clamping screw...
as Kodak Z980 has and also Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50, and the newer Kodak Z981 has none. Only three non-DSLRs in Canon's current lineup offer the facility for external flashguns, i.e. two for Bridge Camera and one for Compact Camera: PowerShot SX1 IS, SX30 IS (has hidden hotshoe) as replacement of SX20 IS and G11, respectively. Most of bridge camera have PSAM (Program, Shutter Speed, Aperture, Manual) mode besides Auto mode as DSLR have.
Introduced in 2010 the Fujifilm FinePix HS10 is larger and heavier than most EVF cameras, and has a 30x optical zoom.
The closest rival of the most complete camera Fujifilm FinePix HS10
FinePix HS10
The Fujifilm FinePix HS10 is an ultrazoom bridge camera from Fujifilm that was announced in February 2010. By Fujifilm the camera is also categorized as Fujifilm FinePix S Series.- Features :* Weight:...
is Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100 is a superzoom bridge digital camera, similar to the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40 but with an articulating LCD panel, 1080i HD video, flash hotshoe, and a Live MOS sensor rather than a CCD sensor found in the FZ40 and the rest of Panasonic's fixed-lens digital cameras...
. Differences of both cameras are minor. The main features/specifications is 9.8 MP CMOS sensor true resolution or 14.0 MP native resolution (same size sensor with Fujifilm FinePix HS10), only 24x optical zoom (25mm-600mm) plus digital zoom 4x, RAW, Full AVCHD Stereo 1920x1080 at 30 frame/s, high speed video capture 320x240 at 220frame/s, Have external hot shoe
Hot shoe
A hot shoe is a mounting point on the top of a camera to attach a flash unit.- Design :The hot shoe is shaped somewhat like an inverted, squared-off "U" of metal. The matching adapter on the bottom of the flash unit slides in from the back of the camera and is sometimes secured by a clamping screw...
, Continuous shooting 11 frame/s, Have Lens Thread.
At CES 2011, Fujifilm announced FinePix HS20EXR as a successor of HS10EXR, but not as a successor of Fujifilm FinePix HS10 which has no EXR processor. It is provided with 16 MP EXR-CMOS sensor with new EXR processor for speed and better behaviour in low-light condition. Optical zoom 30x (24-720mm in 35mm equivalent). It is also Full HD 1080p with High Speed Movie option up to 320 frame/s. RAW and RAW+JPEG. The motion panorama can take picture in 360 degrees horizontally or vertically. It has availabled since late March 2011. Motorized and manual zooming, has hot shoe and has filter threads.
Nikon
Nikon
, also known as just Nikon, is a multinational corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, specializing in optics and imaging. Its products include cameras, binoculars, microscopes, measurement instruments, and the steppers used in the photolithography steps of semiconductor fabrication, of which...
P500 has the longest optical zoom at 36x (22.5mm wide angle
Wide Angle
Wide Angle is the debut studio album by British breakbeat trance producers Hybrid, and was re-released in 2000 as a double-CD edition entitled Wider Angle...
to 810mm telephoto) and also the widest wide angle bridge camera. It has a 12 MP CMOS sensor, but has no lens threads.
Sony DSC-HX100V has 16.2 MP CMOS sensor (equivalent with Fujifilm HS20EXR), 30x optical zoom (27-810 mm equivalent), 7x digital zoom and video Full HD 1080p - 60 frame/s, but no hotshoe and no lens thread.
Canon PowerShot
Canon PowerShot
The PowerShot products are a line of consumer and prosumer grade digital cameras, launched by Canon in 1996. The PowerShot line has been successful for Canon, and is one of the best-selling digital camera lines worldwide....
SX30 IS has the second longest optical zoom at 35x with 4.5 stops lens stabiliser camera plus 4x digital zoom will cover 24-3360mm (eq. 35mm film camera). Has 14.1 MP CCD sensor, but only has HD movies 720p30 stereo. The camera seems as replacement of Canon PowerShot SX20 IS which has 12.1 MP CCD sensor and also only HD movies 720p30. Certainly not exactly as replacement of Canon PowerShot SX1 IS which has 10.0 MP CMOS fast/reactive sensor and also Full HD movies 1920x1080 at 30 frame/s stereo. Available in September 2011, the successor Canon PowerShot SX40 HS (not IS) use HS System to boost low-light performance with 12.1MP CMOS sensor powered by the new Digic 5 image processor and capable to take video Full HD 1080p. The body and the lens is same with the predecessor Canon PowerShot SX30 IS.
At CES 2011, Fujifilm also announced 4 S-Series
Fujifilm FinePix S-series
The Fujifilm FinePix S-series of digital cameras consists of the company's DSLR system and bridge camera models.-Current models:Bridge camera: * Fujifilm Finepix S1600/S1770* Fujifilm Finepix S1800/S1880...
. All have 14 MP CCD sensor and only capable of HD 720p movies, but allow zooming while taking video with sound. Allows up to 8 fps continuous shooting for 20 frames in S mode.
No hotshoe and no lens threads. Use AA battery power. The difference among them is only the zoom capabilities.
S4000 30x (24-720mm),
S3400 28x (24-672mm),
S3300 26x (24-624mm),
S3200 24x (24-576mm)
The other rival has some lacks or inferiorities: Olympus SP-800UZ: 14.0 MP CCD sensor, 30x optical zoom (28-840mm) plus digital zoom 5x, internal memory 2 GB, 10 frame/s burst mode, but only HD 1280*720 at 30 frame/s with no sound, No external hot shoe
Hot shoe
A hot shoe is a mounting point on the top of a camera to attach a flash unit.- Design :The hot shoe is shaped somewhat like an inverted, squared-off "U" of metal. The matching adapter on the bottom of the flash unit slides in from the back of the camera and is sometimes secured by a clamping screw...
, No aperture priority, No shutter priority, No lens thread, No view finder.
A few bridgecams, known as Hybrid Cameras, have features similar to those of a DSLR (PSAM mode, (external) hot shoe, EVF and RAW record) and advanced video features including Full HD Stereo Video (1920 x 1080 format at 30 frame/s) and a 'quiet' ultrasonic motor
Ultrasonic motor
An ultrasonic motor is a type of electric motor powered by the ultrasonic vibration of a component, the stator, placedagainst another component, the rotor or slider depending on the scheme of operation...
able to operate the optical zoom and autofocus while filming. These include the Canon PowerShot SX1 IS
Market
The market for bridge cameras is gradually being squeezed from both ends of the range. Inexpensive DSLRs often overlap with bridge cameras, and manufacturers give priority to DSLRs since they can enjoy further profits from the sale of aftermarketAfter-market (general)
After-market refers to any market where the customers who purchase one product or service are likely to purchase a related, follow-on product....
lenses and accessories. Compact cameras are also released with advanced functionality and large zoom ranges, features that could previously only be found in bridge cameras. However, compacts generally rely on automation and the menu system, lacking the multiple dials, rings, pushbuttons or other direct controls that allow efficient manual operations for users who study their bridge camera. Third-party manuals are available for particular popular models, as they are for DSLRs, but they are scarce for classic compacts.
A recent category is the mirrorless interchangeable lens camera
Mirrorless interchangeable lens camera
A mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera is an emerging class of digital system cameras, intermediate between compact digital cameras and digital single-lens reflex cameras . They are characterized by a no-mirror design and an interchangeable lens mount...
, which features a large sensor and an interchangeable lens, but no mirror. These occupy a niche at the top end of the bridge camera range, and in many respects (such as live view or electronic viewfinder only) are similar to smaller ones. They differ in that the larger sensor provides advantages (as noted above), but makes super-zoom lenses more difficult, hence the interchangeable lens.