A Bridge Camera In Your Future??
A recent perusal of some unsorted digital image files was a bit of a surprise. During the pandemic lock-down, I snapped a LOT of shots of the housecats.
Some of the better ones were shot with a 16MP consumer-type bridge camera.
What exactly are they and why do they not get much respect?
Those with long memories may recall the old Dr. Pepper slogan: "Dr. Pepper, So Misunderstood!"
This can be said of "bridge" cameras, which have been around since 35mm autofocus point-and-shoots. They are piling up, used, everywhere.
A bridge camera has a DSLR-like appearance and function but does not have a removable lens.
Currently virtually all good digital bridge cameras (DBCs?) have the familiar rear screen and the desirable eye-level electronic viewfinder. Very low priced bridge cameras lacking the electronic viewfinder should be avoided. In other words, if you have trouble using your compact back-screen only camera outside, it will not improve with a bridge camera lacking the electronic eyepiece finder. Can I make this any more clear?
Bridge cameras got a bad rap in the 35mm days for many reasons. Part is the tendency of buyers to get "the same kind of camera the pros use." Pros had removable lens, so they bought one too. Even if they never bought another lens.
Another part of the lukewarm bridge camera reception was because the camera store staff were often enthusiasts who did not consider such cameras worthy! I know this, as I was once one of them. It's a snobby thing!
And from a business point of view, selling a full SLR camera often opened the door to future sales of lenses, filters, flash...and a nice big bag to carry it all. Bridge cameras have all needed bits "baked in."
So 35mm bridge cameras did not flourish. All this after several companies spent a great deal of money designing superior lenses for these cameras that were so misunderstood.
Fast forward to today and we find phone cameras killing off all kinds of cameras, with the bridge camera pushed further aside.
Why??
Even though bridge cameras took advantage of the same improvements in resolution, fast startup, faster focus, fast "burst" modes and more found in their full DSLR or mirrorless big brothers, they were still ignored.
Second, better lens design, coupled with in-camera image correction, let makers fit digital bridge cameras with lenses only dreamed of in the 35mm era. I have one that covers 24mm to 600mm! Recently Sony announced one that goes all the way out to 3000mm! Built in image stabilization and image correction make this possible.
Finally, these cameras also have a fairly high ISO, needed for those long telephoto shots to keep things steady. Most have genuine optical image stabilization and all the modes you can possibly imagine. Or leave them on full auto and snap away.
And, while I am not a big fan of video, these cameras often have stereo audio recording for high-quality HD videos and also Wi-Fi to transfer files to a phone or tablet. Some can even be operated remotely via smartphone or tablet, including a live view. This is done directly, no router needed!
And again, these cameras no longer use a mirror box optical system which reduces camera vibration dramatically. It also allows for bursts of images at high frame rates because there is no mirror to flap.
However, unlike the newer crop of "mirrorless" cameras, the electronic finders and screens do not reflect fine detail or certain special effects.
But, considering the vast number of digital bridge cameras, unsold online at even $20-$30 used, they are worth a look!
Do some serious thinking about the kind of pictures you wish to take and then the kind of hardware that is absolutely required to take those shots.
They still may not be the magic answer to getting those elusive sports action shots of the kids. But enough has improved that we may look back at the day when we carried around two or three zoom lenses with the same kind of nostalgia we do now when hearing about the "old school" folks who had the camera bag with six fixed focal length film camera lenses.
The camera offers "standard" color, "chrome" color and black & white.
There is also a mode for expanded dynamic range, which stacks several exposures.
