Q: I have a Sony Cyber-shot, which I adore. However, it is 5 years old now. I am looking to replace it. One of my main uses is for music festivals, where I like shooting photos and video. The Cyber-shot is fantastic at picking out the sound of the music on the video. I would like a much higher optical zoom, too. Any advice? ---M.J.
The good news is the digital camera market has evolved in the past couple of years, bringing great video capabilities to many different models of cameras, so now is a good time for someone with your needs to be looking. In fact, some consumer-level cameras can shoot HD video at a reasonable price.
I do not make individual recommendations on particular models of digital cameras, but I would say that if you're happy with your older Cyber-shot camera, you may want to stick with that model. You also may want to consider some of the "super zoom" style cameras, which are fixed lens cameras that look a little like DSLR cameras. Super zoom cameras usually have optical zoom lenses between 15X and 25X, and most of the newer ones shoot great video. Most major camera manufacturers offer some sort of super zoom model.
Now for the potential problems.
First, many digital still cameras do not allow you to "zoom" while you're shooting video. If this is really important to you, you'll have to search for a model with this feature, or you may want to go with a digital camcorder, which is dedicated to video.
Second, some digital still cameras limit the resolution or frame speed of their video capabilities, but they advertise the maximum measurements, which may not actually work together under real-world conditions. Be certain to dig through the specifications for any camera your considering and make sure it can shoot at both the maximum resolution and frame speed you want.
Finally, it's very difficult to gain a feel for the audio capabilities of a digital still camera. Audio capabilities are not measured and listed in the specifications as are video capabilities. Again, a digital camcorder almost certainly will provide higher quality audio than a digital still camera.
Find more answers to common camera questions on the camera FAQ page.
