"Eric" wrote in message
.. .
Bill Tuthill wrote:

Eric wrote:

Yes, this is what my research has turned up as well. Unfortunately,
a 3x optical zoom isn't really worth it, imho.

It is very difficult to design a 10x zoom, especially one with good
optical performance.

I have no cause to doubt that.

However, I would doubt that it will remain true indefinitely.

I was mostly just wondering if technological advancement and consumer
demand had made it possible to design a 10x zoom, waterproof digital
camera at a price I am willing to pay (= $500). It would appear the
answer is 'no' for the moment.

My take is that the market is going in the opposite direction. First, as
others have pointed out, there's optical degradation (or high price - think
about how much you had to pay for anything more than a 3- or 4-x SLR zoom
lens) associated with the high-numeric zoom lenses. Then, with the collapse
in memory and CCD chip costs, more and more megapixels are making the zoom
less critical. Where the 10x zoom in my floppy-equipped Sony was critical
to its usefulness, I'll just take the output of my next 3x zoom, 4 megapixel
camera and crop it. Better control, better picture.

I think the days of the hign-zoom lenses are past. Megapixels are cheaper,
and they don't share the same kinds of aberations that come with optical
extremes.

Fred