zoomzoom

Which fixed lens digital camera has the longest reach?

This is based on the formula described by Rodger Carter and Rick Matthews, at Digicamhistory.com: Telephoto Figure of Merit: Explanation and Uses .
The article can also be found in Mav Magazine: Telephoto Figure of Merit: Explanation and Uses .

Please refer to the above web site for more details on the formula and the theory behind it.
The table below is sorted by the longest reach, in descending order.
Longest reach is as defined above: pixels*pixels*square of (Focal Length).

Disclaimer
This table is derived from published specifications of cameras and it is intended for entertainment purposes only.
Actual image quality of the different cameras listed at their longest reach depends on a variety of factors, not limited to number of pixels and focal length.
Please do not make any purchase decisions because of the data presented in this table.

Unauthorized reproductions of this page are prohibited
The formula developed by Carter and Matthews is publicly available and obviously anyone can use it.
However, reproductions of this web page or table or cutting/pasting the data presented below without the consent of the owner are prohibited.
There may be intentional minor calculation errors below that will expose someone using the data without consent.
Unauthorized reproductions of this page are prohibited

Camera model	pixels	pixels	35mm FL	LONGEST REACH RAW data	LONGEST REACH see Note 11 (in billions)	Optical zoom ratio	Ratio LZ Note 9 Compared 3mp 10x	Ratio PS Note 12 Compared to 5mp3x
=Samsung Pro815 [new]	3264	2448	420	1,409,483,980,800	1409	15x	3.10	25.58
=Panasonic FZ30K [new]	3264	2448	420	1,409,483,980,800	1409	12x IS	3.10	25.58
FZ30K 5MP @ 15.3x EZ	2560	1920	535 EQ	1,406,853,120,000
FZ30K 3MP @ 19.1x EZ	2048	1536	668 EQ	1,403,699,331,072
Nikon Coolpix 8800	3264	2448	350	978,808,320,000	979	10x VR	2.15	17.76
= Canon S2 IS [new]	2592	1944	432	940,369,969,152	940	12x IS	2.07	17.07
= Sony H1 [new]	2592	1944	432	940,369,969,152	940	12x IS	2.07	17.07
= Kodak P850 [new]	2592	1944	432	940,369,969,152	940	12x IS	2.07	17.07
Panasonic FZ20 , FZ5 [new]	2560	1920	432	917,294,284,800	917	12x IS	2.02	16.65
Fuji S9000 (aka S9500) [new]	3848	2616	300	905,973,120,000	906	10.7x	1.99	16.44
Minolta Z5 [new]	2560	1920	420	867,041,280,000	867	12x antishake CCD	1.91	15.74
Fuji S5200 (aka S5600) [new]	2592	1944	380	727,609,651,200	728	10x	1.60	13.21
kodak DX7590, Z7590, Z740 [new]	2576	1932	380	718,654,540,800	719	10x	1.58	13.04
panasonic fz10, fz15, fz4 [new]	2304	1728	420	702,303,436,800	702	12x IS	1.55	12.75
minolta Z3	2272	1704	420	682,930,483,200	683	12x antishakeCCD	1.50	12.39
nikon 8700	3264	2448	280	626,437,324,800	626	8x	1.38	11.37
Kodak DX6490	2304	1728	380	574,901,452,800	575	10x	1.27	10.43
olympus C750, C765, C770	2288	1712	380	565,622,886,400	566	10x	1.25	10.27
minolta Z2	2272	1704	380	559,042,867,200	559	10x	1.23	10.15
olympus C760	2048	1536	420	554,906,419,200	555	10x	1.22	10.07
Pentax Optio MX4	2304	1728	370	545,041,612,800	545	10x	1.2	9.89
panasonic fz3	2016	1512	420	537,701,068,800	538	12x IS	1.18	9.76
=Kyocera M400R, M410R	2272	1704	370	530,006,707,200	530	10x	1.17	9.62
=fuji 5100	2272	1704	370	530,006,707,200	530	10x	1.17	9.62
HP 945	2608	1952	300	458,173,440,000	458	8x	1.01	8.32
= Canon S1 IS	2048	1536	380	454,243,123,200	454	10x IS	1.00	8.24
= olympus C740, C730	2048	1536	380	454,243,123,200	454	10x	1.00	8.24
= minolta Z1	2048	1536	380	454,243,123,200	454	10x	1.00	8.24
fuji S5000, Pentax MX	2048	1536	370	430,650,163,200	431	10x	0.95	7.82
minolta Z20	2560	1920	290	413,368,320,000	413	8x	0.91	7.5
= toshiba m700	2048	1536	350	385,351,680,000	385	10x	0.85	6.99
= nikon 5700	2560	1920	280	385,351,680,000	385	8x	0.85	6.99
canon pro90 IS	1856	1392	370	353,688,268,800	354	10x IS	0.78	6.42
nikon 4800	2288	1716	300	353,358,720,000	354	8x	0.78	6.41
hp 850	2272	1712	300	350,069,760,000	350	8x	0.77	6.35
panasonic fz-1, fz-2	1600	1200	420	338,688,000,000	339	12x IS	0.75	6.15
= Sony F828 , Canon Pro1, Minolta A2	3264	2448	200	319,610,880,000	320	7x A2: antishakeCCD	0.70	5.80
olympus c720, C725	1984	1488	320	296,819,097,600	297	10x	0.67	5.49
= olympus c2100	1600	1200	380	277,248,000,000	277	10x IS	0.61	5.03
= olympus c700	1600	1200	380	277,248,000,000	277	10x	0.61	5.03
fuji S7000	2848	2136	210	268,274,764,800	268	6x	0.59	4.87
minolta Z10	2046	1536	290	264,297,369,600	264	8x	0.58	4.80
sony CD1000	1600	1200	370	262,848,000,000	263	10x	0.58	4.77
Pentax Optio 750z	3056	2296	187.5	246,676,500,000	247	5x	0.54	4.48
panasonic LZ2 [new]	2560	1920	222	242,240,716,800	242	6x IS	0.53	4.40
toshiba m500	1600	1200	350	235,200,000,000	235	10x	0.52	4.27
olympus E100RS	1368	1024	380	202,280,140,800	202	10x IS	0.45	3.67
= minolta A1	2560	1920	200	196,608,000,000	197	7x anti-shake CCD	0.43	3.57
= minolta 7, 7i, 7Hi	2560	1920	200	196,608,000,000	197	7x	0.43	3.57
= minolta 5	2048	1536	250	196,608,000,000	197	7x	0.43	3.57
sony F717, F707	2560	1920	190	177,438,720,000	177	5x	0.39	3.22
Fuji E900 [new]	3848	2616	128	164,927,373,312	165	4x	0.36	2.99
= Kodak P880 [new]	3264	2448	140	156,609,331,200	157	5.8x	0.34	2.84
= olympus C8080	3264	2448	140	156,609,331,200	157	5x	0.34	2.84
fuji s602	2048	1536	210	138,726,604,800	139	6x	0.31	2.52
tyipcal 7MP 3x zoom			105	77,175,000,000	77	3x	0.17	1.40
typical 6MP 3x zoom			105	66,150,000,000	66	3x	0.15	1.20
typical 5MP 3x zoom			105	55,125,000,000	55	3x	0.12	1.00
typical 4MP 3x zoom			105	44,100,000,000	44	3x	0.10	0.80
typical 3MP 3x zoom			105	33,075,000,000	33	3x	0.07	0.60

NOTES
1. Unless otherwise specified in the Notes below, all of the specifications were taken from dpreview.
2. Fuji's interpolated numbers are no longer included for two reasons: a) table is getting crowded b) Fuji SuperCCD interpolation is a controversial/subject-to-debate item
you do not see any benefit from SCCD interpolation with the smaller sensors.
3. NEW means the camera was not included in the previous version of this table.
4. Kowa TD-1 was removed. It would have been #1 but it's not exactly your typical digital camera. Kowa details on IR.
5. If you have any comments, corrections, suggestions, pls feel free to send an email or find me in the dpreview forums
6. Kodak DX6490's specifications were taken from kodak.com
7. Kyocera M400R/M410R specifications were taken from the Kyocera Japan
8. Olympus C725 and C760 specifications were taken from Olympus UK
9. The column in the chart called "Ratio LZ" is a ratio of the reach of each camera compared to a typical (and mythical) 3 Megapixel 10X zoom camera, which also happens to be the specs of of Minolta Z1/Olympus C740/C730 and Canon S1 IS, and very near the reach of Fuji S5000, Pentax MX and HP 945. To simplify matters, Minolta Z1 can be considered the "average typical entry-level long zoom" for this table.
10. Typical 3mp to 7mp 3x zooms were added as comparison/reference points. Since most of them are between 100 - 110mm, I used 105mm as the typical max FL.
11. [NEW feature] To make the numbers easier to read for the non-geek/math-averse population, the numbers represented are in billions. It gives the reader a smaller number to look at.
12. [NEW feature] The column in the chart called "Ratio PS" is a ratio of the reach of each camera compared to a typical (and mythical) 5 Megapixel 3X optical zoom Point and Shoot camera.
13. Pentax MX specifications were taken from ImagingResource.com
14. Samsung Pro815 specs were taken from ImagingResource.com
15. Kodak P880 and P850 specs from Kodak.com
16. The two Panasonic FZ30 EZ modes are included as part of a discussion on the EZ modes in the dpreview Panasonic forums. The EZ modes are not providing additional reach to the camera, but they can be a handy feature for some users.

Editiorial note: Example of importance max focal length over megapixels for the purposes of a longer reach: Compare the 2MP the Panasonic FZ1 to the typical 7MP 3x zoom camera

You can support this blog by making your Amazon.com purchases through the links below:
Amazon Photography Store
Amazon.com home page

Hosted by www.Geocities.ws