Whether you’re exploring city streets, trekking through the countryside or jetting off to the other side of the world, a bag full of lenses can feel like a real burden. A superzoom enables you to travel light, delivering everything from generous wide-angle coverage to serious telephoto reach, all in a single and relatively compact lens. As well as being more travel-friendly, a superzoom enables you to react instantly to photo opportunities that demand wide-ranging focal lengths with a simple flick of the wrist.
Sticking to just one lens might seem counter-intuitive if you’ve bought a system camera that takes interchangeable lenses, and some superzooms can be a poor substitute for using the ‘right’ tool for the job; inevitably, a massive zoom range comes with compromise in terms of outright image quality, while wide apertures are off the menu, especially towards the long end of the zoom range.
However, with advances in high-tech optical design, and the increasing availability of in-camera corrections for aberrations like lateral chromatic aberration, peripheral illumination and distortion, the latest superzoom lenses tend to be capable of very pleasing results. Here are the best options to suit a wide range of cameras.
Canon RF 24-240mm f/4-6.3 IS USM
£829/$899
Most superzooms are designed for cropsensor cameras; indeed, this is the only full-frame compatible lens in this test group. Canon does make an EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS USM for its full-frame DSLRs, but it hardly qualifies as a travel lens, tipping the scales at a hefty 1,670g; by contrast, this RF-mount lens weighs just 750g.
Denne historien er fra August 13, 2020-utgaven av Photography week.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra August 13, 2020-utgaven av Photography week.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
CALIBRATE YOUR COLOURS
James Paterson reveals how he captures stunningly colourful sunsets by using this secret weapon
ABSTRACT PORTRAITS
Mike Harris shows you how to use slow shutter speeds and multiple exposures to capture a series of motion-blur portraits
BREATHTAKNG IMAGES FROM ABOVE AND BELOW THE WAVES
A final hit of inspiraton: Ocean Photographer of the Year reveals stunning winning photos
THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO AUTUMN
James Abbott reveals the secrets to capturing amazing images during the most eye-catching season of the year
CANON UNVEILS NEW PORTABLE, FULLY-WIRELESS PHOTO PRINTER
The Selphy QX20 is ideal for quickly printing your smartphone snaps on the go
FUJINON GF120MM F4 MACRO R LM OIS WR
This powerful medium-format lens is ideally suited to extreme close-ups
HOW TO...CLEAN UP A SCENE WITH AI
James Paterson shows you how the AI-powered Remove Tool can revolutionise your retouching
SHOOT AN '80S PORTRAIT
Jason Parnell-Brookes recreates the neon look of the 1980s using torches and hollow acrylic rods
THE BEST MONOCHROME IMAGE OF 2024 IS A REAL CRACKER
Black and White Photo Awards announces stunning selection of winning images
88 TIPS FOR GREAT BABY PHOTOS
From lighting to posing and pacifying, here's how you get the perfect shot