I’m somewhat of a photography enthusiast and would like a more capable camera than my current point and shoot. I like the idea of the super zoom camera because they are compact, and there is no need to purchase multiple lenses. I realize the image quality is not as good as an DSLR but I think functionally a super zoom will meet my needs better, and will still be a great upgrade to my current camera. I also like how most of the super zooms allow you to adjust the settings manually similar to a DSLR.

I know they did a review about a year ago but since that time there are a bunch of new cameras. I was hoping you guys could give me some insight as to what to look for, and what might make the most functional camera for around $350.

So far I’m considering the:

Pentax x70- My first real camera was K1000 so I have some loyalty to Penntax. My only issue is I haven’t seen many reviews, and no stores locally carry it for me to hold it and try it out.

Olympus SP-590 UZ- I played with this in the store and liked it, but don’t know much about Olympus cameras

Nikon P90- I know Nikon’s are regarded well, and I like the look of it but I haven’t heard anything good about their super zooms

Sony HX1 – I’ve heard good things about this but, it seems expensive and I’m not a fan of their memory sticks