A Bridge Too Far?
Camera manufacturers have gradually moved away from DSLRs and bridge cameras in favour of their burgeoning ranges of mirrorless cameras. For fans of exchangeable-lens cameras, the shift from DSLR to mirrorless is arguably a natural progression, but it is less convenient for those who prefer fixed-lens bridge cameras.
These cameras typically have the form factor of a DSLR, but with a fixed lens that often offers a zoom range of wide-angle to superzoom. The obvious advantage of this is versatility and the ability to apply a single camera/lens to all types of photography, without having to carry lots of lenses, and the effort of swapping them according to the shot. The downside is usually in compromises in specification, performance and/or image quality.
I’ve used many bridge cameras, and still have three – a Fujifilm HS50 EXR, a Canon SX60 HS, and a Sony RX10 IV. The Sony is the most up-to-date of these and has by far the better specification, but it’s also the most expensive, by some margin. In terms of its capabilities and image quality, it rivals many medium-range DSLRs and is generally held to be amongst the best bridge cameras available. But, perhaps indicative of the bridge camera market, Sony has ceased production and will not produce a Mk. V. Likewise, Fujifilm and Canon have abandoned the bridge camera market, in favour of their mirrorless models.
This shift is probably demand-driven, the bridge camera being squeezed out between mirrorless and the development of phones that are capable of excellent results. This is a bit of a shame for me, as the bridge camera’s versatility still has a lot of appeal.
Despite their age, the Fujifilm HS50 EXR and Canon SX60 HS are both still very capable cameras, although the Sony RX10 IV is certainly better than both, by any measure. The differences in specification between the Fuji and the Canon have pluses and minuses on both sides (e.g. the Canon has a longer zoom [65x v. 42x], while the Fuji has a better aperture range (f2.8 – f11 v. f3.4 – f8), but both are still capable of excellent results.
Despite their fall from favour with the manufacturers, I’ll hang onto my bridge cameras and keep on using them, for the foreseeable future at least.
