THE BEST Superzoom

Beyond its 26x optical zoom, Pentax’s 12.1 MP X90 offers a few notable features; they include face recognition (up to 32 faces), 720p video, triple shake reduction, and 1 cm macro mode.

Nikon pitches its hat into the superzoom ring with the Coolpix P100; it boasts a low-light friendly 10.3MP CMOS sensor, 26x optical zoom, 3″ tilt LCD, and 1080p @ 30fps video recording.

Not to be outdone by Fuijfilm’s HS10, Olympus’ SP-800UZ also sports a 30x zoom lens but packs it into the world’s smallest superzoom body; it also features a 14 MP sensor and 3″ LCD.

It’s no DSLR, but you won’t mind with FujiFilm’s FinePix HS10 superzoom: it features 30x optical zoom, 1080p video, a 3″ tilting LCD, triple image stabilization, and 1000 fps movie capture.

Casio’s 10 MP EX-FH25 superzoom improves on the 9.1 MP EX-FH20 with CMOS backlit sensors and 40 fps burst mode at 9 MP; other specs: 20x optical zoom and 720p video.

Canon’s Powershot G11 addresses the high noise issues of the G10, albeit with a 10 MP sensor (down from 14 MP); it also adds a tilt/swivel LCD, HDMI out and RAW shooting.

Fujifilm’s answer to Olympus’s Stylus 7010, the F70EXR boasts a 10x optical zoom, but its trump card is a 10 MP Super CCD EXR sensor with wide dynamic range and high ISO/low noise.

Designed for zoom-mavens on-the-go, Olympus’ Stylus 7010 features a 7x optical wide-angle zoom with 12 MP sensor, dual image stabilization and AF tracking for moving objects.

Available 8/09, Fujifilm’s FinePix S200EXR is their top-of-the-line megazoom with DSLR-like performance thanks to a 12 MP Super CCD EXR sensor and 14.3x optical zoom lens.

With 9MP of 20x zoom goodness, a 3″ tilt screen and 1080p video, Sony’s DSC-HX1 gives other point-and-shoots a run for their money; also: Sweep Panorama for 7152×1080 images.

Canon’s Powershot SX1 is their powerhouse ultrazoom, with a 10MP CMOS sensor, 20X optical zoom, manual focus, 2.8″ TFT LCD screen and HDMI output; it’ll be available 4/09.

Nikon throws its hat into the superzoom ring with the Coolpix P90; it boasts a 24x wide-angle zoom, tiltable 3″ LCD screen, 15 fps high speed shots and up to ISO 6400 with its 12.1 MP sensor.

The Olympus SP-590UZ is the new close-up king with 26x optical zoom with a 26-676mm focal length; dual image stablization, 10fps shooting and a 12 MP CCD round things out.

Debuting at CES this year, Kodak’s Z980 is packed with all sorts of goodies including an incredible 24x image stabilized optical zoom, HD video recording and 12 MP sensor.

Like the Olympus SP-565, Canon’s SX10 is ideal for shooting from afar, with a 20x optical zoom and image stabilization. This 10 MP camera also captures hi-res stills while shooting video.

It’s not a DSLR, but the Olympus SP-565 UZ’s anti-blur tech and impressive 20x wide-angle optical zoom make this perfect for “close-up” shots–the non-peeping kind, of course.