Are bridge cameras bad?
What’s a bridge camera?
Bridge cameras fill (or “bridge”) the gap between point-and-shoot compact cameras and full-blown DSLR or mirrorless cameras. The easiest way to tell if you have a bridge camera is this: your camera is bigger than a compact pocket camera but you can’t change the lens. In all other respects it probably looks like a normal DSLR/mirrorless camera (or ILCs – “interchangeable lens cameras”).
Reasons to buy a bridge camera
cheaper than ILCs
usually lighter than ILCs
easy to use straight out of the box
one fixed “super zoom” lens
Reasons not to buy a bridge camera
lack of controls compared to ILCs
very restricted range of apertures
the sensor is usually smaller than ILCs (therefore reduced quality images)
won’t perform as well as an ILC in lower light
one fixed “super zoom” lens
should you buy a bridge camera?
Many people consider bridge cameras to be simply an expensive point-and-shoot, in that the performance and image quality is similar but you are paying more. If you want to buy a “big camera”, ask yourself why.
Why do you want a big camera?
If you want to learn about photography, to shoot off-auto mode, to manage your depth of field, have the option to use different lenses and be in complete control of your photography then you’ll find a bridge camera frustrating and limiting. However if you don’t have the budget for a dslr camera then a bridge camera can be a good compromise (although do look at second hand options if you decide you will find bridge cameras too limiting).
If you want to be able to pull out your camera and take shots where the camera does all the work then a bridge camera might be the answer, but you should also consider whether a simple point-and-shoot or your phone will do the job just as well.
If this is your first big camera you might find the sales person (and your family) steering you in the direction of a bridge camera as a good “starter camera”. That’s true but have a good chat with the person selling you your camera and find out if you might grow out of it quickly.
The issue of the fixed super zoom lens
At first glance, having one lens that will let you zoom right into a shot from wherever you’re standing seems like a great idea. You don’t have to carry a wide-angle, a standard and a telephoto lens: you have them all-in-one.
But these lenses have an extremely restricted range of apertures. Apertures become important when you want to take photos with a blurred background:
You couldn’t take this shot with a bridge camera: you need the option of using a very large aperture to get the subject in focus but the background/foreground blurred.
If you already have a bridge camera and want to maximise background blur:
Get right up close to your subject – as close as you can while still being able to hold focus.
Use your largest-size aperture (smallest number) if you have the option to change it - this might be f8 or f5.6.
Have as much distance between your subject and the background as possible.
AYWMCer Kimberly Fulton sent me this photo and agreed I could share it after reading the first version of this post to illustrate how you can get shots indistinguishable from an ILC with a bridge camera, in this case a Nikon P900. I would suggest that you almost have to be a better photographer when using a bridge camera because you can’t rely on the latitude permitted with ILCs.
The other main problem with super zooms is that the overall quality of final image isn’t as good as you can get with smaller range lenses. Super zooms have lots of glass elements inside and that all conspires to produces softer images. This isn’t a problem unique to bridge cameras: if you buy a cheaper zoom lens for your ILC then the same lower quality issue applies. The difference with ILCs is that you have the option to buy higher quality lenses, budget permitting.
The issue of the small sensor
The smaller sensor means the camera will work less well in low light compared to cameras with larger sensors. The image quality will be lower and the file size smaller (which means you can’t print your photos as big). If these things are important to you then you will probably want to avoid a bridge camera.
The issue of cost
There’s no denying bridge cameras are much less expensive than the ILC alternatives. My advice, as a photography teacher, would be to buy a good second hand ILC and basic 50mm lens that is within your budget rather than buy a new bridge camera.
A few people asked me to explain the reasoning behind this advice when this post was first published given many are very happy with their bridge camera. More than 50,000 photographers have taken A Year With My Camera and the one place bridge cameras cause problems is with the aperture lesson in week 2. Most bridge cameras have a largest aperture of f8 or f5.6 and a closest focussing distance that is actually not that close: this means it is difficult to get the shallow depth of field and blurred background we work on in this lesson. Bridge camera photographers work incredibly hard to manage with the limitations of their gear and they get fantastic results (see Kimberley’s image above) but for many it is a struggle.
Are bridge cameras bad?
In summary: no. “Bad” is not the best word to use but it’s one people search for so I need to use it so Google finds this post. A better question would be, “Is a bridge camera the right choice for me given my current experience and long-term ambitions with photography?” – but that doesn’t scan as well.
If you already have a bridge camera then you have everything you need to take great photos in a lightweight format without breaking the bank. Don’t worry about changing your gear; just enjoy making great photos with what you have.
If you are currently deciding what to buy then all I ask is that you do your research and if at all possible borrow a camera to try out, ideally whilst doing the first 6 weeks of AYWMC, before you commit to either type.
Learn photography here
Why not borrow a DSLR or mirrorless camera from a helpful friend to see if you enjoy learning about photography before you decide whether to buy a bridge camera.
Sign up for Emma Davies’ A Year With My Camera now (free by email) and borrow a camera for just 6 weeks. That’s how long it takes to learn the basics. Join here and get started today:
