Is 3x optical zoom good enough for a digital camera?
I’m going to be a stick in the mud and politely disagree – with conditions – with everyone saying that you need 10-12x zoom to get the shots you want. First of all, shop according to effective focal length instead of “X” power zoom ability. I think you want something in the 140-200 range as your top end. We don’t know how close you will be at “sports day,” for instance. It sounds to me like this is a grade school event and not some major league, professional athletic competition. You would be right on the sidelines of any activity, I assume. For pictures inside an auditorium, you will not be able to use the built-in flash if the subject is more than about 12-15 feet away, so maximum lens is important. The greater the zoom, generally speaking, the smaller the lens opening. I am going to ask you to consider a 4x zoom camera and see if you think it will be suited to your needs. If you think you need 10-12x, then feel free to ignore me without even considering this answer. Go here and look
