The missing link: Cameras with sensors between 1/2.3” and 1”. Where are they?: Open Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review (2024)

It seems that most digital cameras nowadays use either the 1/2.3” sensors or the 1” sensors. As most DPR readers know, the 1” sensors have *four* times the area of the 1/2.3” ones. That makes a huge difference in image quality and low light performance.

The result, though, is that we consumers who would like a long zoom, good low light camera are left out in the cold.

We either can get 1” cameras with at most 10-15x zoom — which are bright with good image quality, but fall short for birding, travel, and long distance photography — or buy one of the ubiquitous 1/2.3” cameras with 30-65x+ zoom, which have fantastic zooms, but struggle with lower light and often fall apart in image quality when zoomed.

The search for the camera that can do both is usually described as defying the laws of physics — or, the old saw of “Small size, good image quality, or large zoom. Pick any two, but not three.”

Why did manufacturers abandon the in-between sensor sizes, especially the 2/3”?

It would seem that a camera built around such a sensor could have a 20-35x zoom, be half to two-thirds the weight and size of the large bridge cameras, not hugely bigger than the small ones, and be coat pocketable.

The 2/3” sensors have *two* times the area of the 1/2.3” sensors and so would do much better in low light situations and could support longer zooms to boot. (Even the old 1/1.7” has 1 1/2 times the area.) (There are many sources on the web showing the sensor sizes and areas — here's one: https://expertphotography.com/camera-sensor-size-astrophotography/)

It's the elusive unicorn, but seems quite feasible technologically and is the camera many people want, especially for travel and nature! The desire for such a camera is one that shows up repeatedly in many threads here on DPR.

By the way, does anyone know of an older camera that combines a larger sensor, with medium zoom (20-30x) in a smaller size?