Here are some shots I took just to see how well the zoom worked on my Olympus 700UZ. I did not have a tripod, so possibly better quality if I had had one.
This one is with NO zoom
This one is with full OPTICAL Zoom (10X)
This one is with full OPTICAL Zoom and full DIGITAL Zoom. Digital...
This is what I built for my 58 gallon tank. I built the stand (has 30 gallon sump under it) and the canopy. I know it is not the best craftsmanship but it suits me fine. I am most proud of the canopy. I have 4 VHO's powered by a 660 also.
Maybe it will give you some ideas:
My vote would have to go to the Olympus 700UZ. I have had it about 2 months now and I have had no regrets. Here were my need:
--It would mostly be used for tank shots so macro mode was a must
--If possible I wanted to use it a primary camera for everything. This was most difficult because...