Looking for a camera with a really good and clear zoom?

I have an Nikon L830 now, it has a 34x optical zoom. I need to be able to take really detailed pictures of polishes. The macros that I take now are pretty decent but if the glitter is too fine my camera just doesn't cut it. My budget is around $400 so if you know of one, please help!

I don't know much about photographing polishes but I do know that having proper lighting angles is extremely critical in macro photography. My experience is with coins and a simple change in lighting angle can make the difference between a great photo and an unusable one. In your case, it's the light reflections off the glitter that tends to fool the camera into underexposing, so you want the light coming from a low angle. I hope this helps. Your camera is certainly capable of photographing things like jewelry which have "glitter", but you will have to refine your technique.

The way jewelry photographers light their products it to place them in a light tent and use two or more 500 watt lamps to supply the lighting. The tent evenly distributes a softened light to prevent glaring reflections and fill the shadow areas of the jewelry. Of course you will need to mount your camera on a tripod if the exposures are longer than about 1/250th second

If you images are consistently under exposed, you need to adjust the cameras exposure compensation until you get the proper exposure Try a Nikon Coolpix P600. I just bought one. Great camera! You have to tone down the light. Try shooting with indirect sunlight like that from an open window where the sun hits the wall first or the sunlight passes through a dirt-stained glass first before hitting the subject.

Your camera is certainly capable of photographing things like jewelry which have "glitter", but you will have to refine your technique.

The way jewelry photographers light their products it to place them in a light tent and use two or more 500 watt lamps to supply the lighting. The tent evenly distributes a softened light to prevent glaring reflections and fill the shadow areas of the jewelry. Of course you will need to mount your camera on a tripod if the exposures are longer than about 1/250th second

If you images are consistently under exposed, you need to adjust the cameras exposure compensation until you get the proper exposure

Try a Nikon Coolpix P600. I just bought one. Great camera!

You have to tone down the light. Try shooting with indirect sunlight like that from an open window where the sun hits the wall first or the sunlight passes through a dirt-stained glass first before hitting the subject.