What is the best compact and high zoom digital camera for me?

I want a camera that is not too bulky, but has atleast 40x zoom.

Look them up on www.cnet.com. They have all the best reviews and you can narrow your specific search down.

Your request for a "compact" 40x zoom camera is unrealistic. Otherwise you can go with a Canon Digital Rebel XT, and then buy a telephoto zoom lens. The quality is exceptional, but the price tag is through the roof.

This is an extremely compact 10x optical zoom camera:
http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/sto...

This is the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ1S. This camera offers optical image stablization, extremely short lag time, and exceptional picture quality. It comes with a rechargable Li-ION battery which is 30% lighter per volume then alkaline, and roughly offers 5 to 7 times longer usage per charge. It has an amazingly large 2.5 inch LCD screen, and it can focus faster then I can snap my fingers.

Are there better cameras? Yes, but they are atleast 3 times bigger and start at around $800. Trust me, this is an excellent zoom camera. Happy shopping.

Check Kodak V610. It has 10x optical zoom. With some digital zoom on the camera and / or on your PC, you can make it 40x zoom. But, there is no 40x optical zoom yet.

There are some digital camcorders that have up-to 20x optical zoom. I think Panasonic has one model. You can check them also to see if they will satisfy your requirements.

With 10x optical zoom and 4x digital zoom, Panasonic TZ 1 should answer your question. It's a compact camera and has a nice Leica lens. Its size is only 4.4x2.3x1.6 in.

The Kodak V610 also has the same attributes but smaller in size(4.4x2.2x0.9 in).