Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18K 8.1MP Digital Camera with 18x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)

I've had this little beauty for a month now, so I'm not sure I should already be reviewing it, especially when I've still not tried all that it has to offer.

But some thoughts nevertheless. I've had three film SLRs (Contax, Nikon, Pentax), and have always thought I like the weight and heft of those, and that therefore I would find this one a little too light. I still like the weight and heft, but I got quickly used to the lightweight-ness, if you like, of the FZ18. It's nice. Easy to quickly lift and take pix.

And it is very easy to use -- right out of the box you can be taking very satisfactory pictures, without fiddling with lots of controls.

At the low end (wide-angle) of the zoom, the picture quality is spot-on, sharp and vivid. I like this a lot, and it reminds me why I prefer close-up photography to long-distance.

Still, the telephoto end of the lens seems to me to decrease image quality quite significantly. I'm no expert who can count pixels and noise and so forth, so I'm just talking about looking at the results, and I'm less than happy with my telephoto pictures. Definite lack of sharpness, loss of detail.

One thing that has surprised me is that in Aperture Priority when you go one stop smaller, for example, the shutter speed chosen doesn't decrease by half, which is the equation (and behaviour) from using my film cameras. I presume similar behaviour in SP. It's a little unsettling and has led to some mistakes.

Overall: a nice package, but if I was designing this camera, I would have sacrificed some of the extra zoom to maintain consistent image quality.

Amazon did an excellent job. The camera actually came from Crutchfield. The camera is great it is my second Lumix and I have had a great deal of success with it. Highly recommended

Wanting a small, lightweight digital camera with 18x zoom and an optical viewfinder, this camera fit the bill. It offers many features for a good price. Photos are good quality and would recommend for the casual user who wants the extra zoom capability.

A very capable digital camera with 18 to 1 zoom and easy interface plus image stabilization. It is simple to use and performs well. The price was right.

I just got back from a two week vacation in Alaska and I must say this camera is outstanding. From wide angle views of the amazing scenery to getting close to the glaciers from a cruise ship this camera does it all. The images are crisp and clear and the image stabilization works excellent. For anyone looking for a good compromise for a digital SLR so you don't ned to carry additional lenses this is a great camera that you will be pleasently surpirsed by.