Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ4K 8.1MP Digital Camera with 10x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)

I've been using this camera for about six months and am impressed with its versatility and performance. Although it is somewhat heavy in my pocket, it fits, and I am always happy to have it with me. At this price, it is amazing to have a 10X wide angle Leica lens. This camera takes exceptional photographs

Pros: Ease of Use; 10X Wide Angle Leica Lens; Outstanding results.
Cons: Some lag time; no viewfinder.

This is a great camera that is best for someone who likes preset settings and does not like to mess about with manual features. The camera is a little bulky to carry around in your pocket but not so big that it is not a worthy point and shoot. I have found this camera best for shooting at events and general snap shot moments.

I purchased this camera as an upgrade for my earlier Canon A95 (5.1 MP) I was really impressed with the amount of features packed into the small form factor. The 10x zoom is most impressive, and with extended zoom, 15x is possible. I have tried taking images of the same objects with maximum and extended zoom, and the difference is amazing. Picture quality reduces at the extended zoom, but that is to be expected.

One thing I was looking forward to was the wide angle, but pictures taken of landscapes with this and another non-wide-angle camera turned out pretty much the same. The images stabilization is also pretty good, with 2 modes available. This model has a host of features, but they are easy to locate and use, great for both the amateur and semi-pro photographer. All in all, a good value for the money.

In May I bought a Pentax k200d DSLR off Amazon because I needed a high quality camera in which I could change lenses and do things a point & shoot won't let you do. I still love the Pentax but why they call this Panasonic a "point & shoot" baffles me, it has more menu options than my last bridge cam (a Fuji s8000fd) and the quality rivals that of my Pentax in a compact size. I only paid $164.00 on Ebay (Brand New) and it was a steal of a deal. Hard to believe the quality of shots made with the 10x zoom fully extended, it's amazing!! I also wish it had a viewfinder but the LCD does great in the sunlight if you adjust the settings right for it. Construction is top notch and shape is just right, I don't want a compact camera that is so slim where it's hard to grip and have to use just fingers and then make sure smudges don't get on your LCD screen. If this camera had been out at the same time as the Fuji (October 2007) I would have never bought the s8000fd. This camera will make a nice back up to my Pentax as it also takes movies (haven't done that mode yet) It's a winner and get it in black (actually charcoal gray) it looks nice too.

The combination of number of shooting features and good quality for the price, 10 times zoom, Leica lenses, makes it probably one of the best of this category in the market.