UltraZooms have came to bridge the gap between Point-&-Shoot cameras and DSLRs. They may not be the easiest to carry in a pocket (especially in the summer) but offer much better lenses, sensors and features than their mobile-phone sized cousins. This is what has came to be known as the CREATIVITY segment of the camera market - and the PANASONIC FZ28 is the its absolute leader.

For months now I kept borrowing my brother's FZ18 as I was researching the market for my own UltraZoom. Since this could not go on indefinitely (and my summer vacation was coming up), I decided on the NIKON P80. Although a very good camera I found it fickle and unpredictable if left on full Auto. My belief that NIKON would never put out an inferior product was confirmed but I am not a professional photographer: I missed the simplified perfection of my brother's FZ18.
Luckily the Internet merchant I had bought my NIKON from offers an upgrade insurance option: for a small percentage of the total cost I bought the option of returning the camera within 12 months (provided in perfect working condition) and having it replaced with a latest model (from the same merchant of course). So, when FZ28 became available, I did just that.

As with the FZ18, the Intelligent Auto (iA) setting is a dream! Perfect crystal clear pictures under (almost) any conditions, EVERY TIME. There are more tweaking options than one could desire of course, but elusive scenes often do not allow for minute setting fidgeting: a reliable Auto is a good friend in a tight moment.
The older model was reported to sometimes have a problem when there were intense sunlight and shaded areas in the same shot: nothing of this sort with the FZ28. I have posted some sample photos to illustrate exactly this.

The new features of FZ28 include a new sensor (10.1MP/2.33") coupled with the also new Venus IV engine; an enlarged high quality LCD (2.7" from 2.5"); a wider lens system (starting from 27 instead of 28mm - but also ending at 486 instead of 504mm); a new auto-tracking focus feature; an auto backlight compensation function (missing from FZ18) and (finally!) zooming while taking video.
The cherry on this cake: FZ28 comes also with a leveling function which helps align buildings or the horizon with the subject - even after taking the picture! (OK, essentially it is cropping but still...)

My only gripe: as with FZ18, FZ28's zooming control is counterintuitive! One zooms IN the picture by pushing in it, whereas zooms OUT by pulling back. Well, as with the FZ18, the direction of the zooming control is in the opposite directions. (If someone knows how to contact Panasonic-Japan by email please let me know, I would like to offer them my opinion).

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

This camera is everything you want in a point and shoot. Closest to a bridge camera I've seen. One drawback is the shutter lag is waaaay to long. The quality of image is a 10. Buy an extra battery (PANASONIC ONLY NOT A LOOK-ALIKE). If you are going to shoot RAW get a 8G SDHC card. Shooting JPEG only using a 4G card gives you 700+ pics. Shooting RAW+JPEG gives you 200!! If you don't know why the FZ28 is a little pricey IT IS THE LEICA OPTICS. The SILKY PICS RAW software is very easy to use. Adobe 6 doesn't recognize the Panasonic format,so you have to develop in SILKY and save as TIF or Jpeg and then reopen the TIF in adobe for any final manipulation. Having a lens hood is a great accessory. ELF has a dioptor contro for adjusting to your own eyesight.
This is the camera to buy! If you can't afford it wait and get the soon to be released (SEPT) Kodak Z1015. It doesn't shoot RAW but, it is a GREAT camera. Check out my website for pics I took with the FZ28 and the Kodak Z812. [...]

Let me state for the record that I am a Canon lover and I bought this camera just because I was looking for a high zoom camera and Canon just refuses to go higher! Sorry Canon, I still love you, but now I love my FZ28 better!

Here are my (more than) 2 cents:

Pros:
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>> 27 mm Wide angle - No more asking people to squeeze in so they can all fit in the frame! I have a Canon S5 IS too and I took shots of the same place with both cameras and the difference was striking! FZ28 wins hands down!

>> 18x Zoom - Yes its only 486mm, not that much of a difference as compared to S5 IS's 432mm, but if I choose the 3MP mode instead of 10MP mode, I get 32.1x zoom, i.e. 866 mm. That's just awesome. Yes, some of you will freak at "only 3MP resolution", but hey, my first camera was a Canon A80 at 4MP and I have awesome 8x10 prints from that camera, so for sizes like 4x6, a 3MP resolution is sufficient unless you want to crop the image.

>> HD movie recording with zoom - Note that the resolution is 720p and not 1080p. (FYI, I recorded a 4min 36 sec video today and it came to 735 MB. So its a memory hog, but with that resolution, you can't complain)

>> Light weight - Yes its bulky, but at least its light

>> The iA mode worked wonderfully! I took several low lighting shots without the flash and the results were amongst the best I have seen. Admittedly there was some noise (there always is at high ISO), but it was very bearable given the low lighting.

>> Face recognition

>> Orientation Sensor - I don't know why dpreview.com says 'no' for this. The camera DOES have an orientation sensor.

>> Minimum shutter of 60 sec - I can now take some night scenes at low ISO = low noise!

>> RAW mode

>> Smooth opening covers for all the ports. On the S5 IS, I had to pry them open.


Cons:
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>> No external flash - Not really a con for me because I don't use an external flash, but I know that many of you do, hence this comment.

>> No 2 second self timer in iA (auto) mode. The 2 second timer is available for other modes.

>> No flip out and twist LCD (Argh! I really like this feature on the Canon models)

>> Custom battery. I much prefer using standard AA batteries that I can buy easily and cheaply in case of a battery emergency

>> I took away 0.5 points for construction because I felt that the camera's exterior looked cheap when compared with that of the S5 IS. The buttons are very plastic looking and the shooting mode dial also doesn't look as sophisticated as that of the S5 IS although it functions just as well.

>> I also took away 0.5 points for ease of use because I felt the menus were more cumbersome to use than Canon menus. Of course, this is a matter of personal preference but I feel Canon has done better in this regard by simple things such as putting some commonly used features as buttons, for instance, the ISO selection button.

>> 2 GB limit on video recording - Argh! I still need to buy a camcorder!

>> MOV format for movies - Again, personal preference. I personally prefer avi.

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That's all folks. I will update this review if I find more things worth sharing.

Bottom Line:
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An EXCELLENT purchase!

I have a Panasonic TZ1 for a little over two years. That's nice nice 10x zoom pocket camera. But its ISO is a bit low. The shutter lag also cannot keep up with my growing two-year-old twins.

My main use for the new camera is to record my kids life. From time to time, I extend my artistic interest to scenes, buildings, animals, insects, flowers...

I've had this camera for a week and took over 1000 photos. It's simply fantastic.

Things I like:
1. The shutter response is much much better than my old camera. In most cases, it will focus quickly and accurately. I use iA mode occasionally. Most time, I set it at program mode with Fn(Function)button programmed to select different focus mode. Contrary to one of the reviewers, I feel it's very responsive. And Face Recognition really works on this Camera.
2. The lens is great. You can capture incredible photos far and near.
3. Wonderful IQ! I constantly mess around with different shooting modes and do comparison shot. I have to say that the iA(intelligent auto) mode in many cases is doing a better job in focusing, exposure, white balance, etc than I do(Hard to admit a machine is smart than I am. :-D). I'm still trying and learning. But I feel eventually I might give up and let the iA totally controls me.
4. The menu system is well-written. I'm only half-way through the manual(Probably I'll never finish the other half). But there's not a function I hesitate to use or feel frustrated when maneuvering through the menu system.
5. The lay-out of the buttons is well thought-out. I especially like the dedicated record/playback button. Why no one else thought about it. So convenient! Love it.

Things I think the next gen Panasonic FZ should improve:
1. ISO. I have very usable photos which are shot at ISO 400. But there are several times I hope the ISO will be even higher for low-light conditions.
2. Ghost-band(Purple/blue vertical lines) on LCD in strong direct light condition. This happens to many digital camera system. But I feel it shows a bit more on this camera.

I frequent dpreview. Many people there(Plenty never set their fingers on the camera) complain about the EVF of this camera. These are people who have a habit formed from film camera era and never can grow out of it.

I used digital P&S cameras for about 9 years. I primarily use LCD for taking pictures. I don't care about EVF and if the camera has no one, I won't miss it a bit. For people saying that you don't know what you're missing if you haven't used a decent EVF or OVF, I have to say, I'm happy with the photos taken and truly nothing I feel missed out. But to be fair and objective, I tried EVF with about 100 photos. It's clear, bright and nice.

Conclusion: It's a fantastic super-zoom camera which can take incredible photos. A nice step-up from simple P&S. What are you waiting for? (Panasonic didn't pay me to say the last line)

I bought a Panasonic fz18 last year and finally returned it and waited its upgrade.
I bought fz28 from Amazon a week ago. I must say Panasonic fz28 is a great upgrade.
1 I can change the zoom when using video function, fz18 cannot. I suggest turn off the continuous AF function if you want to have a clear HD video (fz18 doesn't have HD mode).
2 Set ISO Mix to 800, I got beautiful pictures with acceptable noise (better than fz18).
3 The battery life is superb. I shot 380 pictures and 4+ minute videos, the battery indicator didn't turn to red yet (better than fz18).
4 iA function is more intelligent than fz18, I hardly miss the scene that I want to shoot.
5 LCD is larger and clearer than fz18.
Finally I have to emphasize the lens again. Leica lens with 18x optical zoom, equals 27mm-486mm (10 mp), and 27m-866mm (3mp). WOW. You can shoot anything far away from you and get nice pictures (better to use tripod 12x and up).
This fz28 suits all my leisure travel or family event needs. It's little bit bulky but very light, better than small P&S+ bulky DSLR + heavy camcorder bundle.
I recommend fz28 to everyone.

I suppose it's best to be very objective when reviewing any camera, but it's really hard when it comes to the Panasonic DMC-FZ28. Getting into the technical aspects is best left to the experts. For people like me, the fun factor is more important, and this camera is FUN! To find a camera that does so much so very well is rare, but this one does - in spades. Features that set this baby apart from others are many and varied, from the incredible optical zoom ratios that can be attained, to the incredibly easy auto features. There are so many things that are right about this camera, that finding foibles or flaws is a real chore. I gave up looking for faults long ago. The camera also comes with some really useful software, such as PhotoFun Studio and Silkypix Developer Studio, for processing RAW shots.

The camera is new, and professional reviews are scarce right now, but when they do come, I'm sure this camera will come out very well indeed. This is a camera for people who want it all in a fairly small, one-piece package. Panasonic has scored a home run with this one.

In conclusion, this kind of review might not be as specific as some would like. But getting into the specifics of this camera would take a whole lot of words. Suffice it to say that if you buy this camera, you will never be sorry you did. It is that good!

I am so glad I ordered this camera online from e-bay.I got a brandnew camera with Panasonic warranty,8 gigs of memory,cleaning kit,and extra battery,a tripod,etc.I had tried 3 models of the sony point and shooters.They were the H2,H7,and the H9.These cameras had some very good features but none of them could produce pictures like this Panasonic DMC-FZ28.With all three of the Sony's, results were varied.Sometimes I could get a great shot and sometimes not, even using the same settings under the same lighting conditions.I am so happy with this camera since I received it via UPS a few days ago,I haven't been able to stop taking pictures.I haven't had one that didn't turn out good.I've only used the IA setting so far but I could use this setting for days and days and never be disappointed.The zoom of 18x is fantastic and the pictures are great when I handhold the camera.I don't notice any blurring, out of focus results.The 10 mp feature is fantastic for blowups.I have blown one of my 10 mp pictures up to 16x20 and it looks so sharp and clear.This camera uses the Leica lens instead of the Carl Zeiss lens that Sony uses.I think the Leica is definately better in my book.I was thinking about buying one of the dslr cameras after the Sony models because of bad results with my shots.I am so glad I gave the Panasonic a try first.It had only been out a couple of weeks when I was able to order it.After having the fz-28, I don't think I'll ever have a need for a dslr.The only slightly negative thing about the dmc-z28 is the fact that the lens adapter doesn't come with the camera and you have to purchase it extra.To me though,this doesn't bother me that much because I know it's really worth it.When that adapter arrives I'll be able to use a polarizer,nd,uv,and other neat filters on the camera.The filter size will be 46mm compared to Sony's proprietory 74mm filter size.Trust me on this.This is the camera you should buy.If you don't love it,I would be very surprised.Panasonic DMC-FZ28K 10MP Digital Camera with 18x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)

I've had point & shoot Canons & Nikons. This is definitely a step up. I've only read a little of the manual so far - but it is really easy to figure out and get started.
This camera has inspired me to look into a photography course. It's just exciting to take it out and shoot. So looking for a not-too-expensive course.

The other reviews tell you most everything you need to know about this camera. I can say i love it myself. It does everything that i want it to do and more. You want HD video, you got it. You want 10 megapixels, you got that too. Very nice camera!

What i wanted to add was that i have found the perfect case for this camera.

DCB-66 High Zoom Camera Case (BROWN)

The bag fits this camera perfectly and also has room for the charger, an extra memory card, and an extra battery. Perfect fit with those 3 items. However, if you want to add anything else this bag will not work for you. I just wanted the basics, and it is very good for that!

This battery also works well if you need a spare for this camera. Lenmar DLP006 Lithium-ion Digital Camera/Camcorder Battery Equivelent to the Panasonic CGR-S006A Battery

Instead of reiterating the positives from other reviews, I'll focus on perceived negatives to help potential buyers.

1) The manual focus button on the top right of the camera is very close to the power button. If you have large fingertips you may turn MF on accidentally and fail to notice unless you study the screen a lot.

2) The record/playback switch is now on the upper part of the rear grip, which makes it prone to being accidentally moved by your thumb. But it is a convenient location. The "component out" jack nearby is also prone to having its cover flipped open, which could snap off if you don't notice.

3) My first Lumix was the bulky but well designed FZ20. It came with a hood with which you could completely shroud the lens using a UV filter to keep out dirt (I try to avoid hassling with lens caps). The FZ28 comes with only a petal hood. Apparently it's tricky to engineer a full hood that doesn't vignette at the new super wide 27mm angle. I plan to experiment with a rubber 46mm lens hood which should effectively seal the barrel sleeves when the camera is off. A UV filter will sit inside to protect the outer element.

4) The EVF is smaller and chintzier than the one on my FZ20. The view has curved edges, apparently because you see it at high magnification. I think they did this to keep the camera small but I use the EVF all the time outdoors. It's usable but the resolution is mediocre. Despite some claims, I've seen no LCD backs you can really use in direct sunlight. You can't gauge exposure or frame accurately if you're squinting at a bleached image. Also, holding a camera with arms extended adds unsteadiness, which can be critical as you approach 18X. Panasonic's OIS does work well at 18X with a good hold braced against the eye.

5) The dull, compressed sound in HD videos doesn't match the stellar image quality. You can finally zoom (slowly) while recording but autofocus may lag. If there's some way to synch-record with an external microphone it would be ideal. It's fairly amazing to see 1280x720 video come from a camera that does so many other things. HD video playback (QuickTime) sometimes has breakup during panning but that could be a computer issue (fast dual-core, though). I've been using a Patriot class 6 SD card.

Other comments: I find less high-ISO noise vs. my FZ20, even with the sensor's 36MP/cm² pixel density. As with many digicams there is some muddiness to broad color swaths like far away leaves, but you have the option of RAW shooting or turning NR down. Chromatic aberration seems well controlled at max zoom, possibly assisted by a UV filter.

Don't hesitate to buy this camera if you can live with the above. It is compact, light and fast on the draw.

The leica lens is excellent. Even at 6400 iso and poor light I get great pictures with little noise. I really dont understand where from comes the noise that the 'experts' talk about in small sensor dslr like camera at above 400 iso. At almost full darkness photos become poor but acceptable showing details that the naked eye cant see at this light conditions. Using 3 mega pixels and x32 zoom it is possible to get great photos that can be further cropped. Focus is fast and accurate at poor light and even at short distances without activating tha macro function which seems auto activated in most modes. The video is OK and zooming is possible. I highly recommend the camere despite the relatively small sensor.

cons: the manual is unclear for new comers, it shold be more focused and include glossary for all terms. The evf is OK and quite big but its location is inconvenient, the diopter adjusting is too though.

Super camera.Definitely the best.Even big DSLR camera owner friends loved this. They said, we must buy 500 mm Tele and macro lens which are almost cost around 2000 USD to take the same quality photo. With manuel choice, you can feel as pro. You will also love "hi speed burst mode" by catching the flying objects clearly. For me, nothing to complain.

I finally decided to give up my old Minolta 7000i film SLR camera from 1989, but just didn't want to take the D-SLR plunge beyond budget cameras, mostly the cost of camera body, set of several lens and flash unit together is too much. I played around with wife's P&S, but still wanted something with more control. This gives it.

First, my issues - Zoom lense gives a great range but is touchy, sometimes overly fast beyond what slight nudges I want to give to frame a picture/scene.
I don't always trust displayed view for exposure on LCD, especially if auto LCD adjust is on, so I turn auto LCD brightness off and use histogram for better exposure decisions.

Burst mode will racket resolution size down quite a bit. Scenery modes mostly work, sometimes (rarely) needs a little tweaking, but not allowed much leeway.
RAW and RAW+JPEG Saves really take time (almost 2 secs each shot) while JPEG only Saves is much, much faster (less than a sec.)
Manual can be difficult to find things in later, better to go through the manual with camera in your hand and try things as you read.
ISO above 800 can get grainy but acceptable.

Features I'm drawn to - Quick menu joystick is handy when not in auto or scene modes; ability to do RAW if needed; histogram, scene and exposure-sharpness controls, autobracketing

it's not a DSLR, but close on most control abilities.
Video is OK but not the strong point here, camcorder has better controls and capacity.

My husband and I own one digital SLR (Nikon D40) and two compacts. However, I feel the DSLR is a bit complex for me (requires patience) and the compacts do not offer enough functionality to the extent that I like. I was looking for something in between and I found it! I bought the DMC-FZ28 a week or so after it came out and was slightly hesitant as there weren't enough reviews out there. But there were tons of great reviews for the FZ18 and I took a chance hoping that Panasonic was improving on a good product. Let me confess, I am not disappointed. I bought the camera right before leaving on vacation and I can't remember the last time I had so much fun taking pictures. The quality of photos is great. There is some noise at full zoom and you definitely need a steady hand taking pictures at full zoom, but I also think I still need to navigate through the P and M functions. The IA function is great and takes near perfect photos. I also need to fully understand the burst and continuous shot capabilities, and must admit that it might take a couple of reads in the manual to completely understand how they work. But overall I couldn't be happier and I highly recommend it. My husband was impressed by the zoom - his D40 with a zoom lens couldn't capture some of the shots that my camera did.

I want to start by saying that I love Panasonic Lumix cameras. I started out with the DMC FZ20 5.0 MP Lumix (a previous model to this one), and as someone who is a lifelong photographer and aspiring professional on a very limited budget, it fit most of my needs and exceeded my expectations.

And I think the SLR-like Lumix models are aimed at people like me - who take photography seriously and have high standards but just can't quite afford or don't want a digital SLR yet.

So why oh why have they stopped including a hot shoe mount on their more recent models? Pop-up flashes are very limiting (and, in fact, useless in some situations) whereas an external bounce flash would be a much better option. But now the option isn't there.

They have also taken away the manual focus ring, reverting over to the much-maligned "joystick" control of other cameras. Previous Lumix models' focus ring was one of the features that garnered it praise.

Come on Panasonic. This is a deal-breaker for me. I want your newer ultra-zoom models, but no hot shoe, no focus ring, means no sale.

As many people said before me, this camera is great! I received it from OneCall a few day ago in perfect condition for a low price. It was new in the box and was delivered right on time. Trying on this camera was a similar experience. It is great!
I am not a professional photographer, I just like to have a versatile camera that can do it all. First off, it has great picture quality in most given conditions. I made most of my pictures inside of my house to test low light conditions and it handled it well. Previous cameras I used always made pictures with yellow tints from indoor light. FZ28 has a party and indoor portrait mode which can eliminate that. And if that is not it enough there are manual settings that can be tweaked in every way.

IA MODE: Perhaps the greatest part of this camera is the intelligent auto mode. It is the best one I have ever seen. I would say, 9 out of 10 using IA were perfect. Its not 100%, but what is?

FOCUS: I am also very impressed with the focusing abilities of this camera. It is very good considering the 18x zoom. Sometimes is takes a little bit to focus well, but once it does it is great.

MOVIE: The movie mode is very good on this camera. It is high quality and there are 5 different quality setting. To use HD make sure you have a fast SD card.

SIZE: It is clear that you will not be able to fit this camera into your pocket. However, it depends how much size means to you. Personally it took me a long time to decide to get this camera and I am surprised that it is actually very small for its parameters. It gives A LOT for its size. So I suggest if you have somewhat of an issue with size but really want a lot for that sacrifice. Buy the camera. Its really not so good to carry a camera in a pocket anyway.

OUTDOOR PICTURES: WOW. WOW. WOW. Outdoor, sunny, well lit places are simply phenomenal!!

ZOOM: 18x optical zoom with 10 megapixel? Heck Yea. And up to 32x optical zoom (125x with digital zoom) on lower megapixel settings (7, 5, 3).

IMAGE STABILIZATION: Panasonic has the best OIS in my opinion. At 18x the manual says a tripod is required, I find otherwise. With OIS mode 1 the picture is stabilized with the shutter button halfway pressed. You can still take a great picture if you can limit your shaking hands.

OVERALL: There is still so much to write about this camera. I am very satisfied with it. It has all functions in a relatively small body. Every picture is great because it could also be tweaked with RAW editing software. Finally, it is easily adaptive to any user. My whole family can use it. I read the manual and set a few custom modes that my parents will most likely use. One for my brother and one for my self. In the end there is still a great auto mode and raw editing.

After many hours of research and reading many blogs and reviews, I decided this camera was the one for me. I previously owned an Olympus ultra-zoom and knew the ultra-zoom category was where I felt comfortable for an everyday camera. I was looking for a camera that takes SLR quality pictures but is smaller and lighter so I can take it with me in my purse. The FZ28 lives up to the great reviews. I've owned the camera about a month so I will post a more in-depth review in the future. Here are the things I've noticed so far:

(+) Very easy to learn and use, manual was actually very helpful
(+) Intelligent mode is very smart
(+) Takes sharp photos in quick motion
(+) Low noise in my indoor pictures, especially compared to my Olympus
(+) Outstanding quality for the price - most pics rival my dad's D200, I spent $1000 less
(-) I haven't found anything negative about the camera yet

My camera came with a lens cap, lens strap, camera strap, lens hood & adapter ring (for taking pictures in bright sun), battery, USB cable, and AV cables for hooking up to a TV. I purchased it soon after the camera was released in August through Vanns on Amazon. There was a shipping issue with UPS & Vanns was top-notch - their customer service was very helpful and quick to respond to fix the situation.

More in-depth update to come ...

I already owned the DMC-FZ18. When the new model came out, I bought it after reading some initial reviews. The camera is great and will be my primary camera especially for my son's sporting events. I will leave the previous model at my vacation house so I always have a good camera their as well. I cannot think of any negatives with this camera. I have had maybe 5 or 6 previous cameras and nothing compares to this one.

Amazon doesn't disallow the writing of comments/reviews based on whether someone owns a product or not. I've used and owned other similar Lumix models, so can speak confidently of the great quality of Lumix cameras in the FZ series.

However, for those inclined to upgrade to this camera without reading the specs carefully - naturally assuming it will have everything some previous models had and more - be aware that this model lacks a hot shoe (external flash mount) and manual focus ring. For some people (like me) these are indispensable features.

Very sharp lens and takes filters. Exceptional ability to lock focus even on extended telephoto and, in my case, on a moving platform ( a lobster boat in Maine ) The IA feature is also extremely effective - having been a manual film camera user, then a SLR and DSLR user I do not recall ever having left a camera on automatic - this was a first for me. Exposure compensation through a dedicated button was also helpful - indeed the use of dedicated buttons for a number of functions, in addition to the usual menu access made me feel quite at home. Good work Panasonic.

The camera was purchased from Vanns through Amazon. It was exactly as advertised, in its original packaging, and arrived in perfect condition and on schedule. Vanns kept me apprised via 3 emails of its progress at every step with the 3rd email providing access to complete tracking information.
This was a replacement for a Panasonic DMC-FZ8K Camera whch I have used for about 2 years and which performed well for me. The FZ28K is the third and newest model in the series and offers many improvements which I am now enjoying. It has a very impressive set of features which allow virtually complete control of picture-taking but will do it all for you if you're in a hurry with its point-and-shoot mode labeled iA (or intelligent Auto) mode.

This is a great camera. We are so happy with it. The video is also great and we don't need to buy another camcorder.

HI.
I started out years ago with FZ10 then to FZ15, FZ20(2), FZ7, FZ30, FZ50, last month i accidently dropped my FZ50 in the water on my trip in Thailand on a canoe trip, its now malfunction, SO!, i need a new FZ!!
i came to the newly FZ28, i bought it about 10 days ago, with no surprise, FZ28 is smallest in FZ series that i've owned, but it packs with heavy fearures, the wide angle at 27mm i really need, the tele at farther at 486mm is needed too. Still got LEICA lens at f2.8, great!!
WELL, i shot about 500 shots already, it produces nice pictures as its brothers, with lesser noise, i have shot at 1600iso too, very useable images with some noise reduction in CS3.
Images still razor sharp, clean and bright. I do use custom white balance 1 & 2, 1 i set for outdoors, 2 i set for indoor.very happy with the results. Amazing small camera that does it all, excepts it does not have external flash, i missed that hotshoe mount.
The lens hood is too big for the body size, it will block some of the popup flash, so you need to remove the hood before use the pop up flash.
A great everyday camera and for travel.
I paid 312$ here thru Amazon, good deal..
Dont think twice, buy it!!!

I just got my camera and I've already shot a lot of pictures. The camera is lightweight and produces great pictures. I have had many Sony cameras and this Panasonic has much better lenses. If you buy it, you won't regret!

Just got the camera 3 days back, its a Flawless camera with No match !! Takes stunning picture with real good shutter speed. Overall I am very much satisfied and truly this is one of my Best camera ever bought by me. I highly recommend this to anyone who wants a great camera with real good zoom !!! Just go for it, I assure you, you wouldn't regret !!

I was looking for a camera with a super zoom (18X), little shutter lag (which has always bugged me with digitals), relatively light, RAW photo capability, image stability, face recognition and large LCD screen. This camera was one of the few that gave me all of those features plus a series of menu screens that are intuitive and easy to follow. Have used this camera for several months and so far have found it to live up to all its promises. Looking forward to taking into the Amazon (the river) next month.

I have had my FZ28 for about 3 weeks now and I am very happy with it. This is an extremely versatile camera with very good image quality. The highpoint of the camera for me is the huge zoom range it is capable of. The image stabilization works wonders at full telephoto (18x), and sharp, hand held shots in average light are very possible, if not routine.

So far I have taken mostly outdoor landscape, and full zoom photos of wildlife. The landscape images are sharp and well exposed. I had a little more trouble with the full telephoto wildlife shots as many of these were taken in less than full sunlight conditions resulting in less sharpness and less color saturation than I like. I was able to do some post processing and improve many of them, though. I'm hoping as I use the camera more my technique will improve and I can get sharper telephoto shots.

I also had the opportunity to use my FZ28 at a dimly lit coffee house to shoot some video and stills of a friend playing live acoustic guitar. I really wasn't able to get any infocus stills because I didn't want to use a flash and disturb the performer or the other patrons during the performance. I did take about 7 minutes total of high def video by placing the camera on the table in front of me. I was very pleased with the results. Fairly smooth video capture and decent sound considering how little light was available. I am going to make a DVD of the videos for my friend.

I have also shot some macro photos with impressive results. This thing focuses so close it is like having a 10MP microscope! My friend asked me to take an extreme close up of his eyeball (weird, I know). His ophthalmologist has got nothing on these photos! They are amazing. I converted the photo to black and white and cropped it super close for him. He has it as his desktop background on a 22" monitor! Very striking.

The reason I didn't give this camera five stars is there is a fair amount of noise present in all photos even at low ISO settings. I have a large format 13" x 19" printer so I am more aware than most people of the effects of noise on a large printed photo. I have to do a fair amount of software smoothing (which results in a loss of detail) to be able to print clean photos at that size.

In addition to the noise problem, I also have had some issues with recording video with the camera (or subject) in motion. If I slowly walk around my apartment taking video in average daylight the camera has a very hard time following the motion and staying in focus, especially if I zoom in and out some. I love the HD video option but I am disappointed the output isn't a little better. Also, it is important to buy the fastest SD card you can afford. I have an "A-Data" 8GB Class 6 "Turbo" SDHC card (cheap: $17.50) and I have had the camera stop after recording about 45 seconds of HD video, and give me an error message saying my card is not fast enough to keep up with the video capture. This only happens occasionally and I think it must depend on what you are taking the video of. I didn't have any trouble taking video at the dimly lit coffeehouse but I got these errors outdoors at full zoom while taking a video of a seagull having a snack.

Even with those 2 problems I heartily recommend this camera, and from what I have read it is the best in the long zoom consumer camera category.

I bought this camera as a gift for my girlfriend who loves this camera. It takes fantastic pictures with excellent quality. I also preferred this camera to others as the glass is leica quality... for those of u who don't understand that. well leica also makes super high quality microscopes for medical personnel- that means they know what they're doing. A lens is uber important for pics. The ease of use of this camera is point and shoot but you can alter the settings extensively so that it becomes akin to a manual. It also looks great and zooms well. I'm considering buying one for myself actually.

I bought this camera for the 18xzoom which is just great! It also works well for the "point and shoot" at close or far range and if you wish to do the adjustments yourself, you can. It is light enough to wear around your neck when travelling and the photos I developed had wonderful detail, close or far. Great buy for just over $300.

Purchased this camera after doing research on super zooms, viewing several models and reading reviews of the Panasonic FZ18 which it replaced. The FZ18 received top super zoom ratings in several reviews. A key factor for me was the 27mm wide angle zoom; I have found 28mm wideangle a very useful feature for family, architecture and landscape pictures on my 35mm SLR. The FZ28 promised improvements to the FZ18 in image processing and high definition video with zoom. I have used the camera for about a month and I am very pleased with its performance. Image stabilization is superb--I have been able to take clear pictures at maximum zoom in low light. Pictures in a variety of lighting conditions have been very pleasing. Resolution is very good. As reviews of FZ18 discussed, the small sensor displays noise in low lighting, high ISO, but I find it not objectionable in pictures that I have taken(family photo album). This camera will replace my 35mm SLR, several lenses for the SLR and a camcorder as a light weight and versatile travel companion. The Silkypix software bundled with the camera is a very capable and easy to use photo enhancement product--there is a bit of learning curve, but after some experimentation and learning I find it easy to use and it has produced excellent results.

I've taken several pictures. The zoom works well; I get nice pictures with the camera set to 3MP (=~1.5MB/photo), which allows a 32.1x zoom. The minor annoyances:
1) The filenames of the photos can't seem to be set to the date taken (they are sequentially numbered)
2) video mode is on the opposite side of the dial from the intelligent autofocus (annoying because these are my two favorite modes).
3) The video files are so big that my older computer (Inspiron 6000 laptop) can't play them back smoothly (I may need to lower the resolution for video)

I like this camera a lot. I have not yet had a chance to try all the different settings or video. It takes very good pictures in the automatic mode. But I brought this camera to be more creative than a point and shoot.

I've had this camera for about a month now, and am thoroughly in love with it. I love the huge zoom and the more than adequate wide angle. I love how quickly it powers up, and cycles between shots. I love how long the battery lasts. I love the quality of the shots with the Leica lens. I love how easily the zoom lens (the 'zooming' speed can be adjusted to match the user's desires) precisely travels.

The camera has a plastic body, and probably wouldn't handle being dropped real well. I'm not sure about the construction of similar class offerings by Olympus, Canon, etc. But the camera seems to be pretty well-made in terms of the motor and computer. I get the sense that if I treat it well, it will treat me well.

My research led me to believe that I would get the best quality pictures with the easiest interface - at the best price to boot! - with this camera (of any super zoom). So far I haven't been disappointed.

I love this 'point 'n shoot' camera for its ease of operation, quality of image and the incredible zoom. It is one of the best out there. It is really hassle free once you have read briefly though the manual and played a bit. As previous reviewers have mentioned, it takes amazing photos. Totally happy with this purchase!

I don't know why Amazon paired DicaPac WP710 with Lumix DMC-FZ28K. (1) DicaPac WP is way too small for Lumix DMC-FZ28, only hold a mini camera/ (2) The picture showed is total misleading, the real product is a flat plastic bag, is not the one in the picture.
I bought Lumix DMC-FZ28K to replace DMC-FZ7. If you like FZ& yould should like FZ28K.

So far, so good...the zoom is fantastic and the controls are easy to find. Great camera for the price.

If you have not yet owned an ultrazoom (10X or higher), you will probably like the FZ28. It's a nice camera, smaller and lighter than my Sony, but loaded with features and options.

In the past 6 years, I have owned 3 or 4 digital cameras. One or two years ago, I bought a Sony DHC-H5, primarily for its 12X zoom, which was a stunning improvement over the 10X I previously owned. I was one click away from buying the Sony DHC-H50 when I started reading rave reviews about the Panasonic Lumix FZ28. A bit of research convinced me to buy it from Amazon. In less than 24 hours, I returned it. (I admit I should have given it more time, but my basic disappointment would not have changed.)

There is a gotcha in comparing zooms. A 12X is not necessarily 20% better than a 10X. The X factor is based on the unzoomed wide angle lens. The FZ28 has a much wider lens than the H5. On the plus side, the FZ28 will capture more of the scene before you because of that wide lens. However, that wide angle lens means 18X isn't as much of a zoom as one might think.

To truly compare lenses, you must look at the 35mm equivalents for each lens. The 18X FZ28 zoom maxes to 486mm; the 15X H50 is 465mm. Both should reach farther than the 12X H5 at 432mm. But in careful testing, taking pictures from the same spot with the FZ28 and the H5, the zoom shots were virtually identical. (Actually, the H5's auto mode captured a brighter image than the FZ28, but the zooms were undistinguishable.) Because of the vagaries of the X factor, I didn't expect a huge improvement, but I still expected to be wowed and I was not. And by not being wowed, I was disappointed, even though this zoom will wow anyone who hasn't used another long zoom.

I considered hanging on to the FZ28. It has many newer features lacking on my older H5, such as face detection and smile detection. Unfortunately, the LCD is smaller and less sharp than the H5.

The tipping point was a rather minor feature, ironically. Most cameras record JPEGs, which is fine for most uses. A lot of high-end cameras shoot RAW format, which stores much more information than a JPEG. That info can be very useful in a powerful photo editor. Frankly, I crop and make minor tweaks that work fine in JPEG format. But, the fact that the FZ28 offers RAW + JPEG (one shot, two pix) tipped me towards the FZ28. And back again.

You cannot shoot RAW if you use the fully automatic mode (Intelligent Assist). I can't understand why that is so, but it is true. So, if you want RAW, you forego auto and vice versa. Crazy. Unacceptable to me, as minor as my interest in RAW is.

I'm not trying to steer anyone away from the FZ28 except for someone like me who is trying to pick between it and another camera and is swayed by the 18X zoom and RAW format. Make sure you have other reasons for buying the FZ28.

peace,
mjh

I needed to replace my P&S camera and after doing a lot of reading I narrowed it down to the Lumix Z28 and the Cannon G10 and SX10IS (since I could not get my hands on a Cannon SX1IS). I use a Nikon DSLR for most Important things but It is too bulky when I travel or vacation and also my wife finds it hard to use. I also wanted to be able to shoot video that was at least decent so I would only have to lug around one camera so it was a must to be able to zoom while shooting video as well.

My first choice was the Pannisonic FZ28, it seemed to have everything I was looking for however, after one day of shooting it was obvious that there were some major problems such as CONSTANTLY WONDERING AF WHILE SHOOTING VIDEO, INABILITY TO TRACK FOCUS WHILE SHOOTING VIDEO, WASHED OUT SHOTS (stills) and a few other operational and menu issues that were unacceptable. I.E. face recognition was on when menu said it was off, zoom reversed.

That left the two Cannon cameras. I chose the SX10IS over the G10 due to the fact that the G10 WILL ONLY DO A DIGITAL ZOOM WHILE SHOOTING VIDEO Yes, The optical zoom does not work for video. I see this as a "deal breaker" for me since digital zooms add far too much noise to the immage to be usable. Plus, the added focal length, cost diff. and articulated VF on the SX10IS influenced me as well. Too bad about the G10 since I really want to like it. Only down side to the SX10IS is no ability to do RAW format. Hope there will be a hack to fix that in the future.

Everything about my purchase was excellent! The product, the financial transaction and the prompt delivery all made me a very happy camper!!
My husband is delighted with the new Panasonic Lumix DMC - FZ28K!
Thank you for making this purchase stress free :)

arrived faster than I expected, very happy with this camera I am not a professional phptographer, but I love to take pictures , so I need practice and this camera deserve to practice, very n ice image quality, I like manual controls , 10 megapixel are enough for me, I have always used Point and shoots from sony, but now I belive my preferred camera will be panasonic, fully recommend this product!!!!

I bought this camera because I like the way that the Panasonic camera operates. I currently own a DMC-FZ7 and it has served me well for over 2 years. I thought I would upgrade to the FZ28 for the increased zoom length and 10 megapixel ccd. However, what Panasonic doesn't make clear is that the zoom extension is on the lower end of the focal range. The zoom range on the high end is still the same (35 mm equivalent of 468 mm)as that of the FZ7 with the 12 power zoom. It's a great camera, easy to use but I'm disappointed over the zoom range.

I was sitting the fence for a while: FZ28? SX10? P80? FH20? SX1?
Finally, I bought FZ28, and I am extremely pleased.
SX1 and FH20 probably would meet my expectations better (CMOS rather than CCD), but SX1 is not sold in the US, and FH20 is double the price of (and SX1 would be same if sold around here).

I replaced S1 IS that I liked a lot, so my first impression with FZ28 was that it was so light that the plastic must be cheap. That's actually not the case; it's light but solid.

I would prefer AA batteries, but I can live with Panasonic's choice (especially that Lenmar has a cheap and presumably excellent replacement). After taking 50 or so pictures, playing with the settings for several hours, taking 10 30 seconds or so movies, the battery indicator hardly moved left, so I expect that the reports on the very efficient energy management are confirmed.

The LCD is bright, but I prefer using viewfinder. Switching is convenient and easy. The only complain I have is the glossy surface, but I applied a screen. This is a preference, I guess; I always install matte screen on anything glossy (like my iPhone, iMac, PowerBookPro).

BTW, while on Mac topics, software for Macs is included. The camera works with my Mac with no problem. The videos are in QuickTime (.mov) format, so I like it too.

I like the menu system on FZ28 much more than on Canons (we own/owned a few PowerShot models). It's really easy to play with customizing pre-built photo settings on FZ28 if you want to experiment beyond the iA.

The photos that I took under a variety of conditions are excellent (I settled for highest resolution with 16:9) -- as far as my completely amateur senses are concerned. Video is also great in HD 720p, and I do not have a problem with sound. My AppleTV does not do any better than 720p, so for now I am fine. The 2GB video limit (~9 minutes) does not bother me at all, since I use the video feature on a camera only for very short clips.

No hesitation with giving the camera 5 stars.

I also bought (and recommend after a lot of research, especially with the case):
- Tamrac 3320017 Aero 20 Digital Camera Zoom Case (Black)
- Lenmar DLP006 Lithium-ion Digital Camera/Camcorder Battery Equivelent to the Panasonic CGR-S006A Battery
- 2 x Transcend TS8GSDHC6 8GB SDHC card (SD 2.0 SPD Class 6)

This is the best camera I have had for a long time. It does so much and is so compact! Best deal for the money and the results.

The Panasonic FZ28 is everything I hoped it would be. The battery life is great and the camera is easy to use. There are many features with this camera but the best features are the 18x optical and 72x digital zoom coupled with a 10 megapixel camera. The image stabilization makes zooming sharp and clear.
This camera does more than I'll ever need but just the zoom and image stabilization features make it worth the price.
I would buy it again if I had it do over.

This camera works great right out of the box, just charge the battery and start shooting great pics. It's hard to take a bad picture with this camera, the video is also great in HD. Even when at full zoom the image is very sharp. You will have to buy a high priced dslr camera to do better.

This is small camera and technically an improvement compared to the fz30 and 20, my previous cameras.
The Smallness tends to seem to make it shake a bit more ( unsteady). Actuals pictures are very good. Low light, resolution and a bit more zoom are improved. Features are good!!!!
Price is reasonable.
Just to note, I just saw some Best Buy 20X zooms from other suppliers, a bit more costly. Go look.( then buy the FZ)

I am an amateur that shoots mainly four things... nature "scenes", macro plants and insects, running and playing dogs, and dog still portraits. I got this camera looking for two things... I wanted the extended optical zoom and I wamted to shoot infocus photos of my dogs running that were large enough for me to crop and still print 8 x 10's with. I have owned and still own several digital point and shoots as well as the Rebel Xti, and each has it's own special use for my shooting purposes, however a "stop action" point and shoot and a good zoom were missing. Reviews said this might be the camera for both. I hoped this camera would be the go between for the pocket point and shoots and the DSLR. Got this camera yesterday, shot 200 photos with it on a fairly dark, cloudy day, and I LOVE it. It's fast, crystal clear with the great Leica lens, and the zoom is all it's advertised to be and more. Exposure couldn't have been better. I mostly used the intelligent Auto mode, but did play around with some other settings just to learn about the camera. Only two problems... I had a bit of a problem with the camera telling me something was in focus and it wasn't when I reviewed the photo...and, I kept missing the running dogs since the camera fired just before they came fully into view... guess that is positive and means it's faster than I realize??? Both these problems will resolve with more use of the camera I am sure. I would also prefer an automatic pop-up flash rather than this one that I have to physically open to use. Guess I am spoiled about that??? All in all, despite it's light weight and "cheap" feel, this camera promises to be exactly what I was looking for. Would I recommend it?? In a minute, in fact I already have to several friends!!!

We bought the camera as a step between 'point and shoot' simplicity and 'SLR' confusion. Turns out it works pretty well as both. You can set your own settings and have the camera remember them or you can fiddle and tweak to your hearts content. The bottom line though is, unless you're actually *trying* to screw it up, you almost can't! Even pictures I've taken with the camera screaming, "I am *NOT* responsible for the poor quality you're about to recieve!" Have turned out fairly remarkable. My first pics were of a pre-sunrise; quarter moon hovering with just a hint of lightness on the eastern horizon. The moon came very clean for *not* having a tripod.

Our first thought when we ordered the FZ28 was that we'd hang on to the point and shoot Kodak as a 'snap shot' camera. Turns out the FZ28 handles that so easily I've retired the Kodak and am thinking seriously about buying *another* FZ28 for my husband... I just *hate* to share. :-P

Five out of Five, "I almost know enough to know I don't know anything" stickers.Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28K 10MP Digital Camera with 18x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)

I purchased this camera as an update from my beloved Canon S2, which had served me well for 3 years and taught me the basics of using the manual features of a bridge camera. I consider myself a camera enthusiast, taking photos of mostly my travels and my children. I originally planned to upgrade my S2 to the newest S-model being released by Canon. I was so excited when the Canon SX10 was announced and had actually even preordered one online before I realized that it would not accept a polarizing lens. During a recent trip to Hawaii, I had fallen in love with my polarizer and couldn't see paying $500 for a camera that wouldn't allow use of additional lenses. I thought about upgrading to a DSLR but decided that I wouldn't like the bigger camera and expense. Online reviews pointed me to the FZ28, and I couldn't be more pleased with my purchase.

The camera offers a variety of very good presets as well as full manual controls. Noise levels are very good, even at higher ISO speeds than my previous camera would accommodate. Overall, I agree wholeheartedly with all of the reviews previously posted, so I won't bore you with restating what has already been stated. I did want to provide a bit of information for those of you who may be interested in using add-on lenses for your FZ28, as I don't think this has really been covered much yet in the reviews. Unlike my previous camera which required an adapter tube AND an additional lens cap to accept a UV or polarizing filter, the FZ28 has threads on the end of the lens tube itself to accept a 46 mm lens. The lens screws directly onto the camera's lens, extending and retracting as the camera is used. It essentially becomes part of the camera. Therefore, there is no need to buy extra adapter parts or lens caps in order use either of these filters with the FZ28. When you turn off the camera, the add-on lens slides into the camera and can be covered with the camera's regular lens cap. (As a side note, I understand that Lensmate is releasing an adapter that works with the lens hood for the Canon SX10 very soon, but it's still an additional expense and a separate piece to be used with the camera rather than becoming part of the camera like the FZ28 model. Having personally used both a Canon separate adapter and the FZ's built-in threads, I much prefer the convenience of the FZ model's threaded lens.) Teleconverter and macro lenses are also available for the FZ28 if desired, although I don't anticipate needing either for my own use.

The pictures I have taken have been sharp and colorful, even in less than idea lighting conditions. Even photos taken through a double-paned window at a distance were detailed (see bird and berries photo in customer's images on this site). I haven't had an opportunity to use the video components yet.

In summary, this is a great camera offering beautiful photos and seemingly foolproof options. I highly recommend it for anyone wanting a small camera with big potential!

The FZ28 is one of the best digital cameras I've ever used. It's user friendly, the manual is clear for the more complex functions, it's loaded with features and has an incredible 78x digital zoom (18x optical). I'd been gimping along using an old Olympus for years (although it did its job admirably) and finally buckled to get a new one, because although I prefer using film and a darkroom, my bank account doesn't. After a ton of research, I settled on this camera and I've never regretted it. Normally I'm a bit of a Canon purist, but the Canon equivalent was blown out of the water with this one. I'd recommend it to everyone from beginners to photographers like myself.

Having researched and purchased this for a present for my daughter I have little time to play with it but what I have so far discovered it is nearly equal to my pricey full size SLR in function and so far picture quality. But for a mid size campact camera with what appears to be an excellent lens(not interchangeable) but with this one, and the average person, you would need nothing else. Most of all it is small enough to carry in a large pocket or purse.

Not much to say. Everything's been covered already. It's indeed a great camera. iA mode works great but I prefer manual controls.

I've noticed some barrel distortion at wide angle. But this is what you get with a wide angle lens.

Btw, you'll need a class 6 SDHC to fully enjoy recording HD movies.

I have olympus C5550. I wanted to upgrade it and was in the market for sometime. After reading quite a lot of reviews here and on dpreview.com, I finally decided DMC-FZ28 is the right one for my needs and budget. And I am glad I made the right decision. Great camera w/ incredible features. The picture quality is just amazing. I also recorded few video clips and they were pretty good. I used them to upload to youtube. Love this video feature so that I can shoot my kid's short video and post them on youtube for my folks to watch. It has so many features that I still didn't get a chance to explore all of them. I guess its time to make a trip :-)

BTW, can someone please recommend a good camera case that can fir this camera and it's accessories? I got this camera case : http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16830994096 but it does not fit in it.

I placed an order for FZ28k in Amazon website thinking that amazon being a well-known company will be responsibly handling my order and deliver the ordered item on time. But unfortunately my experience was different. They charged the amount on my credit card and after sent a mail to me that my bank is declining the transaction. I called Bank of America to verify this claim. BOA has told that the transaction is approved and Amazon has tried to make multiple transaction of same amount. I tried to sort out this issue by calling Amazon customer representatives who are in India. They told me there is no record about the transaction they made with my credit card, with them. Now my credit card company has told me to ask Amazon to cancel the transaction. I called up Amazon regarding this, now they are saying they will investigate the issue and after some days they will let me know if they can do anything regarding the problem I am facing.
I am not trying to say amazon is a fake company, but I made a mistake by placing the order through Amazon even though better offers are there in B&H and J&R, thinking that these are small companies and no trustworthy as Amazon.
Now I realize that I should have better gone for a smaller company than a bigger one like Amazon which is fully in a mess and don't keep any track of what they are doing.

My order was for a Panasonic FZ28K Camera, aCamera bag, a Memory stick, a Memory reader and a small tripod. They split this order into two different shipments (Against my preference of sending all items together when available), one with the Camera and the other with rest of the items in the order. The company site shows that shipment which doesn't include Camera is in transit with the carrier(USPS). When I checked with the USPS tracking site it shows that Amazon has just informed them about the item to be shipped, not actually shipped.

Maybe the experience is unique to me :(. be careful with this giant who is now arrogantly careless about their customers credit card data.

I bought this camera in lieu of spending the extra money on a digital SLR. I had several reasons for this, not the least of which being the fact that digital SLRs add so many new features and enhancements to their quality each year while dropping in price. The notion of investing a good $700 or more on something that will be quickly replaced by a much more powerful model within only a year or two just didn't sit well with me. So in my search for something to get me a step up from totally novice point and shoot photography, the superzooms looked like a good option. I will eventually purchase a digital SLR, but my advice to anyone who is uncertain if they're willing to part with that much money just yet is to wait it out. Look at some of the models from only three or four years ago - they offered an average of around 7 or 8 megapixels, lacked features like image stabilization and live view LCD, and cost a few hundred dollars more than today's units. I know that if I had invested a good thousand dollars into something that is noticeably less powerful and feature laden than today's units costing hundreds less, I might be kicking myself pretty hard.

This unit may be just a point and shoot but it has one of the best lenses available. It is almost comparable to an SLR in many respects. It shoots in RAW mode as well as offering one of the longest zooms in its class. I would have wished it offered a lower minimum ISO than 100 (my old Canon Powershot A610 compact offers a 50 setting) but with such a high quality CCD, the long zooming Leica lens and twice the megapixels of my old Canon it seemed a far trade off when all things were considered.

The features and modes are quite numerous and of very good quality. They do well to guide even the most inexperienced users to get some great shots in various situations. I have to especially praise the intelligent auto mode above all others when it comes to beginners' usage. The camera does a surprisingly effective job at recognizing the situations in which it finds itself. (One gripe I have with this setting however is that it doesn't allow you to shoot in RAW format - it's JPEG only - more on that later.) Being more of a photo geek than the average person, I use the manual setting most often; and it's a true manual setting rather than semi-manual like many other manufacturers offer. I have full control of everything just like on an SLR. One of the features I liked best while shooting in the manual mode is that the camera's metering is active and gives you feedback for the best setting. Say for example your shutter speed or your aperture needs to be raised or lowered - the camera's meter will show that as you're focusing. Following this electronic advice gives near perfect exposures every time; but you're still free to make your own creative judgments since it is a manual mode.

The menus are relatively easy to navigate considering the amount of settings and options available. I also really liked that I could choose between 4:3, 3:2, and 16:9 aspect ratios (SDTV, 35mm film, and widescreen TV respectively.) The HD video option is a nice little extra - but keep in mind you only get about eight minutes of video on that setting regardless of how large your memory card is. Then again I figure if shooting video is a priority you would buying a proper video camera. The image stabilization works very well as do the higher ISO settings should you find yourself wanting to take a shot in the dark without a tripod. Of course you shouldn't expect to make artist grade compositions in conditions like that, but if you need to snap a quick picture of something in low light it will serve you well. I'm actually excited to see what the future holds as technology improves upon the image stabilizing and the noise reduction at higher ISO speeds. Hopefully in a few years we will start to see models that shoot some very impressive images in low light conditions. As far as long shutter speeds if using a tripod, this unit offers up a full minute. I was able to take a close up shot of a rose last night in only the light of a waning moon, and it come out so bright I actually had to darken it a little in the post processing just because I wanted it to have a night time effect.

Physically speaking, this unit feels solid and employs good ergonomics. It is relatively lightweight but does pack some bulk and volume. (Don't expect to be pocketing this for everyday, everywhere random use - but that isn't the purpose of a superzoom or an SLR.) It fits nicely in the hands and has a very polished, professional appearance. Essentially it is a Panasonic SLR body with a fixed lens. Get yourself a nice bag and a few extras and you will have a very respectable hobbyist level outfit.

The superzoom (18x) is wonderful. Last night I took a picture of the moon and it came out very detailed and clear. It certainly helped that the lens is threaded for 46mm filters - allowing me to use a polarizer. The autofocus system also had no trouble at all which surprised me. I thought I was going to have to manually focus an object so far away and bright. I haven't yet been able to use the long zoom for things like bird photography but I have seen images taken by other users and it seems they are quite good.

But now the most important thing when it comes to investing in a camera like this: image quality. I hate having to say it, but I wasn't as impressed with the FZ28's JPEG images as I had hoped to be. I might have been spoiled by the super sharp, low noise imaging of my A610 at ISO 50, but for my money the FZ28 didn't measure up to that old Canon. The images were slightly soft, maybe a little jagged at close examination. Taking macro pictures of my corals, I noticed some artifacts that weren't present on the older images from my Canon. I was really hoping for tack-sharp details but didn't get them. The colors weren't as saturated as the Canon's, but at the same time many might welcome that fact because it gives greater post processing control, especially owing to the RAW format capability.

This is where the FZ28 really shines. After being a little disappointed in the JPEG processing (a bit too aggressive on noise reduction seems to be the problem making the images too soft) I tried the RAW format and started getting the results I wanted. Straight from the camera (SilkyPIX Developer comes with the package and does a decent job) the images were near perfect. Just a little bit of processing and then an export to either a TIFF (lossless) and/or JPEG (lossy) and I have some truly great pictures. RAW format will take up quite a bit of space on your memory card but these days memory is inexpensive so carrying a few 4g or 8g cards should not set you back too much, and considering the type of camera this is I'm assuming that anyone looking into its purchase would be concerned enough with the quality of their images that the extra investment is already being considered.

In conclusion, I highly recommend this unit to anyone looking to step up from their compact point and shoot digital camera to something a little more professional. While being a fixed lens unit and not entirely on par with the better SLR models, it certainly offers a very effective step in their direction for a far more reasonable price tag. Unless you're a professional or very advanced hobbyist who absolutely needs an SLR, this may be about one of the best camera choices on the market at this time. Naturally one can not future-proof themselves when it comes to digital technology, but the reasonable price of superzooms compared with SLRs makes a compelling case at this point in time. So until SLRs are closer to this price level (and they will be, albeit with more features, megapixels, and image quality than today's units) my advice is to go superzoom. Speaking for myself I would be a lot less disappointed to see something I bought for $300 or less go obsolete than I would something for which I paid upwards of $700. Canon and Nikon also have units in this class getting some great reviews. It's all a matter of choice I suppose. I went with a Panasonic, though I'm sure I would have been quite happy with the others as well.


Pros - Likely best lens quality in its class, 18x zoom, threads to use filters, great array of shooting modes, intelligent auto is wonderful for effortless use, manual mode offers full user control, great image quality in the RAW format, SilkyPIX included, professional look and feel. SLR-like capabilities at a point and shoot price point.

Cons - Noise reduction is a little too aggressive when it comes to in-camera image processing for JPEG format resulting in images that are a little soft and can appear a little frayed. Some users may find the images less saturated than they would want. (But this is easily changed in post processing.)

My wife and I have shot a lot of photos through the years using slr's and quality lenses. Gave my wife a fuji digital camera a few years ago and were hooked. From close-ups of flowers to distant shots of national park scenic wonders, that little camera was awesome. But a couple of drops made it more and more difficult to use. My wife wanted just an updated version of that camera she had come to love. However, I did some consumer research and came upon this Panasonic Lumix and read the reviews. Thought I'd take a chance of upsetting my wife and replace her beloved camera with this product. She loves it (as do I)! It is so much more versatile and allows for more options than come with most slr's. If you just want to point and shoot, it takes great photos. If you want to venture out for more special effects or a particular lighting option, this one will do it. If you want to zoom in while shooting on video mode, this one will do it. The only criticism we have is that some of the controls seem to be too crowded. If it were me, I would have designed that a little differently, but that is a minor issue. The only reason I gave it four stars instead of five is that we have only had it a few weeks and don't want to give a final judgment until we have put it through all the rigors. But from where we sit at this point, if you want versatility and want to lug around just one camera that can take tight wide angle shots, zoom in on wildlife and scenic wonders, experiment with some cool lighting, or just shoot a few seconds of quick video, so far, this camera does it all with pleasing results.

The camera is very easy to use, takes great pictures with little effort.

Pictures a crisp, flash is excellent, lens is great. 18X zoom in sports mode takes great pictures.

Camera has plenty of features and options.

I highly recommend this camera. If you get it you won't be disappointed.

No doubt, I love this Camera which I am still waiting for.

I placed an order for FZ28k in Amazon website thinking that amazon being a well-known company will be responsibly handling my order and deliver the ordered item on time. But unfortunately my experience was different. They charged the amount on my credit card and after sent a mail to me that my bank is declining the transaction. I called Bank of America to verify this claim. BOA has told that the transaction is approved and Amazon has tried to make multiple transaction of same amount. I tried to sort out this issue by calling Amazon customer representatives who are in India. They told me there is no record about the transaction they made with my credit card, with them. Now my credit card company has told me to ask Amazon to cancel the transaction. I called up Amazon regarding this, now they are saying they will investigate the issue and after some days they will let me know if they can do anything regarding the problem I am facing.
I am not trying to say amazon is a fake company, but I made a mistake by placing the order through Amazon even though better offers are there in B&H and J&R, thinking that these are small companies and no trustworthy as Amazon.
Now I realize that I should have better gone for a smaller company than a bigger one like Amazon which is fully in a mess and don't keep any track of what they are doing.

My order was for a Panasonic FZ28K Camera, aCamera bag, a Memory stick, a Memory reader and a small tripod. They split this order into two different shipments (Against my preference of sending all items together when available), one with the Camera and the other with rest of the items in the order. The company site shows that shipment which doesn't include Camera is in transit with the carrier(USPS). When I checked with the USPS tracking site it shows that Amazon has just informed them about the item to be shipped, not actually shipped.

Maybe the experience is unique to me :(. be careful with this giant who is now arrogantly careless about their customers credit card data.

I am not a pro. This camera is replacing my Canon S2. I still have a lot to learn about it. I have taken it to dog agility shows and the action shots at 7 frames per second are closely competing with what the professional photographers are getting with their thousands of dollars worth of camera equipment. Sunset pictures are gorgeous. I took pictures of butterflies that are incredible in clarity and detail. The battery life is very long. It is easy to start using right out of the box without reading the directions. It is almost hard to take a bad picture. I can't find a single fault with this camera. It is fun and easy to use and the results are so rewarding.

I bought this camera site unseen (other than on the internet) I have been using a Canon G3 for quite some time, and was question not getting another Canon product. The FZ28 is quite a camera. The zoom works great (can't believe I've been shooting with a 3X this long). The stabilizer is very nice, and the auto focus is quick. There are enough menus to fit pretty much any situation, yet manual enough to enjoy experimenting. The only drawback (as noted by other reviewers) is the lack of a swivel LCD display, and hot shoe. I was impressed by the flash though. Has more than enough light for most shots. As far as weight, I thought it was a store demo and they left out the guts of the camera. Very Light !!

this isnt going to be a detailed review, however as a owner of 6 canon powershot cameras including the A640 which I felt was a very good camera, this camera is groovy....yea I am from that era...This camera is lighweight, takes incredible shots, has very fast shutter response, and the Leica lens is fantastic. I particularily like that I can screw a 46mm filter on without adapters, the being able to zoom out further by reducing the megapixels on the fly, and the image stabilization. I have shot over 900 shots in a week and only found 4 bad shots. That is an incredible improvement over my Canons... I was considering the Canon SX10 which my daughter just bought, but I will tell you with side by side comparisons my pictures were truler to color and the clarity was the same.
The only lost was the hot shoe which the Canon has. The Leica lens has better low light capability however. Oh by the way the camera is made in Japan (that is unusual in todays world)Great camera, very happy with it.

I've put off buying a point-n-shoot for the haus frau for one simple reason; I want to be able to enjoy it too! [I'm saving up for a D3] Enter the Lumix FZ28. WHOA! The Leica optics, feature set and ease of use makes this old film dog happy. I'm old school and still haven't given up B&W film yet but the b&w mode along with the instant sepia is way cool. The anti jiggle though makes feel like I've been on a bender but that's okay, it's a way of telling me to quit being lazy and go get the tripod. The viewfinder and it's diopter adjustments are a godsend for these tired old [50ish] eyes. The missus digs the video capture feature too. Low light capacity is first rate too and the optics paired with 10+ megapixels guarantees nice big and sharp blowups.

All in all, I've been singing the praises of this tool to anyone looking for a high quality and highly capable consumer grade digital camera. The only thing I wish I'd bought along with camera is the ND filters but I've already remedied that now. Highly recommended. Selah.

I am one of those people who have a little point and shoot camera, who often got upset with the low quality of the photos. I decided to invest in a new camera that would provide better quality for a good price. Well, this camera is it.

It has a lot of features that my camera savvy girlfriend loves. The stablization is a nice feature.

Overall, if you are a simple camera user looking for something more high tec without blowing 600 bucks, pick this camera up.

Only drawback: Camera came with a spot on the lense. I have yet to clean it...

Some great benefits of the camera are:
1. Lense range is 27mm unzoomed and up to 486mm zoomed (27mm X 18). To see how this looks with the human eye go to Tamrons website[..]
2. Raw format when not using Auto (uses jpg in auto)
3. Filters attach (it is rare for a camera at this price to have the ability for filters). Use a 46mm UV filter (to protect the lense) and a 46mm polarizer to darken blue skies etc.
4. Image stabalization.
5. 10 mp

I bought this for my wife to use because she does not like using my Canon XTI DSLR, and I wanted something smaller for her. I still have the ability to use many features that I am used to if she asks me to take a picture with the Panasonic. I am not under the illusion that the