I just had to buy this camera, I tried it and the stabilizer for long zoom works great, I use hand held only and everytime I take pix even with a long zoom, the picture looks sharp, and color is great. The best is the price for a 5 megapixel with 12x zoom - only got it for $398.00 in Singapore.

It's kinda big (of course) but it's the smallest of the long zoom cameras, flash range is good also, heard it has the best flash range of it's kind.

So far 50% of my picutes with this have been blurry.
75% of my indoor pics are blurry. I got this to replace my Cannon s110 elph (took great outdoor pics but terrible indoor)
and for the digital zoom but wish i had spent 200$ less and gotten the cannon with the 10X optical zoom instead.

I think panasonic has a team of employess paid to write good reviews for its products. Just try to find bad reviews for any panasonic projects - u cant!.
I even tried to put a bad review in circuit city's website and each time i tried to submit the website would have a problem -no matter how many times i tried. Does panasonic pay them off not to allow anything under a middle of the road review through?

Okay, maybe I'm not qualified to give it a 5 star rating since this is the first digital camera I've owned, but I've been very happy with this camera and it's performance. I've been a traditional SLR user for about 10 years, and while this camera doesn't have the full range of control of an SLR, it seems to be the best for the price if you want some manual controls and a great zoom compared to it's competitors in the same price range. I'm stopping here, the other reviews already give a lot of detail about the camera.

This review should really be 4.7 stars. The only 'flaws' I have found are the absence of manual focusing (if you need that, get the Panasonic FZ20) and spot focus being potentially aimed outside of the little focus box (test where yours is).

I knew about the lack of manual focus going in, and weighed against the larger (3/4 inch wider, 1/2 inch taller, and 1 inch deeper), more expensive 20 oz. FZ20, the smaller 11 oz. FZ5 wins easily. I already own the FZ10 which is very similar to its replacement the FZ20, and its sheer size and weight prevented carrying it regularly. Its bulk is the reason I replaced it.

I'm not certain yet if my spot focus is aimed correctly, but others have had problems, and a few of my pictures have been out of focus. Many of those seem due to hand shake with a slow shutter speed. When zoomed even image stabilization/antishake technology won't compensate for slow shutter speeds - use the flash or a higher ISO.

You have the flexibility to do that because other than manual focus, you have endless options. At least 4 ISOs, shutter priority mode, aperture priority mode, manual mode, and a variety of pre-programmed shot settings if you don't want to mess with the details. Fireworks, party, night landscape, night protrait, sports, macro and on, it's all there. The exposure system is the most accurate I've seen in not over-exposing and losing white tones and highlights. The white balance is actually accurate enough that you may need to adjust it, although 'auto' does pretty well. Focusing can be whole screen, spot, high-speed spot, etc. It also has two image stabilization modes, one that gives you the greatest accuracy stabilizing, another that makes focusing easier.

An often ignored consideration in picking a camera is whether it has a focus assist light. Inside, especially at night under incandescent light, many cameras may have trouble getting enough light to focus correctly. You won't notice this in a well-lit store or outside, but when you need a picture of a birthday party or other event, half your shots will be out of focus. This has the light. I believe only Canons also have this feature consistently.

If you've made it to this camera, you are probably already aware of the benefits of an extended zoom. It's wonderful to be in total control and able to get as close as you want to your subject. Since I'm unable to hand-hold even at 6x zoom, image stabilization is vital in an ultrazoom model.

There are cameras available with more megapixels. While more pixels may give you the ability to capture more detail, that must be weighed against the file sizes created by more megapixels. You'd need extra or larger memory cards to hold those files, or compress them and lose resolution in order to fit in a smaller size. If you're only printing 4x6s or even 5x7s, it's too small to see that detail. Most web images are less than 1 MP, and a standard 1024x768 screen is also less than 1MP. If you are sending images by email, larger images and files only making it harder to send those to people with dial-up. Don't buy a camera on megapixels alone - it may be more trouble than it's worth.

Other than the FZ20, only the Konica Minolta Dimage Z5 is comparable to this model. The Dimage is heavier and larger, making the Panasonic the best option for me so that I carry it as often as possible and get the most from my investment. Other than hard-core photography afficionados who need the manual focus (or a hot shoe which this also lacks), I doubt anyone would be disappointed.

I just bought one and am very disappointed to find that a user can not change the degree of zooming when in movie mode; in other words, once you select a focus that includes a certain amount of telephoto zoom, you are stuck at that zoom level till you stop the movie and start a new movie. BUMMER!

Secondly, even though everyone raves about the image stabilizer, I have to say that my old Sony Mavica MVC-FD91 had/has a far superior stabilizer.

The new Canon S2 may be the way to go.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0504/05042201canons2is.asp

I have been very pleased so far with the DMC-FZ5. I have been taking very sharp pictures indoors and outdoors with the Lumix. The LCD is very readable (might not be as easy in full sunlight), and I was able to figure out most menu items without the instructions.

Image stabilization works wonders on this long zoom camera. I took a 12X zoom picture outside in a 25 mph wind, and the result was outstanding. The wind was shaking me all over, but the pic came out as crisp as can be, thanks to the image stabilization.

To Ann I say that the DMC-F5Z may be kind of big by your standards, but I would have to say this Lumix is a very compact camera, even compared to my Canon G2, which is no monster by any stretch.

To Jimmy, I am certainly not a Panasonic employee, but I can't give this camera a poor review. If 75% of your shots are blurry with the Lumix, then either your camera is defective, or the operator is defective! Is it possible to take a blurry picture with this camera? Yes, but it's pretty hard, especially with Image Stabilization turned on.

For mid-priced long zoom cameras, the Lumix DMC-FZ5 has to be at or near the top of its class, at least for right now. For those who can wait, you might want to compare this camera to the Canon 2S IS, which is coming in June.

I was going to replace my old digital camera with 3-x optical zoom and narrowed my search to these specific features: 12x optical zoom, image stabilizer (otherwise 12x zoom is practically useless), 4-5 mpx, reasonably light and compact, fast.

Panasonic Lumix FZ5 met all the criteria and after some considerations I bought it. So far the camera has not disappointed me: great performance, sharp pictures. I am just enjoying how the long zoom works and fully satisfied with image stabilizer. The camera is very fast, responsive and user friendly. The set of several shooting modes helps to take excellent pictures both indoor and outdoor. There are several options for beginners and advanced users.

Overall, I am very happy with Panasonic Lumix FZ5. Still, if you are looking for a camera with a powerful optical zoom AND image stabilizer you can also consider Canon PowerShot S2 IS, or Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H1 which will be released soon. You may want to visit your retailer and try the camera - this is the best way to find out if the camera is yours.

This camera has far exceeded my expectations. I am one of those geeks that research everything on the market before making a purchase. There are plenty of cameras that looked like they would meet my needs, but as I researched and tested, too many had glaring flaws or fell short on critical features.

I'm not going to waste your time and mine repeating all the details of every feature from the earlier reviewers. They did a great job of listing its strengths and weaknesses. Instead, I will waste our time sharing my personal impressions on the use and results of this fine camera.

The image stabilizer is like magic. I have been able to take indoor, hand held shots that would have been impossible with an un-stabilized camera. I cannot overstate the value of this feature. In well lit pictures the stabilization makes for a crispness I haven't seen in a point and shoot type camera (perhaps the massive Leica lens may have had something to do with this too). The flash has impressed me as well. It seems to meter very well compared to my Cannon A70. No more flash blown out shots on close up groups. Rarely did it get it wrong.

I spent yesterday at the Point Defiance Zoo in Seattle, running the FZ5 through its paces. The resulting pictures blew me away. I couldn't wipe the smile off my face looking at the pics on my computer afterwards. I'm no pro, but some of the pics were. It was a bit humorous to hear comments all day long by other Point and Shoot photographers "I wish I had more zoom", all the while I am taking crisp 12x close-ups of all the fuzzy critters in cages.

Also, I like a camera that looks and handles like a camera, not some kind of Star Trek shuttle craft with a lens on the front. The Minoltas look goofy and handle goofy. Scotty, beam me up.

Is it perfect? Nope, but so close I'm still smirking with smug satisfaction. After the zoo trip, I would like a manual focus option. There were times that glass or chain link fence made focusing a chore. Would I trade for a bigger, heavier camera that had manual focusing? Not for my uses. You can keep your bloated and clunky DSLRs. This camera carries like a Point and Shoot, but functions like a much bigger beast. Toting it around was barely noticeable (that is a key feature for me). This is a camera that you can carry easily and it excels at 95% of any use I may deem for it. The size is perfect. A gargantuan 12x stabilized lens on a camera this small is unreal (somebody pinch me).

Of course, please upgrade the included SD card. I get annoyed when reviews gripe about the small included memory cards in today's cameras. I don't want the camera company deciding for me which high capacity card to use (and jacking up the price of the camera). I say put in a tiny inexpensive card to allow camera testing, then let the end user pick their favorite card. This camera is already speed demon compared to my Canon A70. Imagine my surprise after plugging in a SanDisk Ultra II card and watching the write speeds cut in half. It was dramatic. Get a fast 10mb SD card and snap pictures at will.

As far as the review by "jjmmdd" I have to say "Either you don't know how to hold a camera still, or the camera is defective" If it is the former, spend more time on your technique. If it is the latter, then for heaven sakes, get the camera fixed or replaced. Across the board Panasonic puts out some of the most consistently reliable consumer products available. "jjmmdd", you were so very right. Every positive review written for Panasonic products is written by a Panasonic employee. Dude, put on your aluminum foil hat, check yourself for alien implants, and "buy a vowel".

Regarding the review by "D. Rosenfeld", as far as I am concerned, any "movie mode" in a "still camera" is a defect, not a feature. If you need a video camera, buy a video camera. Anyone buying a still camera for its video features is looped. It is consumers like you that make me fear the camera companies will start putting cell phones in digital cameras. D'oh! Oh another thing "D".... The stabilizer "ROCKS!!!"

It has been a while since I purchased a toy that lived up to my expectations after I lived with it for a while. The Panasonic FZ5 did just that. I'm now dreaming of this same camera with manual focus and a magnesium chassis......mmmmmm, magnesium. Wake up man!!! In the category of "Stellar, Point, and Shoot, Mega-Zoom, Cameras" This baby is getting all 5 stars from me.

(Subliminal message to follow)

Panasonic, please release the DMC-FX8 in the US market..... Panasonic, please release the DMC-FX8 in the US market..... Panasonic, please release the DMC-FX8 in the US market.....

I agree with Jimmy.
This is my second DMC-FZ5 since I returned the first one after Panasonic told me the stablizer wasn't working.
Well I guess it doesn't work on this one either. I had a 4 mp Kodak for 3 years and was very happy with it until I dropped it and it was beyond repair.
I have done every thing in my power to like this camera.
When I went back to Circuit City to get the new one, I took it right out of the box to take pictures in the store. Again they were blurry so a sales person came over to play with it and had other employees stand to have there picture taken. If they stayed still the photo's where fine but, if they moved they were blurry. When I say moved I don't mean jumping jacks. All the salesman could say was "it's a good camera".
I have noticed that if you pop up the flash all the photos are good, but this is not how it's supposed to work. When I finally get a good shot I can say it's a great shot and I'm very impressed but, I need a camera that I can depend on to take good shots all the time. PCMag also didn't give it a good review. I wish that I had checked there first.
I guess now I have to pay a restocking fee and have a 1gb memory card of no use to me now hanging around in a draw.
I would not reccomend this camera to anyone.
Kathleen

Another reviewer wrote:

"Again they were blurry so a sales person came over to play with it and had other employees stand to have there picture taken. If they stayed still the photo's where fine but, if they moved they were blurry. When I say moved I don't mean jumping jacks."

I'm not an expert on image stabilization but it's my understanding it conteracts for your hand trembling while holding the camera and not for the subjects moving.

Two of the reviewers complained about blurry photos with this camera. For those interested in buying this camera, rest assured that the "issues" are most likely due to user error. How and when to use the IS mode must be understood, and if you are looking for a point-and-shoot snapshot camera, don't spend this much money, and buy a camera with all the preset modes.

Oh and I don't work for Panasonic, all of the digital cameras (except for this one of course) I've used are Canons -- Elph, Digital Rebel, and EOS 20D.

I bought this camera to use to shoot candids and portraits indoors in available light. I knew I would get more natural shots because I could hold the camera far away from the subjects while getting a sharp image from the stabilization. What I learned when I used the camera is that the 12X zoom and the stabilization system work very well in bright light. Those pictures turn out beautifully. However, indoors or in darker situations the stabilization and auto focus was useless throughout much of the zoom range. A major disappointment.

PRO
Outdoors produced excellent pictures throughout the zoom range. Some sample exposure times and F Numbers at the 12X zoom were: .01 3.6, .001 5.6, .003 4.5. I don’t know if the sharp images were due to the stabilization system or the short exposure times.


CON
Blurred images in lower light conditions. The stabilization and auto focus just couldn’t freeze the images, even at less than 12X zoom. Sample exposure times, F Numbers, and Focal Length were: 0.16 3.30 296, 0.05 3.30 223, 0.125 3.30 282. It seems to me that a decent stabilization system should be able to freeze an image at 0.05 second. In my test pictures, this camera did not.


A minor complaint is that the camera comes without a rubber eyecup. I found that the viewfinder scratched my eyeglasses. Panasonic should provide a rubber eyecup as standard equipment, or at the very least, as an available accessory.

In summary, this camera is fine for outdoors. However, I want a camera with a good zoom and excellent stabilization indoors. I want more than half a camera. I returned it for a refund. I’ll wait for a model whose stabilization and zoom work in both daylight and low light and continue to use my 5 MP Sony. I hope I don’t have to wait too long.

I bought this camera for my wife a few weeks ago from Ritz. It's really got a lot of neat features, and you can't beat the 12x optical zoom. Image stabilization is really wonderful. However, I noticed a fair amount of barrel effect coming from the lens at wide angles (i.e., zero zoom). This is annoying, but after researching more I discovered it's fairly common in SLR digital cameras. Oh well. I use software to correct any really obvious barrelling, but it's still annoying and, therefore, not worth 5-stars. Fyi, when you buy a camera from Ritz they allow you to take free photo classes. It's really worth it!

Well, after over a month of research (and a brief but annoyingly unfortunate episode with a defective Casio EX-Z750), I decided to buy the FZ5. I have been very, very pleased thus far. I've spent my first week with the camera doing a lot of shooting, particularly indoors, to see if the camera could get the job done, especially since some reviewers here are alleging poor low-light performance.

Here are some impressions, followed by some tips for new owners.

The Good (not an exhaustive list)

1) The Leica lens-No noticeable barrel distortion, crisp results, F3.3 at full telephoto, love the 12x zoom.
2) Image Stabilization-This is a terrific feature. As has already been discussed here, image stabilization does NOT address moving subjects, but it does a wonderful job compensating for camera shake. A shot I took at full telephoto at 1/30 second shutter speed came out bright, clear, and sharp.
3) Included adapter for attaching filters. This is a HUGE plus, in my opinion. To avoid scratching that lens, I HIGHLY recommend spending $20 and purchasing a 55 mm UV filter and leaving it permanently attached. You won't have to worry about damaging your lens, and you can also avoid a lot of fussing with the lens cap since nothing irreplaceable will be damaged if you leave it off.
4) Nice LCD. Not enormous (at 1.8") but large enough, very clear, and very bright. Good refresh rate.
5) Impressive shot-to-shot speed.
6) Very quick flash recycling.
7) Very quick and generally accurate focus (particularly quick in one of the two high-speed modes, accessible through the menus). Sure, occasionally the focus misses in low light and at extreme telephoto, but this is a problem common to all of these ultrazoom cameras. And the FZ5 is faster at focusing than its competitors.
8) Very true (to my eyes) color reproduction. (My camera is set to "Standard" colors, not natural (a little dull for me) or vivid (too extreme)).
9) Good indoor performance! I'm not quite sure what all the complaints are about. Nice colors, good exposure, everything seems fine.
10) Build quality/size and weight. The plastic that the body is made of has a tough, high-impact feel. It looks nice, and the doors to the battery compartment and the USB port feel sturdy and durable. But what I really love is how light this camera is. It's far lighter than comparable ultrazooms-a real pleasure both to use and to carry.
11) Good battery life.

Problems

1) Image noise, while common to higher-resolution compact cameras due to their smaller sensors, is a little bit worse than average. You will certainly notice it if you examine your pictures at 100%. However, even scaled to fill the screen on my 17" monitor, I just don't notice noise in most shots.
2) The interface, while generally excellent, requires the user to press the "Exposure" button in order to change aperture and shutter speed in the manual modes. Not a big problem at all (and I have spent some time in the manual modes), but a problem nonetheless.


Some tips:

The FZ5, unlike your average Point-and-Shoot, has somewhat of a learning curve. It requires a modest investment of time and experimentation, but it pays off big-time with beautiful images that simply cannot be captured with simpler cameras. Here are some things that I've learned during my first week.

1) If the camera is having trouble autofocusing, point the AF target at a higher-contrast area, lock the focus, then recompose! Only a minimal effort is required to achieve focus lock and avoid out-of-focus shots. Also, try using Spot Focus (this is the very last AF mode listed in the menu system, the icon is a tiny dot inside a box). It helps the AF "drill" through branches or cage bars to achieve a focus lock on the subject behind these obstructions. Also, Mode 1 on the image stabilizer will help the camera focus at long focal lengths. (Mode 1 is continuous image stabilization. This gives the AF a more stable image to analyze. Mode 2 is a bit more effective, but it is only activated when the shutter is pressed).
2) Set the camera to ISO-80 instead of AUTO. This really keeps noise under control. Remember to use the option of the higher ISOs if necessary, though. Noise reduction software such as NeatImage (there is a free demo that does not expire; it fulfills all my needs) can help you out here.
3) Experiment with the white-balance. If you desire warmer colors (particularly for outdoor shots), set the white balance to "cloudy". This can work wonders.
4) Consider buying a 55 mm polarizer if you plan on doing a lot of scenery or building shots. This is a filter that screws on to the UV filter you've hopefully attached already. Used correctly, it can cut glare out of outdoor shots in harsh sunlight, resulting in deeper colors. (Definitely don't try to use it indoors though!)
5) Use the 2-second self-timer to avoid camera shake when using a tripod for long-exposure night shots. And even for these shots, since you already have the tripod, just leave the camera on ISO-80 to keep noise down.
6) Be sure to purchase a high-speed SD card. The camera takes advantage of that speed.
7) This is a bit esoteric, but when you're in the menu system, confronted with three pages worth of options, remember that the zoom lever will let you jump from one page to the next without hitting the four-way pad five or six times.


In conclusion, then, I've been really happy with this Panasonic. A few of my humble efforts are viewable at http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/joeybear25186955/album?.dir=2c79&.src=ph Sorry they are not higher-res, I'm just beginning to experiment with hosting services. These are just a small sample of the results of my fooling around this week. Others are able to do much more with the FZ5. I would give the camera 4.75 stars if I could, but I am comfortable awarding five stars, since this camera pretty much dominates the ultrazoom category, the way I see it. I am far more concerned with image quality, light weight, and accurate color reproduction than I am with having an advanced movie mode and other, more gadgety features. Hence, I much prefer the FZ5 over the Canon S2.



Anyway, I've been very, very pleased with the FZ5 and would highly recommend it to anyone willing to spend a little bit of time learning the ins and outs of the camera in order to use its advanced capabilities to capture some truly excellent images.

I am not a great photographer, but I have an eye for great photos. They are hard to take. I have taken over 400 photos with this camera.
Outdoor photos: I took one set of 60 with my 14 year old daughter outside in 3 settings, and came up with a dozen great shots. Reflected light is a bit of a problem. But get your settings right, the camera will deliver. Photos were for head shot type enlargements of 8x10. I will definitely be able to do this. I also messed up a lot of pictures with reflected light from my pool cover. I did not realize it was there in a 4th set a week later. With better light though, I got some incredible shot of kids in the pool, with dead still water motion caught in the images.
Almost all this was in Program Mode, and the smallest autofocus area. Faces were gorgeous.


Indoor photos: As others have mentioned, it can be a problem. We have an old 4 bulb standing candlebra, that had 60 watt bulbs. I got my distances right with some juggling of the chair and tripod distance, and came up with many outstanding photos.
I then replaced the 60 watt bulbs with the same type 75 watt bulbs, and got a variable output switch for more control. What a mistake ! I could not get the yellow right at any, what I thought, light intensity. That was Program Mode, that I thougth I knew how to use.

Then I took pictures of my fair skinned blonde wife in a different room, low light, automatic portrait mode with flash. HUH ???! Great photo !! Went back to the other room, dimmed the lights and forced the flash the same. Great photo, great color !!

I have not tried all the settings. I inadvertently proved indoor light sources vary a lot, and can easily ruin photos that you might blame on the camera. A fellow at work works a 2nd gig nights and weekends doing photography. He still relys on film, since it very true on color, and not so light sensitive. I think I agree with him that a comparably priced film camera is more capable with a skilled photographer. But with the costs of film and develoment to find out how you did add up, and not till days later. With instant review, you keep shooting, make an adjustment, and shoot some more. You get great photos.
With patience, time to learn the camera, and a steady hand, this camera can and will deliver great pictures. Being digital, you save on film and development. Even more just printing those you want, and put the rest on CD or on your computer.

For those folks who don't like the flash of the FZ5, they need true white bulbs for their house, or have semi-gloss paint that is tinging color in the room, or something other problem the camera is revealing. Years ago I painted my living room in a light beige (California Sand) color semi-gloss. Every picture came out looking sepia-toned from reflected light off the walls and ceiling. That was a different camera, and film.

Back to the FZ5. My nephew took about 60 pictures as if it was in instant camera. Most came out terrible. He did not hold it steady, did not check light sources, did not catch good looks on people. But most cameras can't fix the issues a user of the camera who does not know what he is doing.

If you can hold a camera steady, wait for a beautiful shot in the viewfinder, or LCD, the camera will capture it. You will also be able to have outstanding enlargements. Oh. I also knocked over the tripod, and the camera hit the concrete pool deck putting slight scrapes near the viewfinder. !@#$%^. Nope, camera still works fine.

I bought the FZ5 for:
12X OPTICAL Zoom for good home distance shots and great portraits NOT standing in someone's face.
Image Stabilization for help with blurred images.
5 MP for film quality enlargements. Combining this with the zoom works really well.
Very good shutter speed for the price range and feature set.
Very good color accuracy for the price range and feature set.
Trying to stay near $500.
Added plus, a nice little lens hood.


I selected based on cameras of similar features I reviewed on both Amazon.com (somewhat helpful) and www.imaging-resource.com (very helpful). The latter includes nearly identical pictures of the same items with each camera and extensive, and identical reviewing standards. Sample lighting seems to vary just a little bit from camera to camera, but the reviewer I'm sure at least used consistent lighting.

I will get a 2nd battery, an A/C Adapter, and a basic set of lens filters. But no external flash. If you want that, the FZ20 should be you pick. Buy with the idea of using it heavily in the trial period. For me, I think the FZ5 is a keeper.

I'd had the FZ20 and unfortunately it was stolen out of my luggage. I decided I couldn't really afford the same again and went replacement shopping locally. I actually even bought another camera, took it home, and hated it. I went back to Panasonic and saw the FZ5. After getting it, and playing with it, I really love it. It has most of the really great features of the FZ20 (except for flash hot shoe and manual focus), but is much lighter and handles beautifully. This is a super camera for the enthusiastic amatuer.

In the last few months three new extended zoom cameras have appeared on the market - the Canon PowerShot S2, Sony DSC-H1 and Panasonic DMC-FZ5. They are remarkably similar in many of their specifications. All are 5 mp, all are 12 X zoom, all are image stabilized, all have a maximum ISO of 400, all are larger than your average point and shoot digital and all have a list price of about $500. Despite these similarities, there are differences that lead me to decide on the Panasonic.

My first concern with a camera is image quality. Several web site have photos taken of identical subjects that allows the user to compare image quality. It was difficult to decide which camera produced the best images after downloading and printing pictures from the three cameras. The images are all so similar that the differences could have resulted from time of day, lighting conditions, temperature (increases sensor noise), etc. Comments from the pro's who reviewed these cameras indicates some differences. All the cameras have noise problems at higher ISO's, especially at 400 and perhaps at 200 for the Canon. The Sony may have slightly better noise control but chromatic aberration or purple fringing was a problem. So in terms of image quality, none of them is perfect, but all are very good. If you constantly shoot at low light levels the Sony may be the best choice as it is the only one of the three that has moderate noise levels at ISO 400.

Batteries are another major concern. Both the Canon and Sony use AA batteries which are widely available anywhere in the world, inexpensive and can be bought as rechargeable NiMH AA batteries. The Canon uses 4 AA's and gets ~500 shots per set of NIMH whereas the Sony uses 2 AA's and gets ~250 shots per set of NiMH. The Panasonic uses a proprietary Li ion battery and gets about 240 shots per charge. Although rechargeable NiMH AA's have the advantage of being inexpensive and widely available, they also have some disadvantages. Their charge decreases with time, reportedly about 1% of their charge per day. NiMH batteries also tend to have poor performance in cold weather and are subject to a "memory effect". Li ion batteries, on the other hand, have a number of advantages. They are lighter in weight, retain a significant amount of their charge when being stored, have reasonable cold weather performance, virtually no memory effect and are relatively small. From the point of view of batteries, I would down rate the Canon because it forces one to carry a set of 4 AA's as a backup as opposed to a small Li ion battery (Panasonic) or just 2 AA's (Sony). But, these are matters of personal preferences.

In terms of size and weight there are differences. The Panasonic is smaller (although none of these cameras is small) and weighs about 1/3 less than the Canon or Sony (with batteries installed). So if size and weight are important consider the Panasonic.

There are also major differences in movies. The Panasonic only has a low quality (320 x 240) mode for movies whereas both the Canon and Sony have a higher quality (640 x 480) movie mode. Having never used the movie mode in previous digital cameras I've owned, this was not a major consideration for me.

Based primarily on size and weight I bought the Panasonic DMC-FZ5 which can be found on the net for about $375. I've taken over 300 pictures with it and I am generally pleased with the performance. The focus is quick and accurate (the Canon is reported to hunt a bit) and image quality is very good, better than my 5 mp Sony DSCP-92. On one close-up of a bee in a flower the hairs on the bee's legs and pollen grains covering its face were sharp and clear. The image stabilization (anti-shake) works well, but has its limits. Those limits are clearly seen at low light levels and at maximum telephoto. If you are moderately steady, clear images can be obtained at about 1/30 of a second or even a little less, assuming the lens hasn't been zoomed too far and the subject isn't moving. As the zoom increases higher and higher shutter speeds are required to get clear images and the camera provides appropriate warning when shake could be a problem. In moderate sunlight and holding the camera in your hand it is possible to get good images zoomed to 12X (432 mm lens equivalent for a 35 mm camera). Without image stabilization this would be impossible without a tripod.

I was concerned about the digital viewfinder on this camera (as on all extended zoom cameras). Some users have reported trouble seeing clearly with these viewfinders and following moving objects. I actually like the digital viewfinder. Not only does it seem to work instantly, but when the sun is bright and it is difficult to see the LCD screen on the back of the camera, you can change menu settings looking into the viewfinder. The menus are clear, logically arranged and easy to use. There are many choices, but few surprises. I was. however, disappointed with two things. First, the 15 mb TIFF images didn't seem to be of any higher quality than the ~2.5 mb fine jpg's. Second, the camera does not automatically shift to ISO 400 to permit shooting at higher speeds at low light levels. This is not unique to Panasonic; I am not aware of any recent digital camera that will automatically shift to a high ISO, presumably to protect the user from noisy images. Personally, I would rather have noisy images than blurry images from shooting at too low a shutter speed. In general the Program setting works well both outside and indoors. The manual mode is extremely easy to use; it reminds me of an old 35 mm SLR. Put it in manual, press the exposure button and use the jog wheel to adjust f stop (up and down) and shutter speed (right and left). Press the shutter button half way and a scale appears showing the correct exposure and you can watch the indicator change as you change speed and f stop. The only thing that can't be operated manually is focus and the camera does a good job of that.

The reason to buy this camera is the lens, and it doesn't disappoint. The 12X Leica lens is great. But with this camera and I suspect with all 12X zoom cameras, the extended zoom is both a benefit and a curse. The benefit is the ability to zoom in close on subjects and the curse is shake. Because of shake problems when the lens is extended one has to be constantly aware of the shutter speed and the amount of zoom to get good images at low light levels (this is not a problem with flash). Fortunately, the Manual and Shutter Priority modes allow this to be done with minimal problems. Nevertheless, more thought is required with this camera indoors than with the average point and shoot camera.

My one major concern with this camera is ruggedness. The body is made of high quality plastic and seems fairly sturdy with well designed doors for the ports and battery. Time will tell.

So is the DMC-FZ5 an upgrade from my Sony DSC-P92? Without a doubt this is a better camera. Having said that, if you are looking for a camera that does everything for you; where all you have to do is press a button, neither the Panasonic nor any other extended zoom camera is for you. Stick with a 3X point and shoot model. Would I still buy this camera instead of the Canon or Sony? Yes, because it is smaller and lighter and has comparable image quality.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5 5 MP digital camera looks like a slightly scaled down version of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20. Both cameras have been earning some rave reviews in photography magazines, including a very positive one in the latest issue of Popular Photography. This Lumix should be regarded as a compact SLR-like version of its more expensive sibling, lacking some features, most notably a hot shoe for an external flash unit. Optically speaking, its Leica Vario-Elmarit lens is one of the best performing lenses I have seen for a fixed-lens digital SLR camera. If you're not too interested in photographing fast-moving objects and desire superb image quality, then this may be the digital camera for you.

I bought this camera a couple of months ago, and I've really enjoyed using it. It's light enough to wear around your neck for an entire day without excess neck strain. Despite it's light weight, it stood up well to some fairly rough use.

The ease of handling I really enjoy. It's fast and easy to hold. The anti-shake function (can't remember the name) works very well. Even at long range it keeps steady as a rock.

The memory card is comes with is pretty much inadequate, but larger ones are cheap.

I would recommend this camera to anyone looking to take quality pictures at a reasonable price.

the camera is too light and way too much shake...photos using the zoom are not clear enough to reproduce...especially when in the max zoom mode. good for close-ups and such.

I bought this camera after quite some research but now I wish I have bought Canon S2 IS (I could not return FZ5 at the website where I bought it). Compare these two cameras (S2 based on sample images, other reviews and playing in store):

PRO for FZ5:
* Faster and more accurate focus
* Cheaper
* Smaller

CON for FZ5:
* A little too much noise for me. I was not particularly looking for the noise because it was not an issue played up by the reviews I have read. But I just noticed them. They are noticeable in blue sky and pretty bad in darker spots or when the light is not very bright (in-door shooting). It really bothers me since S2 is doing much better and so is my older Canon S400. [...] It's all relative and subjective.
* Small: this can actually play to its disadvantage. It's easier to shake because of this. It does have image stablizer but you do not get razor sharp images. I used to crave for the smaller size but since it is not pocketable anyway, now I would not mind the slightly heavier weight that S2 packs.

PRO for S2:
* Better video mode: I did not give it enough thoughts but now I'm mouth-watering over the 640*480 30fps video that one can get from S2.
* Punchier color: It makes a difference between good and wow. It's vivid and still natual. And S2 does give you the option to tone down the color if you'd like to.
* More control: extra controls that FZ5 does not have: manual focus, flash sync, converter lens, sharpness adjustment, contrast adjustment. It may not be a real professional tool, but it's certainly a very professional toy. It just gives you more room to grow as a photographer.

CON for S2:
* Purple fringe: I think this is a lesser evil since it happens only very rarely and aesthetically it does not bother me as much.
* A little pricier. Don't forget to add a little extra for rechargeable batteries.

After a lot of research on digital mega-zoom cameras (particularly 5MP), and having gone through expert & user reviews, I finally zeroed down on 2 cameras - the Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ5, and the Canon Powershot S2 IS. And then I decided on the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5K. The lower cost of the FZ5 and smaller size in comparison to the S2 IS with equally good features if not less, were the primary drivers in tilting my decision towards the FZ5.

I must say, after using this camera for just a few hours now, I feel that the decision has been a good one. The photographs are stunning, and this is just the beginning of my long detailed experiment with the FZ5.

Things I like about the FZ5:

* Great Looks & small size for a 12X zoom
* Good quality photos
* Feature rich camera

Features present in S2 and not present in FZ5:
* Larger Video size
* Flip-panel LCD
* Vivid colors/settings

In conclusion, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5 is a good buy, and should be able to satisfy every photo enthusiasts' needs!

I wanted a super-zoom digital with an array of features, but still wanted to be able to carry it around easily. This camera offers all of that - great features, fantastic zoom, superb lens, and all in a compact, super-light body. I tend to carry a camera all the time, so the weight and size really make a difference. Combine the camera with a ClipSystems belt clip and you are ready for anything.

I've had this camera for about 3 mos. now. Several of the good things you've probably already heard about it are absolutely true; it is light for an ultra-zoom, the image stabilization makes hand-held low-light or long zoom shots possible, the optics are excellent, it's got a full range of options, and the price/performance ratio is excellent.

Several of the bad things you may have heard are also true; it's got more noise in low-light conditions than some other cameras, the 'easy' mode is oversimplified and not too useful, and there's some barrel distortion at the wide end of the range.

My initial experience with this camera (my third digital) was poor. Out of the box, with the battery barely charged, it was erratic. Close-ups and mid-range pictures were sharp and colors were accurate, I was using the 'easy' mode and it seemed OK. I could get into portrait range easily (about 2x 'normal' magnification; a very useful range to get good pictures of people's faces, carved objects, and other things with irregular surfaces) and results were crisp, etc. At about 8x or more, though, the stabilizer didn't seem to be working reliably; and the autofocus was easily fooled by anything -- even grass -- with strongly parallel lines.

After a few failure pictures (and filling up the teeny-tiny memory card with pictures) I sat down to review my work. I wasn't happy with the camera. I reviewed the manual, and switched several of my defaults; choosing a smaller focus area and 'type B' stabilization. The results were hugely different; now my pictures were stabilized and generally not mis-focused. (With a small focus area, you need to aim to the center of what you want to focus on and 'lock' the focus, then re-frame the image, then complete pressing the shutter.) At this point, with relatively little customization, I had a camera that worked the way I work. I wiped the memory and took some more pictures, and was satisfied.

The next day I got a larger memory card. Now I could take a picture in TIFF format (this is a non-lossy format -- you can edit a picture repeatedly and it never loses its crispness or color accuracy unless you tamper with those two settings, but the image files are quite large). I compared a TIFF of an outdoor scene with a JPEG of the same scene. The JPEG mode is actually quite good, but in the darkest areas, it had a tiny bit more noise.

Later that evening I took some outdoor shots. The noise problem was striking; I went to my defaults again and switched myself to 80 ISO. At this level, even under the most extreme of conditions, the noise level fell below the level of awareness (that is, you had to really look for it to find it).

I borrowed a Canon S1IS and took some comparison shots. The S1IS costs less than the Panasonic (the S2IS costs considerably more) and has only a 3 Meg imager. Side-by-side, the Canon had less noise at ISO 200, and produced smoother images in general, but was overall less crisp, even when I zoomed the Panasonic in closer so that the pixel-representation was essentially identical. The Canon seemed to have a more tolerant stabilizer; I didn't have to tweak it at all, but under high magnification it looked like it didn't stabilize quite as well. The Panasonic seemed to have brighter colors, the Canon seemed to have a slightly warmer cast. With an image magnified in printing, though, the real difference was sharpness, and at all ranges the Panasonic was sharper.

My impression is that the on-board software makes the difference here. Canon strives for smootheness, and gets it. Panasonic went for sharpness, and got there.

Summary -- out of the box, the camera's sort of a solution to no problem -- the 'easy' mode is too easy, it's best for moderate zoom indoors, at which point you might as well get a 2 or 3 meg 3x zoom camera and take your snapshots; it'll be cheaper. If you want to go the extra distance and properly customize the camera for your own use, you'll find it leaps ahead in capacity. It borders on excellence. It's not there.

I wanted a camera to take on a wildlife safari. I'm a novice photographer so I was looking for a lightweight camera that was simple, very easy to use and had excellent zoom. I wasn't ready to spring for an ALR camera and this Panasonic seemed like a great compromise; I bought it because of other reviews.

The camera FAR exceeded my expectations. It is very easy to use and the photo quality is outstanding. I was able to get incredible close up shots (the camera has 12x optical zoom and also has digital zoom so you can take shots which are 48x zoom). The image stabilization works wonderfully.

As a beginner I was very pleased with how intuitive and easy to operate the camera is, and the variety of features it offers. With very minimal time investment (5-10 minutes of familiarizing yourself with the camera) you can take great photos. I quickly found simple mode to be too simple and preferred photo mode, which has auto-focus but allows for a lot more zoom and other options.

The playback features are also excellent. You can view up to 9 images at a time, there's a multi-delete and an all-delete feature, and you can zoom in on the pictures to focus on a certain area and/or make sure you got the shot you wanted.

The battery life is also excellent. I was taking around 800 photos a day, as well as reviewing and deleting shots, and each battery charge lasted more than one full day. At night I copied the contents of the SD cards onto a Wolverine and then deleted all photos. With two batteries and two SD cards I was able to go 4-5 days without electricity or recharging.

If you don't want to spend a fortune but you want a camera that offers great zoom and is still light and small, this camera is a great choice.

I have owned this camera for one month now, and may return it.

Negatives:
. Too flimsy
. Too much image noise, even in bright light
. Difficulty seeing and focussing image in zoom mode
. Cannot use LED in the daylight.
. Color sometimes off-base eg. a blue-turquoise sea was renderred
too green. A blue-grey sea was rederrred grey-green
. Mode control is flimsy, and moves on its own sometimes
. Simple mode too simple. There is no auto flash.
. Red eye reduction use is clumsy. One button would be nice.
. Case too expensive
. Some photos come out with an obvious "digital" look.
. Good value for money
. A good "vacation" camera. Don't expect professional results.

Positives:
. Relatively easy to operate
. 1 GB Memory card gives 400-1000 photos (depending on quality)
. Good battery life
. Nice lens
. Superzoom photos are always in focus (if you take care) and
there is little distortion

I will be trading this in for a SLR with a larger sensor, hoping for better color rendition, sturdier and more flash alternatives.

I've had a Panasonic FZ5 camera since May and have taken it all over the world (Galapagos Islands, Ecuador, China, Thailand, Australia, New Zealand). It takes great pics under virtually all conditions. I've probably taken 8,000 pics with it and am VERY pleased. This is my third digital camera and first ultrazoom model.

The 12x optical zoom lens with OIS is fantastic for getting a broad range of shots under nearly all conditions. The biggest gripes I hear from most of my traveling companions are how they can't get close enough to the subject with their 3x point and shoot cameras or that their pictures with movement in them come out blurry. They see what I shoot with the FZ5, and how small it is, and they're amazed. Even my friends with $1000+ digital SLRs are amazed at the FZ5 as they lug around their bigger, heavier camera and its extra lenses.

Yes, in low light it has sometimes has problems focusing. But I've also taken some low light pictures without tripod (indoors in natural light and outdoors at dusk) that came out quite good. In sunlight and cloudy conditions outdoors, its pictures are incredibly good quality for most amateur photographers. And if the pictures aren't perfect, I use Picasa and/or Photoshop Elements to make them better.

Yes, you need to make occasional adjustments for white balance, saturation, contrast, and exposure to get a perfect shot. That's what photography is all about. I found that if you read the manual and practice a bit with the camera's many features, it can handle almost any scene.

The compact size and light weight make it ideal for travel photography. I carry the camera, an extra battery, a polarizing filter, and a skylight filter all in a small belt pack.

I use the LCD Monitor in a lot of situations to review recorded pictures, but have come to find the LCD Viewfinder to be my preferred method of framing a shot. In tricky situations, the histogram and auto-bracket features are extremely useful for capturing the best shot. Finally, the layout and indicators on the screen display are intuitive and easy to read.

My only knock on this camera is its lens hood adapter - the threads are so shallow that it's tricky to screw on a filter. A few photo websites and forums give hints on making modifications, but I wish someone would make a replacement adapter that was better than what comes with the FZ5.

When I was shopping, the only other camera I found that I liked that was comparable to the FZ5 was the Canon S2IS (wasn't yet shipping when I bought the FZ5 for a trip). I think it's a tossup between the two, but I expect the FZ5 can be found at a lower price. If you want a small, lightweight, ultrazoom camera with a superb lens, I recommend the FZ5.

I purchased this camera and took some amazing still photos with it. Images were crisp and clean with very vivid colours, and the interface was easy to use. This camera has a powerful flash and the 12x optical zoom plus image stabilization are both very effective. As mentioned on another review, I found IS mode 2 to be the best.

I ultimately chose to return this camera because of its poor video mode. The 320x240 resolution looked terrible -- it was heavily pixelized and there was no compensation for changes in lighting. We were hoping to find a camera that combined superior photography with good video, and this simply was not it.

If you are shopping for an excellent super zoom digital still camera, I would highly recommend this camera. It is comparable to the Canon S2 IS, but is much more affordable.

Very nice camera for a digital. But it isn't a 35mm! I own a 35mm Minolta SLR about 6 years old. I also have many lenses for that camera. This will never replace the 35mm camera for taking pictures of my family.

Save your money for a few more years. The pictures will always be a little blurry. You can increase the shutter speed which will reduce the blurriness but will add white noise. So an editing software is a must. The camera is also slow to take pictures. I missed a lot of shots that I wouldn't normally miss with a 35mm. Action shots don't work well with this camera.
A tripod is almost a necessity with this camera even though it has the image stabilization. All the image stabilization means is it will tell you that you need a tripod. Without increasing the shutter speed to 1/50 or more the shaking icon will alway be on.

The camera works great for macro pictures of flowers or still life. You can't buy a macro lens for a 35mm SLR for $350 dollars. So, it is a great deal for those type shots.

The color of the pictures are wonderful!

I've had a lot people tell me they like their digital for taking pictures of kids. But their photos only look good on the computer. If you into scrapbooking and want the pictures printed out with little or no photo editing done to them, this digital isn't worth it. So keep your 35mm for Christmas, birthdays and vacations.

If you want to take landscape pictures and have a tripod and you haven't had any coffee for the day, this digital camera is for you.

I don't plan to return my camera since I also love taking pictures of my garden. But all the pictures of my daughter and family will be with the 35mm.

First of, let me make you aware of my incompetence and complete lack of prior experience with photography. I have owned one camera in my life, a simple (as in two buttons: flash and shutter) 35mm from the 80's. I think it came in a cereal box or something. Regardless, it provided me little experience with convential photography, and since then, I've had even less with digital photography. I intended to purchase this camera in order to learn about photography, and to try to take decent pictures.

I am the type of person who will spend months researching a purchase, and this camera was no different. In talking to camera salesmen at the stores and reading every camera review I could get my hands on, I decided on an ultrazoom camera of some sort. The ability to take pictures that no one around me would be able to was enticing, and besides that, I wanted something more than your average, run of the mill digital cameras that you see lined up at K- mart.

When I began researching the current ultrazoom cameras with image stabilization (something I learned about while playing with a Sony without it) in the price range I had in mind, it became apparent that there were really three top contenders: the Sony DSC-H1, the Canon S2 and the Panasonic FZ5. These cameras all had enough features to keep me occupied, and let me explore how to manipulate a photo enough to learn more. There was a Konica, but I knew someone who had it, and wasn't pleased with the aesthetics.

From all the reviews I could get my hands on, the FZ5 had the best image quality, was the most comfortable (Read: lightweight!), and seemed to be the most user friendly to camera idiots like myself. The Canon S2 had a swivel LCD screen which that drew me to it simply for the "fun" aspect, but in the end I chose the Panasonic after handling all three in the electronic store.

I've had the camera for about 2 months now, and all I can do is brag about it! I am constantly amazed with this thing. Every time I use with it I feel more confidant in my ability in using it to take quality photos worth framing. Mind you, this is from someone who, 2 months ago had no clue what shutter speed was, what ISO did, or why I would need an SD card.

I have taken about 700 pictures with this camera, testing and tweaking, and would recommend the following advice to potential buyers of similar experience: 1) If you live in a place where they have real winters, I would wait to buy until closer to spring. Your pictures will turn out great indoors and you will be amazed at the functionality of this camera; but waiting for a sunny day to go outside and take pictures is disappointing. I was on vacation several weeks back and finally got to take pictures outside, and I was amazed at how crisp and clear the pictures turn out in bright light. No "noise", no fuzzyness, exactly what I had wanted to see. 2) If you do want to experiment with low light pictures, purchase a tripod, and play with the shutter speed, f-stop, etc... I have learned a great deal just by playing with all the buttons and whistles. 3) Play with the zoom. If you have a 3x camera and are looking to upgrade to an ultrazoom specifically for the zoom, go to the store and make the salesperson show you how to work the zoom and image stabilization. 4) If you are new to photography like myself, read, read, read! Check out all the articles on the internet. Anything you ever wanted to know about taking good pictures is online somewhere, you just have to find it! (Note: having a quality camera makes a difference)

Finally, if you can get your hands on one of these and use it, then go for it. Grab the one at the store and take pictures of the entire place, borrow a friend's if you know someone who has one. This camera is a joy to use, and I have no complaints to date. I have become familiar with nearly all the functions, bells and whistles and look forward to visiting places where I can take pictures. I constantly get compliments on how "cool" my camera is, how amazing it is to zoom in a quarter mile away, all the features it has, etc. Anyone I have sent images to comments on the quality of the pictures. In all, I would highly recommend this to anyone in the market for a serious amateur camera, a decent backup to that $1200 SLR, or perhaps something that just lets you get closer to what you're shooting.

Nice image quality, great zoom, lots of features. But some nits to pick:

- The "simple" mode produces pretty poor pictures, with no flash and no image stabilization (that I can see)

- User manual is barely comprehensible -- poor content, poorly edited English

- Support (updated drivers, software, etc.) on the Panasonic web site is nonexistent.

Great camera, zoom and OIS. Manual not great at all. With good lighting indoors using the party mode able to take relatively low noise pictures without flash. Printed out a 48X(optical + digital) zoom picture and was quite clear. Can't find option to activate date stamp and was only able to date when printing. You would thnk by now all cameras would have this option because you don't always print all your pictures and its good to have a date when you save the picture instead of printing it. Other than the above no other major complaints.

I bought this camera after my little Minolta DiMage X20 died on me. I decided it was definitely time to find something with more megapixels and more than a 3x optical zoom. I was torn between another easy to carry small camera and a DSLR. For the price, the Lumix DMC-FZ5 seemed too good as a compromise.

As the Product Name says, it's a 5MP digital camera with 12x image stabilized optical zoom. Although I do enjoy image editing, I knew I wouldn't need anything beyong 5MP to print, and image stabilization makes taking highly zoomed objects less of a hassle especially if you are without a tripod. As a camera enthusiast, I love being able to adjust aperture and shutter speed, but when I'm "lazy" the simple mode simply just doesn't let you change enough. I personally wish there was even a manual zoom on this camera, but I want to think that the digital viewfinder (as opposed to an optical one) makes up for it. You can switch between the LCD to the viewfinder and find the same information. Using the viewfinder also brings the camera closer to your own body, stabalizing images and allowing you to see in bright daylight.

The camera itself is much smaller and lighter than I expected and many other cameras similar in specs. It fits into my hands well, and the controls are within perfect reach for my fingers. It's definitely not the size of a credit card, but that would be impossible with the amount of zoom on this camera. Startup time is very quick and comparable to my DiMage (which boasted the "fastest startup" time), as is the time to take pictures. And with the Leica lens, you know you're going to get a superior image quality. The rechargable battery will let you take hundreds of pictures before a recharge. But of course, as with all cameras, taking images in low light or indoors will create noise and blurring without flash.

As others have put it, if you are looking for a point and shoot or a completely manual SLR, this is not the camera for you. If you are looking for a small lightweight camera with amazing zoom, ability to change settings, and wonderful lens (resulting in pretty darn good image quality) all at an good price, I'd go for the Panasonic.

I have had this camera for about 8 months now and it has been great. I was comparing this cameras vs DSLR and decided to get this since I did not want to buy more lenses. Maybe at a future date.

The best feature I can mention is the Image stabilization. It works so well that it can actually make the 12x optical zoom useful for normal people.

The lens is great, and I love that you can adjust the viewfinder with the diopter correction knob. This adjustment allows people to focus the viewfinder so they do not to use eyeglasses. (That is if they use eyeglasses normally.)

I have not had a single issue with the camera yet with all the photos I have taken. Overall I find this camera to be reliable.

Knowing Panasonic product as one of the top of the line and having Panasonic's made TV, camcorder, stereo system, DVD changer with movie theater, and even microwave, I was expecting that FZ5 will replace a gap in my portable digital camera lineup that was left after recently departured Canon S2 IS.

I was expecting to see solid, strong performer. However, first thing that I noticed with FZ5 that lens is not stable in the barrel and shakes even whenever it is fully extended. Second, this camera had a hard time focusing in low light conditions and even if I was able to make it focus, picture were blurred at high zoom (antishake option was tried in both modes). And third, this camera looked way to light, it almost had no feeling in hands and felt more like a kids toys camera then a real thing.

On the positive note, this camera made very good pictures during day light outside. The battery life even though did not impress me was still good and presence of battery level indicator instead of low battery light was also a big plus.

I would say that for some begginer who looks for a cheap 5MP camera with high zoom and IS, this would be a nice item to have. For rest of the advance mature photograhers this camera wouldn't not be a real deal.

This camera broke after having it less than 30 days. Panasonic was entirely unhelpful so I returned it. Prior to it breaking I found it to be a decent camera for the price.

My First impression of the FZ5 was that it was smaller and certainly much lighter than I expected. It is of course not a pocket camera, but it is compact enough and so light that you can in theory slip it into a large pants or coat pocket. This is why I choose the FZ5 over the FZ20, but at this point I'm not sure if I will grow to appreciate the class leading portability of the FZ5, or wish for a camera that has more to grab onto. I am getting use to it, but I find myself wanting a thicker, longer grip, so I can better wrap my fingers and have a place for my pinky to go.

The camera can certainly come off as a toy until you take a few pictures. Once you do, you quickly come to appreciate the fast focus and fast shutter release of this camera. The level of flexibility and control offered by the cameras buttons and menu system was intuitive and easy to master. I am no pro, but I knew right away that this camera would make me a better photographer. I love how quick and easy it is to set auto bracketing, adjust EV exposure and flash strength. White balance and ISO settings, are easy to access as the first two options on the menu system. I would have liked the auto focus options and metering modes on the first menu screen also, but it's not that hard to toggle through the screens. The number of AF modes including the high speed choices are very helpful. The burst mode is cool and very fast and easy to select by a separate button. Too bad the burst modes and the auto bracketing feature don't work with the flash on. I guess they figure the flash takes too long to regenerate, but I wouldn't mind waiting until the flash is ready for the next shot. I did quickly bumped up against the FZ5's lack of a manual focus option, because of it's low light focusing limitations. There is an AF light, but it only works to maybe 8 feet away. The LCD or EVF don't show much of anything in low light. The onboard flash has very respectable performance when you let the Auto ISO setting move up to 400. Noise is noticeable on the computer screen with images taken at 400 ISO, but 4x6 prints turn out just fine. If you force the ISO to 80 or 100 the range of the onboard flash is fairly limited. Here than you bump up against the FZ5's other major weakness ... The lack of a flash shoe or even a sync connection

I have taken picture indoors, outdoors with & without flash over the past few days. I have used the cameras excellent macro capabilities and I have given the imaging stabilization on the 12x zoom a run for it's money. I moved up from a 3 mega pixel camera that is almost 4 years old, so I may be a pushover for the 5 mega pixel images of the FZ5. They are tack sharp with good contrast and natural well saturated colors. The images look nice on the computer screen and print out even nicer. The movie mode on the camera works fine. The resulting movies are relatively low resolution compared to some other super zooms on the market. Not a big issue for me as I also have a Panasonic Digital 3CCD video camera.

The Optical Image Stabilization (O.I.S.) in tandem with the 36-432mm lens is of coarse the real defining feature of the FZ5, and the half a dozen other cameras on the market that have it. As someone who knows what it's like to try to take a steady picture using a 35mm camera with a 300mm F5.6 lens .... I really appreciate the performance of this camera's 432mm F3.3 Lens. With a steady hand I have been able to take pictures that I could never have taken with my old 35. I can't wait to try this camera for wildlife photography! The O.I.S. technology greatly extends what was once possible with a conventional lens of these gigantic focal lengths, but it too eventually runs up against the limitations of the available light. I suspect that is why a few reviewers here on Amazon have complained about blurry picture. They are probably use to point & shoot cameras and assume you can handhold the same shoots at 12x that they use to at 3x. The other issue is that these super zoom cameras can't focus at full zoom on really close objects. Even in Macro mode I believe the limit is around 5 feet. That isn't to say this camera can't be used by a beginner. The program AE mode is easy to use and though I didn't use it there is also a "Simple" mode. All the auto settings seem to work very well. Exposures, white balance, ISO and flash intensity seem well chosen 95+% of the time.

I would say that I am happy with my decision to buy the FZ5. I looked at the comparable: Canon S2, Sony H1, Kodak P850, Minolta Z6 models and also the Panasonic FZ20 and FZ30. I bought the FZ5 because it is the smallest and lightest camera in this class and about $50 to $150 cheaper than any of the other super zoom (except the Minolta). I couldn't justify the price tag of the FZ30, so my second choice was the FZ20. It offers a constant F2.8 lens, flash hot shoe and manual focus. I was a little put off by the FZ20's size and weight, but as I have come to learn this may not be all bad when it comes to getting a grip. The FZ20 is also suppose to be a little slower at auto focusing. My third choice would have been the Canon S2. Based on my research the Canon's image quality is just a hair behind the Panasonics, but the full feature set offered by the S2 including the VGA movie mode made it a close call.

The plummeting prices of the Digital SLR's made me stop and take a look. While they have far superior low light capability they still cost twice what the FZ5 cost and you don't get a O.I.S. 12X zoom. The bottom line is that all the "Super Zoom" camera's on the market with an O.I.S. 12x zoom lens represent a tremendous value. They are so close in overall performance that it really comes down to your band preferences and maybe the trade off of a couple features. I would recommend the FZ5, but there aren't really any bad choices.

I have been using this camera since it's purchase 7 months ago. I use it extensively, and have taken various shots in many varying conditions. I use it during the day, which is easy, and during the evening I have found ways to take good photos without the constantly complained about "shaking". I almost LIVE in manual mode. With the exception of macro shots which are occaisional, and simple mode when a quick picture needs to be taken.

But the point is, I find manual mode to be the most desirable feature on the camera. This is not to say that anything on the camera is less desirable. I find that the settings and navigation are more than useful. They are not necessarily intuitive, as in the settings do not allow the user to intuitively know where to go. However they are still very easily navigable.

I enjoy the use of this camera. However I will note that having purchased a new 19" tft flat screen monitor, there is a noticable amount of digitization of the image, at "full size" it is somewhat pixelated or grainy in a digital way. But then again it is the "top of the line" and that's why the price is right!

I read all the reviews and fell in love with this camera before seeing it. The specs on this camera in this price range sounded great. I got it Christmas morning and decided to put it to the test. Close up shots of the ornaments on the tree using existing light. Out of twelve shots I was able to keep four. Took it outside to the bird feeder, out of ten shots, able to keep five. Tried close ups of dog, nick naks, always the same results. More then 50% of the pics needed to be deleted. I am not a novice, I own at least five other cameras, film as well as digital. This camera is a disappointment and I returned it. Thinking of trying the Canon S2 IS.

I bought this camara right before I went on a trip to South America. I got excellent pictures even being a novice user. The images are sharp and the colors are vibrant. The 12x optical zoom is a blast to use and the pictures come out as clear as if you were right there. The various modes like nighttime, indoors, and sports, etc. are helpful. I got some truly amazing nighttime shots. It is easy to over or underexpose a shot if you see the need for it, but remember to adjust it back to neutral when you are done. I believe that the image stablizer was helping me too. Anyone with a basic understanding of photography should have a great time with this camara.

So far this camera is great, everything it said it would be. I am still learning all it can do. I would recommend it to anyone! I am only holding the fifth star to see how it lasts in the long run.

Great shots, great sound, excellent battery life...but it will fit in no pockets.

great for the money.

Looking for professional features without the pro price tag? Look no further, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5 is the camera you want. I love this camera! Every time I go out and shoot I come back to my computer and am amazed at the results. It's so easy to use, lightweight, and compact. The 12X zoom is very handy, and the image stabilization really works! Spend a few extra bucks and get a 1GB memory card. It's so nice to not have to worry about how many pictures I'm taking. I spent an hour and a half at a botanical garden and shot 128 pictures, and that only used a little over 1/4 of the 1GB card. Battery life is great, hasn't been a problem for me. What else can I say. This camera is fantastic. Skip over the point and shoots and get this camera! You won't regret it.

If you don't believe me, there are plenty of professionals that have reviewed it and loved it too.

I've been using the FZ5 for a week and utterly pleased with it.Had a hard time deciding between Canon S2 and FZ5.Chosen the FZ5 due to great reviews both by pros and users and now I'm sure I've made the right decision.Everything about this machine is impressive.Body is black(a great superiority over Canon S2),12x zoom unbelievable,image stabilization is extremely useful(for low light shots especially),Leica lens of high quality is excellent.And the price-it's a real bargain.Lens hood and adapter are bonus.Manual settings will teach you a lot.If you want a cheap but high quality megazoom,don't miss it.Go buy one and enjoy blur free,clear,sharp photos without troubling your budget with DSLRs.

My wife finally settled on a camera that feels right in her hands. She likes the EVF slightly smaller grip of the DMC FZ5K. We have been trying every type of pro-sumer cameras from Sony, Kodak, and Panasonic. I have the Sony DSC F717 and that lens was just too much for her! We had the DSC F505 but without the view finder, it was hard to see in bright daylight.

My wife had a Pentax Spotmatic as a base size to compare to. She liked the optics of my Leica so with the two combined in the Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ5K, it was the right one for her.

UPDATE: After about two weeks of picture taking, my spouse loved the size and placement of the controls of the Lumix FZ5K. The use of the index finger to Zoom and press the shutter button made sense to her. The complex menu setup of the speciality functions, exposure controls, etc will come later.

Using the electronic view-finder was especially useful because the Pentax Spotmatic required the use of the view-finder to match the exposure setting. The viewfinder was a lot more suitable to NOT having to take OFF the glasses to see the display as the alternative view-finder with it's diapoter adjustment to adjust for the glasses. (Part of the price we pay for aging.)

Update 2:Software package. The ArcSoft bundled software is a great starting point. The Panasonic supplied SD Viewer V2.0 is really handy to preview what's on the SD memory card. I think a used PhotoShop Elements 2.0 might be a great point to start.

i just god married and me and my wife got this camera for our honey moon. we went to england and brugge the trip was great and so was the camera i paired it up with a 1 gig stick and took fulll rez pics the whole trip. bout 400 fit on the disk. only about 3 of the pics turned out fuzzy witch is an extreamly good ratio with the imig stabolization i thought. i came from using a crumy digatal without it will never go back. i am going to get another panasonic in the next few months for my wife to carry in her purce in replace of the one she has in ther right now. going to get one of the ultra compact ones but def going with panasonic again great product and thanks ofr the great shiping amazon.

Wow, the pictures that this camera takes are fantastic!! I've had it for 8 months and the pictures that it takes are absolutely incredible. Our old digital's battery would hardly last two pictures, this battery lasts for days with frequent use. You first look at it and you think it's small, but it zooms in perfectly. It has tons of settings for taking pictures, my personal favorite is the "Sports" setting so that your pictures with proper focusing will never be blurry.
Highly reccomended camera!

Overall this product has been so-so at best. For the money I was expecting a lot more. A much cheaper point and shoot camera would have been better.

The image stabilizer doesn't work well. Anything past 4x seems like you should have a tripod. Many shots come out blurry. I always had to take a few shots with the flash and with out to see which would turn out best. I could probably keep an average of 1 out of 4 shots taken. When I did use the flash, if i was closer than a few feet away i would get a shadow from the lense blocking the flash on the subject.

And the kicker: 2 weeks after the year warranty and my camera is unusable. Worked fine on Halloween most of the day, take it back out of the bag and I get a message that says to "Remove Lens Cap and Press > Button". Normally you would see this if the lens cap is on. It isn't. I can now only view pictues is playback mode, the lens doesn't move at all.

If you want a higher end camera, spend the money and buy a high end one. This one is too bulky to be something you can stick in a pocket. I decided to forgoe the convenient size for the features which weren't worth the extra cost.

This is the second panasonic product that has died on me in the last 2 months...no more panasonic for me

As yet, I am very pleased with the performance of the Panasonic Lumix. It takes very clear pictures and is easy to download. There are many settings I have not tried so far but am working my way there.

I am really impressed with the photos. The optical zoom of 12X is great as well as image stabilization. It's also nice to download videos to play on my Apple computer using quicktime. I got this just as the new model with 6.1 Megapixels came out so I got a good deal.

I bought the DMC-LZ5 for my teen daughter a year ago. Right after the 1-year warranty expired (naturally), the lens got stuck in the "out" position and would not retract. The camera wouldn't focus, so was unusable.

I was able to fix it by gently pulling the lens housing and rocking it from side to side until it snapped into place.

The camera worked fine after that for a few months, then got stuck again, this time in the "in" position. After turning on the camera, with the lens cap off, it would display "Remove Lens Cap and Press > Button". Pressing the ">" button displayed an out-of-focus image. (This same problem was described by another Amazon reviewer.)

I was able to fix it again by pushing on the ring around the lens (without touching the lens of course) and rocking the lens from side to side until it snapped into place.

Since it's not my camera, I haven't seen what actually causes it to jam up myself. A guess is that turning the camera on with the lens cap in place caused the lens to jam against the lens cap and damaged the drive gears.

I'm not a camera repair person, just passing this info on for anyone else that may have a useless DMC-FZ5 laying around. I hope no one else will need this information :-)

Bought this camera 2+ years ago. Everything worked really well for the most part and took some amazing pictures. This was really my ideal digital camera and I would've given it more stars if it wasn't for the fact that it quit on me after the warranty ran out. It just stopped working..the lens was stuck in the inside position and i was unable to fix it. I ended up opening it up to check out the mechanics and now it is truly finished :). I am thinking of buying the fz7 as replacement but not sure due to the jamming problem I experienced with the fz5.

I LOVED this camera, everything about it, until it jammed for no apparent reason after having it just over a year. I've seen other users with the same problem on this website so I guess I'm glad to know I'm not the only one. But, do I buy another Panasonic, do I upgrade to the FZ8, don't know whether I trust them or not which is a shame because as I mentioned it is great - easy to learn & use, takes reliable pictures etc.

The Panasonic Lumix FZ5K (K for black, S for silver) is came out on February 2005. In tech terms