Digital Cameras : Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30

I have had this camera for 2 weeks and have taken around 200 pictures in all kinds of different light setting and am very pleased with it! It fit you hand perfectly, it's very easy to use, the viewfinder is great for a digital and the new screen is very bright and clear! I couldn't be happier with it. Hide Full Review

over a period of 6 months I went from retailer to retailer with a pocket full of memory cards and fondeled all cameras with big zoom and spent countless hours shooting and scrutinizeing all the shots and read many reviews on line,without a doubt found the best camera in its class! The Panasonic FZ-30 I have nearly 3000 shots under her belt with some of the most enjoyable potagraphy I have ever experianced! Hide Full Review

We just bought this camera on February 7th and we have never had so much fun with a digital camera. It is chock full of features and settings for experts and complete novices as well. I was reluctant when purchasing because I had read a little about the higher noise levels but we have not noticed this at all (as long as you have good light or use the flash in low light). I had looked at the very nice Samsung Pro815 as well as this and the price difference and sheer size of extended lens on the Pro815 (as well as lack of image stabilization) made this my choice. This is not a knock against that camera though because it was darn nice, I just don't have steady hands. Anyways I recommend this camera for anyone looking for a high zoom prosumer camera that is affordable and takes great pictures. I must also say that the camera has a very sturdy feel to it and is much more akin to an SLR than any digital I have used. Hide Full Review

I've had my FZ30 for well over a year now and I absolutely love it. I have a friend who's a total camera buff and collector and even he loves the thing. For a semi-serious shooter there is really no reason to consider anything else. Sure a true SLR will do you better in certain settings like evening parties or sporting events but the FZ30 will hold it's own no matter what for thousands less. In many other settings the FZ30 actually excels. For landscape photography or Macro photography you'd have to spend around a grand more to get better pictures. Bang for the buck this camera can't be beat.

1) The 12X Manual Zoom is awesome. Made by Leica it's got great quality and using it's fluid damped manual zoom ring is SO much better than motorized zooms.

2) Practially ZERO startup time. Practially Zero shutter lag when not using auto-focus. The fast and easy auto-focus is also well done.

3) So many options....Scene settings dumb it down for you or set the thing up JUST the way you want it with too many shooting options to list. Set the aperture or exposure time manually just like in an SLR. Select 16:9 aspect ratio for fun widescreen shots. The quality of the MOVIES this thing makes is on a par with most camcorders.

4) Quality make, great feel. This camera just feels great in your hands. Very solid feel to everything, nothing flimsy or cheap.

5) 8 Megapixels is all you'll ever need unless you're printing a poster. Furthermore on a small CCD like this camera uses cramming even more pixels adds even more noise. "Noise" is the supposed "achilles heel" of this camera at ISO 400. OK, so use an external flash and shoot at ISO 200. Using a larger CCD would slash the zoom range and increase the price, so a little noise at High ISO's is a small price to pay.

Overall even a year later this is still the camera I'd buy in it's class. Fuji and Sony are both making good competitors but they still have yet to top this Lumix. Take the plunge, you'll be happy you did. Hide Full Review

This is great camera! Great pictures, like an expensive digitelSLR's out there. I love LCD screen, bigger than my, DMZ 5k camera. The functions great! The price under 600bucxs. Great price! The best thing, I like about this, is the settings, our great, online menu system, is allsome!

This camera makes a gerat llow priced SLRDigitel camera on the market. Hide Full Review