I bought this camera to replace our old walk around camera (Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S650 7.2 MP).

I was looking for a camera with a better zoom capability, better indoor picture quality, and higher resolution video.

I shot over 120 pictures this Thanksgiving (indoors and out) and 4 HD mode videos (indoors and out).

The outdoor pictures were very crisp, true colors in Ai mode, and auto focus was very reliable. Indoor pictures without a flash, in a well lit room, came out better than expected (in Ai mode) - colors were still true (maybe slightly muted - but still good). The indoors pictures with flash were very sharp and well lit.

You'll love the autofocus face focus boxes that track your subject (even multiple faces). Your subject can be on the side of your shot and will still use them as your focal point. This will allow for depth in your zoom shots.

The video is good, but will not replace a HD camcorder (that was my wish). The sound in the video is not great and the video playback look slightly "jumpy" on my kids running around outside. I still will need to buy a HD video camera (if Santa doesn't bring one - come on Santa :-)

Battery life was great - never moved off the fully charged indication all day (don't buy a spare battery).

SDHC card with 16MB of memory will hold over 4000 pictures in the highest setting (never came close to filling this thing up while even shooting video).

I'm very happy with the camera.

I thought long and hard before buying this camera. I owned the previous model, the FZ18, and did a lot of research to conclude (or convince myself) that the upgrade was really worth it, and also to find out if there wasn't a better ultrazoom / bridge camera for me. After visiting the forums and reading reviews of the Panasonic and also of the new Nikon, Canon and Fuji ultrazoom models, I concluded that not only was it a valid buy (and gave the FZ18 to my mom, who owns an ancient Olympus camera), but also that the Panasonic was the best bridge camera out there.

However, it remained to be seen whether my one big gripe with the FZ18 -- shutter lag, read my review at Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18K 8.1MP Digital Camera with 18x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black) if you're interested -- would still be present or if Panasonic had at least minimized it in the new model.

The FZ28's operation is, of course, very similar to the FZ18's, so for me it was a breeze to set it up. There are only slight button changes in relation to its predecessor, but I found bigger ones in the menus, like more metering and focusing options. I referred to the manual (well organized and very easy to consult) to find the ideal configurations for me. Then I set out to do some test shots.

To my satisfaction, the flying airplane that was in the middle of my frame when I hit the shutter was still in the middle of my frame when I looked at the photos in my computer. This meant that not only had I set the new camera up correctly, but that the shutter lag issue which annoyed me so much in the FZ18 has been drastically improved in the new model. This makes the FZ28 a viable camera for bird shots -- my main use for it -- and I won't be seeing photos of empty blue skies anymore.

Furthermore, despite the small sensor (a characteristic all compact digital cameras share) and increase in resolution, from 8 to 10 MP, image quality has also improved. Shooting at ISO 400, the noise levels have decreased, requiring little or no post-processing in the computer. Image artifacts, like purple fringing, are still present in specific conditions -- such as shooting a dark object against a bright sky -- but much less than before. And the FZ28's handling of low-light situations has also improved considerably.

The incredibly compact and light package still remains, as do the high-quality Leica optics, making the FZ28 a great all-around camera. It has lost a bit in optical zoom, from 506 to 486 mm, because the wide-angle capability has increased (from 28 mm in the FZ18 to 27 mm in the current model), but it doesn't seem to make that much difference overall. And a wider angle is nice in an all-around camera.

I've taken several hundred shots in all kinds of light and distance situations, and even tried iA, Intelligent Auto, something I rarely did in the previous camera -- I normally shoot in Aperture mode -- to see how well it worked. It gave me some very usable images. So if you don't want to think about the settings and just use the FZ28 as a big zoom point-and-shoot, you'll be fine. But tweaking and controling the settings is very easy too.

Battery life is still amazing, but I advise you to get a couple of spare batteries (an original Panasonic or a Digipower will do the job. There are also good reviews on the Lenmar battery, and I'll be giving that one a try). Each photo with the highest resolution and quality is around 4 MB, so several SDHC memory cards are also a good idea. I haven't tested the video capabilities yet, but I'll get around to it eventually.

So far, my conclusion is: if I already liked and enjoyed the FZ18 despite its shortcomings, the FZ28 is a promising step up from that.

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 pictures will be as sharp and clear as my expensive lenses, but its a great bargain at the price.

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.

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.

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.

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. No RAW format in auto mode. Some users may find the images less saturated than they would want. (But this is easily changed in post processing.)

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.

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!!!

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.