by
hukari » Fri May 16, 2008 2:57 pm
Ann, I have the Panasonic FZ7, which is a predecessor to the FZ18 and I love it. If I bought a DSLR, I would still want to keep it because it is such a super camera. The Leica lens takes really clear shots and the zoom (mine is 12x optical instead of 18x) is great. It takes fairly fast shots in burst mode, too, and the macro is very good. I would (and have!) recommend it to anyone for those reasons. It is VERY light, yet I don't have the feeling that it is fragile.
The drawbacks for me:
-changing settings is possible, though not as easy as with a DSLR.
-it does not do well in low light without flash.
-the size is too big for a pocket other than an ample jacket pocket, but does fit well in a fanny (or belly) pack.
Advantage over a DALR is movie mode, which might be nice for filming your ratties.