Quality cross-over camera (Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18)

Member Name: benedwards64

Product:	Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18
Date:	08/03/09 (53 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent quality, easy to use, superb lense

Disadvantages: Manual focus can be a little fiddly

I'd been after a decent camera for a while, having become fed up with the basic "point and squirt" compacts. Similarly, I couldn't afford a full-on DSLR, especially not with a decent range of lenses as I was interested in shooting wildlife, often from quiter a distance. Eventually I purchased the FZ18 and I have been very happy with it. After speaking to a few experts, I understand that it is very highly regarded as a crossover between compacts and DSLRs, with plenty of adjustable settings including a proper aperture diaphram. It's great to use in "Simple Mode" as the camera will basically adjust all of the setting for you in a fraction of a second, but on the other hand if you want to spend a little time getting that perfect shot, it has a very clear and simpe menu that allows you to experiment with all of the relevent settings with relative ease. The only criticism I have here is the manual focus funtion, which is operated by a switch and is a little dim-witted and fiddly. I would have rather spent more money to get the next model up with the manual focus rings on the lense-body itself.
Regardless of this, though, this is a fantastic camera with a lot going for it. It's durable, surprisingly compact, has a decent battery life, a fantastic flash, and a superb lense that goes form wide-angle to 18x zoom in a couple of seconds - no swapping lenses over as you would have to do on a DSLR. I'm a relative beginner at photography, and this camera has enabled me to take some beautiful shots and improve my photography no end. it is a pleasure to work with.

Summary: A perfect camera for keen photographers on a budget

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