Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ20 Digital Camera

I researched long and hard before choosing a replacement for my Finepix S5000 which was damaged recently. All the magazines I read and web based reviews suggested that the FZ10 was the best camera on the market, but when I saw that it had been replaced by the FZ20, I decided to take the plunge and go for the newer model instead. I can safely say I haven't been disappointed. It is not quite as user friendly as the Finepix, but once you have got used to it, the results are nothing short of superb. Better still, if you shop around, you can get it a lot cheaper than it appears on Amazon. I paid £350 which included a 256k card and p&p. Have Amazon stopped listening to us when we e-mail them and tell them that products are available cheaper elsewhere? I told them about three other cameras that I found for £50 less and the prices have still not changed. Use Kelkoo before buying anything!!

I am amazed, this is the best camera i've had to date. I thought the Konica kz400 gave good shots, but the DMC-FZ20 is even better. And with 5 megapixals, unless you take photos professionally, this camera is all you'll need.
One thing I can't work out, Why was this camera so difficult to get hold of? It's excellent, it should be fully available.
I won't bore you with the technical details because they at the top of the page, but if you can get one of these; you won't be disappointed.

I have owned a number of digital and non-digital caneras but nothing comes close to the pleasure this little beauty has brought me. The build quality is second to none, and that coupled with the world renowned Leica lense makes this camera an absolute joy. With auto program, aperture priority, shutter priority and full manual exposure plus the bonus of fixed scenery shots it also very, very flexible. Manual focus is also provided along with a flawlessly performing auto focus. The 12x analogue & 48x digital zoom is operated by a control around the the shutter release and performs beautifully. Manual focus is aided by an electronically magnified section in the centre of the very bright LCD and also the electronic viewfinder, though it does not operate when using the digital zoom. Shutter & start up delay are virtually non-existent and the built in flash is one of the best performers I have ever come across despite it's small size. Should a larger flash be required a hot shoe is also provided. It's 5.3 megapixel CCD is not the largest on the market but this is more than made up for by the Leica lens quality. Battery life is excellent and the battery cover has a solid feel to it that is so sadly missing in many digital cameras. One little niggle in that the viewfinder would benefit from a rubber eyecup though I didn't find it too difficult to adapt a generic eyecup. All in all I find this camera far easier to use than an SLR and far more comfortable to handle yet it has all the benefits of auxiliary lenses (though the genuine Leica telephoto lens may well cost the proverbial arm and a leg but it is unlikely they will be needed except in the most extreme of circumstances as this camera has one of the largest zoom ranges on the market AND the full aperture is maintained throughout the whole of the zoom range!