Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18

I've always personally considered superzooms a better option for amateur hobby photographers than D-SLRs, primarily because you get so much more right out of the box. If you still feel limited, there are quite a number of add-ons you can use. Now with the superzoom cameras breaking the 12x optical zoom barrier and offering insane 15-18x optical zoom levels, the deal has gotten a lot more attractive.

The Panasonic FZ18 is a bit smaller than the comparative superzooms available today and is not too heavy at 407g. The handgrip is perfectly sized for the camera, which makes it easy to grab and maneuver the camera the way you see fit.

The 2.5 inch LCD display unfortunately doesn't tilt or swivel. I feel that for a camera of this caliber, not having a maneuverable screen can be a handicap, especially considering that the biggest consumers of superzoom cameras are the higher-end experimental sort. Panasonic's done a good job of it in the FZ50, but I'd really like to see it in more of their superzooms. That said, the screen works wonderfully in all kinds of lighting conditions.

The 18x optical zoom is obviously the biggest selling point of the camera, but it's also the easiest thing that can go wrong if not implemented well. Many manufacturers put high zoom lenses that are painful to handle because of the ridiculously bad image stabilization. The FZ18 doesn't fall in that category. I found the FZ18 zoom very easy to handle thanks to Panasonic's excellent optical image stabilization. Even in indoor lighting, I got quite a few perfectly sharp and stable shots at full 18x zoom, which I find commendable.

The 8.1 megapixel resolution may not sound very exciting, but considering that there's also the 18x zoom and an OIS to handle, extra processing time for a higher resolution image would probably take a toll on the camera's performance. Still, 8.1 megapixel is more than enough for an A3 size print, so this isn't really a drawback.

Just as in the other Panasonic cameras we recently reviewed, the FZ18 boasts an iAuto (intelligent auto) mode that works extremely well during those times when you're too lazy (or in a hurry) to set the camera to the right mode yourself. The results are pretty outstanding, and by the looks of it, scene modes could soon be a thing of the past.