Panasonic Lumix® DMC-FZ5 Digital Camera

This review was written when the FZ5 was a new model!
Ive had many, many digital cameras probably now over 150, from SLR's to small point and shoot and probably the most outstanding all rounder is the FZ5. It is quick (autofocus, shutter lag and shot to shot amazing for a non DSLR), low light focus is second to none (again, for a non DSLR) and picture quality is consistently very good.
The lens quality is excellent and with a massive range that would cost hundreds if you were to try to match it with extra lens's for you SLR. You can focus at less than 2 inches and you have a 432mm zoom which should get anyone near enough! The lens is also image stabilized which really does work (a 400mm+ lens without it would be useless without a tripod in anything but bright sunlight)
I owned my FZ5 from the day of release and kept it for about 12 months then sold it to buy a DSLR, which was brilliant but you need to spend! if you want a lens that focuses to near zero (macro) and then a lens which gets you to 432mm with an f3.3 aperture then you are looking at serious money. I have now bought another FZ5 and this one is staying!
The 2 down sides of the camera are the movie mode which is quite poor but acceptable and the wide end of the lens is only 36mm, The FZ7 has a slightly better movie mode but is a bigger camera and even though the screen is slightly bigger it is lower resolution so no benefit there. (i have a Canon S80 which i use for these situations, 28mm wide and the best movie mode of any compact)
But the positives of the FZ5 far outweigh the negatives and anyone thinking of buying an excellent all rounder, that is light but well constructed, that is small enough to fit in your hand, that has just the right amount of manual settings and flexibility with consistently excellent picture quality , this will not be beaten!