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  Don't count on Panasonic to fix it if it is broken

PROS: 16:9 native format. 28mm lens, lots of manual controls

CONS: Noise & Panasonic customer service. I had a Panasonic Lumix camera for about 2 years. Then the zoom lever started to get stuck in the "W" position (doesn't return to the "neutral" position), which makes it now impossible to accurately zoom. Send the camera to the Panasonic service center for repair. After 1 month (!), I get letter from the service center asking about my credit card information - ignoring the fact that I included letter with the camera describing the failure and including my credit card info for charging the repair. So it took them 1 month to ask me for information they already have. Fast forward another month, for those of you that paid attention - 2 months! have now passed since they got the camera. They send the camera back with a packsheet, listing my exact failure description and the remark: tested all functions, no failure found! In other words they did NOTHING, charge US$112.00 to my credit card for this and the zoom lever is still stuck. Every idiot can notice this if trying to operate the zoom. So great camera as long as it works. If it breaks after 2 years because of a lousy zoom lever design, you've got a ~$500 paper weight. Don't waste another $112 like I did trying to get Panasonic to fix it.

OVERALL SCORE:6/10

  AVOID AT ANY COST

PROS: 28mm Leica, 16:9 aspect, widescreen video, lots of buttons, not bad battery life

CONS: LCD angle contrast changes, not fixable noise, only 13MB(!) RAM, video not zoomable, slow RAW shooting (because of RAM), slow picture playback, only 15fps 720p, bad GUI

  Panasonic's positively near perfect point and shoot performer

PROS: Lens, Beautiful photos, Lots of manual features, Aesthetic appeal of shape and diminutive all aluminium body, Fast

CONS: Protrusion of lens barrel, Lack of accessories, Proprietary battery

  Lots of features for a great price: best consumer grade camera for the money

PROS: Manual focus, high resolution pics, large screen, etc

CONS: Poor flash, no view finder (not an issue for some), needs more zoom

  The best combination of features and price you can find in the market so far.

PROS: The best combination of features and price you can find in the market so far. I'm totally satisfied with my little angel.

CONS: Big lens from a famous brand, high quality picture, IIC, Stablilizer. You can take nice quality picture in a relatively dark place without using flash. This is a thousand dollar value gadget.

OVERALL SCORE:10/10

  Very nice camera, but still could be better.

PROS: Excellent construction, Very easy to use, 16:9 Widescreen CCD sensor and 2.8" LCD, 28mm wide high quality lens, Many features which are usually only available on larger cameras. RAW

CONS: Image noise, No ISO setting below 100, Weak flash, No option for external flash, Short battery life, 720 video is useless at 15fps, Small front finger grip, lens barrow makes camera thick.