Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18

Get a life!
It's video/sound quality is much the same as most compacts,if you want better buy a video camera!
My FZ18 produces great 10x8s,and,although my Nikon D40 can outperform the FZ18 at bigger blowups,the FZ18 is so handy to take with you,whereas my D40 two lens kit is often left behind because of its weight.
For travelling,and holidays,the FZ18 is ideal,and hard to beat,packed with features,with a great lens,as was proved to me on my own recent holiday.For the first time I wasn't weighed down with a bulky camera bagwhich pleased my wife!,and yet I came back with sharp,colouful,photoes as good as most I have taken in the past,even a couple of quite good video clips!
I keep it on a low ISO setting,as I know the limitations of small sensors,and how Panasonic pack it all is amazing.
So if your forte is exhibition prints,get a modern digital SLR,or if your into videos,get good video camera.
You can't expect too much from a tiny camera like the FZ18,but it can turn out great photoes,and the advantages well outweigh any percieved shortcomings you have.
I have been a keen photographer for 40 years,and these modern compacts are a revelation,offering so much,for so little!!

I've got to agree with Doug on this one.
I have just purchashed this camera and have had some time to play with it. Is it perfect? No, of course it isn't, but it's 'only' £200. If I wanted a system for excellent video & sound, I'd use a camcorder. If I wanted a system for excellent photograph quality in any environment, I'd spend a whole lot more on a dSLR.

As it stands, I had a budget of £220 and needed a camera that would give ease of use for quick photo's, can be perform reasonably in most lighting conditions, have enough functions to be able to custom set-up the camera to the way i want it (without the necessary complexity of dSLR's) and have a good zoom capability.

The FZ18 meets all of these criteria. Personally, I'm more than happy with it.

NRoy,

Audio "horrible"? OK, it's not exactly my Linn system but it's certainly better than what my Canon 8mm analogue camcorder delivers. The picture quality is too but I regard the video function on the FZ-18 as a bit of a bonus to a camera that seems to have a better brain than mine as it consistently turns out results on its iA setting that I'm totally satisfied with.

For two hundred quid odd, the FZ-18 is not just a steal, it's grand larceny! Can't praise it enough and I can only stand slack-jawed in amazement at the technology that went into this unique and remarkable camera.

I was going to make a comment about the fz 18s versatility as a take-everywhere camera, but found that Doug has got it about right. I took a while to think out the best camera to take on a short break, and eventually settled for my Lumix fz 18 instead of a DSLR (canon 40D). The results of the trip photographically have been better than expected and the great advantage of this compact is that you really don't miss any photographic opportunity at all: the quality of the image is outstanding for such a tiny piece of kit, the only downside being that you probably take many more pics than you would normally, but then you don't have film prices to worry about. So far as the small sensor is concerned, well what do you expect - such a camera with its astonishing spec is bound to be the result of a tradeoff in that area. And, for me the crucial factor is the quality of the lens: barrel distortion such as you experience on the Canon G9 for example (with a 35mm equivalent to the fz 18s 28mm equivalent WA end, is unacceptable. In the end, the lens and the results determine the success of a camera, so for me the Lumix fz 18 gets pretty much full marks throughout for all ratings. Now if Lumix come up with something which improves upon that, then expect Canon and Nikon with their current DSLR prosumer range to take a seriously sharp dip in sales.