Best for me, especially the movie mode.
Pros:
Extreme flexability, from automatic to manual. Great zoom and resolution.
Cons:
Auto focus while zooming during video sometimes lags. Component cable is expensive but worth it.
The Bottom Line:
Just so many easy to use features. Just too many to mention here.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
Since my application is recording videos in a nightclub setting, this is the best camera for the money. I can record up to 1 hour when I insert a 16GB SD memory card. Purchasing a Component cable for $39.95 allows me to play my HD (720P) videos through my 50 inch Panasonic plasma. As I said, this is one of the primary uses I have for the camera.
Since I am retired and do a bit of traveling, the optical zoom is very important to me. The 18X optical zoom is quite satisfactory for scenic pictures and videos. The FZ28 does zoom in video mode, where most others do not. You can get most of the specs from other photo sites, so I won't get into this.
This is truly an impressive camera. Some of my Nikon friends have been surprised at all the features this camera has for under $400.
The manual is very detailed in discribing all the functions. That is why first impressions of the manual are that this is quite a book. As I said, the manual describes all the features in terms a 5th grader could understand. You can't comprehend everything in a few weeks, so I often refer to the manual to learn a few more things, especially when using the camera in manual mode.
This brings me to the where if you use the camera in auto mode (IA), it is as simple as a point and shoot camera. Everything is automatic. In manual mode, there are hundreds of combinations to get that prefect shot if you have the time. Anything from a night time exposure to a fast 1/2000 for a sporting event.
This camera does everything that I expect it to do. If you are thinking of stepping up from a pocket point and shoot, in my opinion, this would be the best way to go.
