It's a pity you need raw or I would have recommended the G7 or S3/S5 from Canon... but those cameras don't support RAW sadly...

I'm a big fan of Panasonic's digital cameras from all the way back to the Panasonic FZ1, which I still own and use. Personally, _I_ really want a FZ50 as a backup point-n-shoot camera to my Olympus E-500 DSLR camera. However, I think the FZ50 might be too big for you if you looking to keep things small-ish. The FZ50 is a big camera approaching the size of a DSLR, especially the snout (lens) on it. It is a very nice camera, but then in my opinion that goes without saying because the entire FZ line has been great..

The Olympus SP550uz camera is taking some hits in the reviews. Olympus is another excellent superzoom line of cameras, and it's been in the superzoom business continuously longer than anyone else. Sony was the king of superzooms with it's Mavica line for quite a while (they even had a 14x optical zoom with stabilization on the Mavica FD91, which I also owned), but then they started only producing cameras with a 6x or less zoom, so they quickly lost my interest. Olympus was pretty much in there right along with Sony, but they kept going. About the time Sony stopped superzoom production for a while, Panasonic came out with it's first great wonder of the FZ line, th FZ1. But back to Olympus they've been doing the UZ thing for a while now, and are well known for their image quality, color accuracy, and great optics.

I would bring a memory card with you and try it out _a lot_ in a store..

If you still really like the Panasonic FZ8 or FZ50, but want a wider view, you can always get the Olympus wideangle attachment. It will darken/slow down the lens a little, but it would give you the wide angle you're wanting, without sacrificing the higher end of the zoom..

In re-reading your post, I would recommend getting the FZ8. It's a small camera with a really nice track record via FZ line-up predecessors. It offers a lot of what the FZ50 does, but in a much smaller package. If you can get around the size of the FZ50, I would recommend it over the FZ8, but I think you would be happier with something smaller..

Good luck with your choice. Don't worry others will chime in with more info and advice in a few minutes..

Chris..

MWCT wrote:.

It's a pity you need raw or I would have recommended the G7 orS3/S5 from Canon... but those cameras don't support RAW sadly..

Do you really want/need RAW, though? If you shooting pictures of the grandkids, do you really want to have to go through all the post-processing required for RAW or do you just want the instant satisfaction of JPEGs?.

The S3/S5 would be a VERY good choice as well. It's smaller than the other choices and more of a traditional boxey camera design. It's definitely more pocketbookable than any of the FZ's or UZs..

Chris..

Grammia wrote:.

My husband says I need RAW.

Is he or you going to be post processing the raw files on the computer? If not then jpegs will give excellent quality for your intended use. RAWs take time and effort (and software) to process..

And he's impressed with the Leica lenses.

Olympus, pentax and canon also do excellent lenses. the Leica lenses that built the companies reputation are not the same ones in compact cameras..

Am I asking for too much in one camera?.

No. But bear in my mind:.

Handling is very important. Try in a shop before you make the decision..

All reviews of comacts will have some negatives. Some of these negatives will be exaggerated and some people blindly sing the praises of the camera and fail to see the flaws. (Welcome to the Internet). There is no perfect compact camera for someone to recommend so you'll have to make up your own mind..

I'm capable of learning to use manual controls, even though lazyenough to love auto features..

Good on you. Maybe have a look at the panasonic lx2, the canon g7, fuji f31d, as well as the olympus. The first tow defintely have manual and auto controls, image stabilisation and good lenses..

Thank you for any help you can give me on this..

Grammia..

Very good comments and suggestions. Am going to look at some of the ones mentioned..

As to who will do the processing I will. So, that leads to another question: Can you go from RAW to JPEG on one card? If not, I may have to re-think the need for RAW. I DO NOT want to work on my "snap-shots," only the ones for note cards and some larger prints..

Again, thanks..

Grammia..

Grammia wrote:.

Another question: Can you go from RAW to JPEG on one card? Ifnot, I may have to re-think the need for RAW. I DO NOT want towork on my "snap-shots," only the ones for note cards and somelarger prints..

Again, thanks..

Grammia.

You can mix RAW and JPEG on the same card...

Again, thank you. I think I'm going to make a choice tomorrow the old saying "S or get off the pot!!".

These forums have increased my knowledge and understanding a 1000-fold I keep expecting my brain to explode from overload!!..

Grammia wrote:.

Another question: Can you go from RAW to JPEG on one card? Ifnot, I may have to re-think the need for RAW. I DO NOT want towork on my "snap-shots," only the ones for note cards and somelarger prints..

Some cameras can do RAW + JPEG, meaning the image is recorded in a separate RAW file as well as a JPEG file. My Olympus DSLR does this, and it can come in handy. That way you have the RAW file to mess with if there were problems, but otherwise you also have the straight out of the camera JPEG that you can use without postprocessing..

Chris..

Grammia wrote:.

Very good comments and suggestions. Am going to look at some ofthe ones mentioned..

As to who will do the processing I will. So, that leads toanother question: Can you go from RAW to JPEG on one card? Ifnot, I may have to re-think the need for RAW. I DO NOT want towork on my "snap-shots," only the ones for note cards and somelarger prints..

Yes. In fact, you can change from RAW to JPG (and even different sizes/compression of JPG) from shot to shot, just like you can change the ISO, sharpening, white balance, etc. that you couldn't do with film. Many of the cameras that support RAW will record both RAW and JPG at the same time. This can be useful if you want to use RAW for the extra control, but not be bothered with it, if the JPGs come out 'good enough'. Once you become good at RAW processing, it won't take much more time than normal JPG processing...

Grammia wrote:.

I would like: 1) Stabilization, 2) true color renditions, 3) sharpimages and a camera small enough not to weigh down an aging badneck and shoulders..

Fast lens and weight are opposite. You must chose one or another..

I love everything the OLympus SP 550UZ says it has, but have seensuch mixed reviews, it scares me..

Olympus wanted too much and they failed to get a decent camera..

My husband says I need RAW and he's impressed with the Leica lensesin the Panasonic FZ8 and FZ50. (There seem to be mixed reviews onthe FZ8, too.).

Panasonic has cameras with very good features, fairly good lens and poor IQ. RAW helps you get the keeper rate up a little bit.

I like having the ability to move the LCD screen about for anymacro work, the faster lag time, and having the ability to attacha flash that the FZ50 has. I wish it had the wider lens that theOlympus has..

Canon, Sony and Fujifilm have cameras that meet most of the requirments but none is a perfect camera. Sony H5, Canon S3 and Fujifilm S6000 are about what is the best in the ultrazoom area. Panasonic FZ8 and FZ50 are different since they have the problems you heard of. Newer cameras Sony H9, Olympus SP550 and perhaps Canon S5 are not as good as the previous generation..

Another possibility is to look for Panasonic TZ3. It has 28 280 mm lens (f/3.3-f/4.9), no manual control and no RAW..

One more thing Canon S3 has the possibility to shoot in RAW by means of a software add (CHDK firmware hack). It is the less compromising camera from all (has fast lens, decent IQ, has panorama shooting, a very moveable LCD, fast focus a short lag).VictorBucuresti, Romaniahttp://s106.photobucket.com/albums/m268/victor_petcu/..

Does the husband who says you need RAW actually know anything based on experience, or is he a reader, too?.

For your requirments, RAW would just be a burden, probably..

Do you want your hobby to be taking pictures or computer-based image manipulation?.

RAW is fine for the second hobby..

I sometimes wonder, as I read the forums, how we survived without stabilization. A $20 mini-tripod works wonders, as does holdingthe camera steady. And tstabilization does not help with moving subjects..

About shutter lag that is the real key. I took pictures with someone else's point and shoot camera last night as a 60th birthday party no one was juming around and shutter lag was still a killer..

Every new digital SLR camera from any name manufacturer (which means every DSLR camera in a decent store -) will meet your needs..

BAK.

BAK..

A DSLR will give you everything the point and shoots will, especially the Pentax in "bright mode." It has in body image stabilizaton, and offers a real optical viewfinder not and electronic eye buzzer. It also has the capabiity of using hundreds of lenses. Price it on line and you will find you can get it with the kit lens for right at $500.Dave Lewis..

No, husband prabably needs new wife!! He's a successful b&w photographer who has seen my frustration in not getting "my type" of photos and is encouraging me to "go for it." (Besides his wonderful darkroom work, he's now doing some impressive digital work from his negs.)..

Well, for better or worse, I decided to go with the Olympus SP 550UZ. I have 90 days to try it out and see how it fits my needs..

Thanks to everyone who took their time and offered help. I appreciate it more than can be expressed..

Grammia..

I've been looking at them myself and carefully comparing photos on this site, http://www.imaging-resource.com/IMCOMP/COMPS01.HTM and what I see is that there is not really very much difference in the various compact cameras picture quality. The only ones that look any better usually come from Fujifilm, the F30/31 and the F6000. The only way the average person would ever be able to see a difference in any other P&S cameras(regardless of price) is if you greatly enlarge the image and even then there is not much difference, not enough to matter anyway. The DSLR's do look much better but are bigger and more trouble to use, no doubt about that. You can get a $150 dollar Fuji A820 that has the larger 1/1.6 super CCD and takes great photos or you can spend $500 on a G7(with smaller 1/1.8 CCD) and get pretty much that same quality pics, but the G7 camera is nicer to use and has more options. I think it all comes down then to features/quality of build/ease of use and size...