Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50

Review summary: Good quality and with a proper li-ion battery, but expensive and bulky compared to the Olympus.

Verdict: The Lumix has a proper li-ion battery pack rather than using four AAs. But it doesn't last as long as you'd expect – Panasonic claims just 360 shots between charges. Also, there's only a paltry 2in LCD, which looks small compared to a 2.5in screen

Review summary: The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ50 ($650) is the upgrade to their popular FZ30 ultra zoom camera. I was a fan of the FZ30, but was disappointed with its high noise levels. That was a shame, since the camera did almost everything else right.

Pros: Wonderfully designed, SLR-style body ; 12X zoom Leica lens ; Optical image stabilization ; Robust performance in most areas ; Flip-down, rotating 2-inch LCD display ; screen is visible in both dim and bright light (same with the EVF) ; Full manual ...

Cons: Mushy details at ISO 200 above due to over-zealous noise reduction system ; Expensive ; Some redeye ; Focus distance not shown on LCD/EVF in manual focus mode ; Borderline useless high sensitivity mode ; No USB 2.0 High Speed support ; Tiny memory ...

Verdict: Panasonic includes a 32MB Secure Digital memory card with the FZ50, which holds nine photos at the highest JPEG quality. That means that you'll want to buy a memory card right away, and you can choose from SD, MMC, or the new SDHC formats. I would ...

Review summary: Panasonic's FZ50 picked up a Best Buy award in our ultra-zoom lab test a year ago.

Verdict: The FZ50 is still an excellent camera but its image quality gives away its age. The other cameras in this category offer better quality at lower prices.

Review summary: It's currently the best bridge being the fastest, less subject to noise, most precise, and the most practical with its moveable screen and zoom ring dial. The only thing it lacks is a true wide angle.