This was originally posted by brewmax on the community forum.
searbet a.k.a. madison, it's a camera I decided to get this past year based on recommendations I requested and received here on the forum. I believe Valarie (bikerbabe) still uses it, too:
I find it incredibly easy to use and like the way it fits in my hand. The color saturation on the photos is very nice and I first tried it out on tiny hummingbirds in my back yard. Those photos turned out so well that this became my camera of choice. Here's what a pro's review stated about the camera:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30
Very solid SLR-style body
12X optical zoom lens
Optical image stabilization
Robust performance, especially with a high speed SD card; new focus modes are awesome
Full manual controls plus the ability to fine-tune white balance
Handy zoom and focus rings around lens
AF-assist lamp; good low light focusing
Flip-down, rotating 2-inch LCD display
LCD/EVF usable in low light, at last
Redeye not a problem
Support for RAW and TIFF format
Supports filters and conversion lenses
Hot shoe for external flash
Great continuous shooting mode
Very good movie mode; VGA, 30 fps resolution, zoom can be used during filming
Live histogram in record mode