I plan to get a Panasonic FZ50

a colleague of mine has the smaller sister - I believe the FZ 30.
He is very satisfied with this camera and says when he is doing the upgrade it will be the FZ50...

www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicfz50/

Thanks, that's one of the sources I read to make up my mind...

I'm using the FZ50 for nearly 1 year now. Overall I am quite happy with it. It's one camera for everything but it has disadvantages: It's the small chip, which makes it possible to operate over a wide range with a small optic (I am no specialist but thats what I read). To cover this range, a SLR needs 3 lenses, people say. But the disadvantage lies also here: When there is not sufficient light, the quality goes down (ISO 200 is good, 400 is more or less OK, 800 is a problem). I can live with that, I am not a perfectionalist ;-)
There are also some clear advantages over a SLR: It's the movable display, which is perfect to shoot for example over head or on the ground. Another advantage is for example the possibility to shoot completely noiseless.
The quality (akku and things) and the handling of the camera (for example menu structure) is perfect.
Macro and Zoom works well, the image stabilizer does it's job: You won't need a tripod even though using the 12x zoom.

As I said, I'm not a specialist but I like it and I'm carrying it around with me all the time. I could not do this with a big bag for several lenses and things.

Some tips for additions: a UV filter to protect the lens (when it is slightly damaged, the hole camera can be thrown away. A Macro-lens (for example Raynox DCR-250). It's around 40 €, but the maginification is fantastic :-)

Great info, thanks! One additional question - do you need an adapter to use the macro-lens? I like to shoot macros, so this would definitely be an addition to consider...

With this lens, a clamp adapter is included