FZ8 now or wait for FZ18

I currently have a Sony DSC-P120 that has served me well.

I would like to upgrade to a power zoom for a holiday in December and was looking to get a FZ8 now to give me a chance to get used to it so I could get the best results.

However, I now see the FZ18 is due out in September. It looks excellent so far and I like the idea of 28mm for panaramic shots that will be useful.

It seems like a no-brainer to wait for the FZ18, but would welcome any opinions.

Thanks

I'll jump in here.

Although the FZ18 is, I believe, meant to "slot" in between the FZ8 and FZ50 I believe it will eat some of the FZ8's sales. Given that, I think we'll see a price drop for that cam very soon. Is money an issue? I think the FZ8 will be between $199-$250 online (US) once the FZ18's released. No evidence, just my belief.

The Fz8's a tiny bit smaller/lighter. Is that something that's important to you?

The FZ18 seems the "better" camera, and judging from the initial images I'd join in with that assumption, but we haven't got any reports of how it handles. Is it slow? How is the focus? the OLY 550 looked good on paper, but those issues seemed to hamper it. The FZ8's a known quantity.

ANd here's something that MIGHT bother you, do you plan an using an apter as protection for that nice lens? There's some question whether this will be possible with the FZ18 without it vignetting at the 288mm end. With the FZ8 there's that lovely pemaraal one. And no vignetting.

(personally I'd wait for the FZ18).

Mark.

Doh!
I meant 28mm NOT 288mm. Sorry.

Thanks for your thoughts. I think that it is worth waiting for the FZ18 reviews before a decision.

If the FZ18 reviews are bad, I will get the FZ8 and it is likely to be cheaper then (although the prices are already very attractive). All I'll miss out on is a month or two of practice.

The FZ18 is starting to look good. I'd wait in your position for more info to come in.

By all means wait. Given the expected initial price of the FZ18 (absolute bargain!) the FZ8 will probably drop quite a bit. If price is a consideration and you don't need the wider range of the FZ18, I'd get the FZ8. But I would still wait for the reviews. I would wait for the reviews on ANY camera, especially one with a new more adventurous lens like the FZ18 will have. I fully expect Leica to maintain their standards as best they can on the FZ18 - but too many people have bough S*ny and C*non and Ol*mpus camera on spec and only after they got them, did they have any idea of how good (not very) some of them were.

The wider angle on the FZ18 is worth the cost and the wait, IMO.

If the FZ18 is released in September and tested at, say the end of October, you still have time to buy one and fully familiarise yourself with it before your holiday in December. The 28mm wide alone is worth the wait. If money really is no object, buy an FZ8 now and if you decide to go FZ18, sell the FZ8 on ebay. If you keep it mint condition with the box, manual et al, you'll lose the thin end of diddly squat, whilst by then being fully au fait with Panasonics menus and idiosyncracies. I've just bought a TZ3 but will have no compunction in selling it to buy an FZ18 if they get good reports. The amount I'll lose will be no more than my golfing friends spend on green fees in the average month. I change digicams for fun!

Thanks for all the replies. I think I'll hold off for the reviews of the FZ18.

Hopefully dpreview will be quick getting their review up - they were with the FZ8.

The more I see from the FZ18, the more I think that Panasonic have thought this one through carefully.

Now, from a bang to buck point of view, if it's value for money you want, by UK standards the FZ8 is already an absolute bargain and may become even more of a bargain once the FZ18 is established.

Panasonic is in an interesting position at the moment - using the TZ3 as their breakout camera, they seem to have gotten themselves a great deal of brand recognition.

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Regards
J