Fz 18 Vs fz 8

[basesloaded190]

Hi all i am new here and im very interested in becoming more into photography. i think a dslr may be too much for me, seeing as though i am really just starting this hobby. i have read here and other places that these two cameras a good cameras for what they offer. i know they aren't dslr's, but are good picture taking cameras. my question is which one would be better for me. i see a lot of people here have the 18, but for 250$ i think the 8k would be a steal. i would like to take nature pictures, and possibly a little sports. if you guys think the 18 is worth the extra $80 or so, please let me know. if you think the 8k is a good camera for a beginner like me for the price, then that is what i will most likely get (thats where im leaning right now). again thanks for all the help!

 

[Rossuziers]

I think the extra $80 is a very small price to pay for the extra reach at both ends of the zoom, no matter what your photographic expertise level... The wider & longer the better, more versatile it'll be for you... Down the line having all that versatility from the start, will have been the best start for your figuring out what focal ranges you end up shooting most & then will make choosing appropriate lenses for any possible future forays into DSR-dom that much easier... Or it could be enough in itself that you never buy another cam should you never get the dreaded DSLR bug... That's not to say the 8 is junk.. It's not, its time has just passed and the savings of $80 is just not that great a deal weighed against all the extra reach on either end of the zoom...
--

The Amateur Formerly Known as 'UZ'pShoot'ERS' 'Happy Shootin' Comments, Critique, Ridicule, Limericks, Jokes, Hi-jackings, EnthUZIastically, Encouraged... I Insist!



* [email protected] * http://www.pbase.com/rrawzz *

 

[basesloaded190]

thanks for the reply. i guess i didn't realize how "old" the 8 is. when it comes down to it, $80 really isn't that much, as i plan on using this for a long time. i knew the better zoom would be a better choice. is this what the consensus is with this? would more people pick the 18 over the 8?

i was looking at prices and found the 18k for 220$ at 86th street photo and video. has anyone bought from them? are they trustworthy?

 

[Rossuziers]

thanks for the reply. i guess i didn't realize how "old" the 8 is.
when it comes down to it, $80 really isn't that much, as i plan on
using this for a long time. i knew the better zoom would be a better
choice. is this what the consensus is with this? would more people
pick the 18 over the 8?

Give it time, I'm sure more will reply & you'll get your own private consensus... I own neither & never will but that has nothing to do with focal range.. @ the turn of the century, when I was looking for my 1st cam, I would've been all over the Fz18..

There's currently only one cam available today that meets my requirements, despite being shorter on both ends of the zoom & I have both versions of that already & am set for quite some time....
--

The Amateur Formerly Known as 'UZ'pShoot'ERS' 'Happy Shootin' Comments, Critique, Ridicule, Limericks, Jokes, Hi-jackings, EnthUZIastically, Encouraged... I Insist!



* [email protected] * http://www.pbase.com/rrawzz *

 

[Boston5]

basesloaded190 wrote:
if you think the 8k is a good camera for a beginner like me for

the price, then that is what i will most likely get (thats where im
leaning right now). again thanks for all the help!

I was a beginner like you about 10 months ago and I got the FZ8. (I say the same thing everytime someone asks this question LOL) but I love my FZ8, and it is the camera I learned on and am still learning on. For the money, I don't think there's a better camera on the market today. Twelve times zoom is nothing to sneeze at.....it's awesome! BUT, with the FZ18 you will get even more zoom and a wider angle. If 80 dollars isn't much to you, than I would get the 18. If money is tight, then you will not be disappointed with the FZ8. It's a wonderful camera.
Good luck with your decision. You've picked 2 awesome cameras to choose from.
Carol

 

[basesloaded190]

If 80 dollars isn't much to you, than I would get the 18. If
money is tight, then you will not be disappointed with the FZ8. It's
a wonderful camera.
Good luck with your decision. You've picked 2 awesome cameras to
choose from.
Carol

thanks for your help. i think im going to see what kind of tax return money i will get and if its good enough the 18 will be my choice. im going to to denver in a month and would love to have it by then to take it with me on my trip!

 

[mikemarshall]

I'll probably get a lot of flak for saying this but looking at the images from both cams here over a period of months, the better IQ is arguable. Even though the FZ18 is the one causing the buzz at the moment, we've seen some awfully nice pics from the FZ8.

Couple of things to keep in mind:

-- The FZ8 has only been available since March, 2007. That's less than a year. When you look around at what else is available -- apples to apples, name your manufacturer -- I don't think the FZ8's "time has just passed." That really cracked me up. To paraphrase a famous man, if you can find a better camera (again, apples to apples), buy it.

-- A longer zoom range and more MP doesn't necessarily guarantee better IQ, especially when the sensor is the same size.

-- The FZ8's telephoto end can be extended by dropping down to one of the EZ settings.

-- The 800-pound gorilla in the room is the FZ18's blue band problem. Unless you plan to keep the camera for a long period of time and possibly have to work around a potential flaw, you may not get your money's worth. Who'd buy a used FZ18? Not me. Don't need the aggravation.

My wife has the FZ8. It's_a_great_little_cam.

mike - FZ50

 

[Rossuziers]

I'll probably get a lot of flak for saying this but looking at the
images from both cams here over a period of months, the better IQ is
arguable. Even though the FZ18 is the one causing the buzz at the
moment, we've seen some awfully nice pics from the FZ8.

I never typed differently & that wasn't my point at all.. I never typed it sucked... It's just unfortunate that Oly & Fuji forced Panys hand in upgrading it...

Couple of things to keep in mind:

-- The FZ8 has only been available since March, 2007. That's less
than a year. When you look around at what else is available -- apples
to apples, name your manufacturer -- I don't think the FZ8's "time
has just passed." That really cracked me up.

Its time has past just like the Fz30s has or any other cam that gets upgraded & the $80 diff just ain't enough of a savings considering the added versatility of the lens on the 18.

To paraphrase a famous
man, if you can find a better camera (again, apples to apples), buy
it.

Apples to apples, the only cam that's better is the 18 specifically due to the added zoom range, that's well worth an extra $80.. Hell many think the same of the 18 compared to both the 30 & 50 too, just because of the added zoom & WA....

-- A longer zoom range and more MP doesn't necessarily guarantee
better IQ, especially when the sensor is the same size.

Sorry with the IQ being as close as the two are, the only reason the 18 appeals is for the extra zoom at both ends...

-- The FZ8's telephoto end can be extended by dropping down to one of
the EZ settings.

Yes & do the same with the 18 & the point is lost to the 18 again, not to mention higher ISO capability which may even be handled better than the 50...

-- The 800-pound gorilla in the room is the FZ18's blue band problem.
Unless you plan to keep the camera for a long period of time and
possibly have to work around a potential flaw, you may not get your
money's worth. Who'd buy a used FZ18? Not me. Don't need the
aggravation.

Yup this Blue-Band is the strongest argument in favor of the 8 & I keep forgetting about it because aside from the specific low-light instances where it rears its ugly head, we never see much of it in anything but specific tests to reveal it... I've yet to see it in an outdoor shot & Pany's starting to repair it, plus there's a chance of it not being in every one so may never be a problem for those lucky enough to get a good one...

My wife has the FZ8. It's_a_great_little_cam.

Whos time has past but still will perform excellently for years to come...

mike - FZ50

There are those that hold the same opinion regarding the 30 vs the 50... I now own both & sorry but the 50 gets the slight edge & id doesn't even have any zoom edge other than a little more in the EZmode & that's only a minor plus... Plus the 50 was $100 bucks cheaper than the 30 out of the gate & is a downright bargain @ current prices....
--

The Amateur Formerly Known as 'UZ'pShoot'ERS' 'Happy Shootin' Comments, Critique, Ridicule, Limericks, Jokes, Hi-jackings, EnthUZIastically, Encouraged... I Insist!



* [email protected] * http://www.pbase.com/rrawzz *

 

[basesloaded190]

well it sounds like there could be some problems, but not a for sure thing. i guess i just want to get whats new out there so i can have this for a while and not feel as though my camera will be obsolete within a year or so. i know technology changes so fast that something new and better will come out next year. again i found the camera for $220 form 86th street video and photo website and about $310 on another. if i can get the 18 for $220 then there is not question what ill buy

 

[noway1]

My FZ18 came with a free blue band. I took it back and got an FZ8 and had money left over for some fun stuff.

 

[krdvg]

DONT buy from 86th street whatever photo. Always buy from reliable sellers like amazon, vanns, b&h etc. There are many scam sites like 86th, broadwayphoto, photoconnection etc etc. DONT EVER buy from them!! Check out the site resellerratings.com to know bout sellers. 86th has like 0.1/10 rating.

BTW, I have an FZ8, bought in sept and its a great cam. Havent used the FZ18 yet though.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kedargujar/

 

[basesloaded190]

i knew it looked sketchy, but i wasn't sure. if i were going to buy it online, amazon would be the place i would. i buy almost everything online from them. still undecided though as to what i want...

 

[coxnet]

I am also new at this great hobby. I chose the FZ18 for the Zoom and Macro abilities. I have found that this is a great camera for me as it gives me a plethera of manual settings to play with. The only thing it does not have that I would like is the DSLR type of focus. I don't know if I am just lucky but no blue band on this one. If that is a concern buy it a COSTCO; they have a 90 day return policy (no questions asked). I was also undecided and actually started with a SD750 P&S. After 6 weeks decided that it would not do what I wanted. Returned it and got an SD950is. That was a good camera. After a month or so one of the sales people came to me (I am an optician in COSTCO) and showed me the FZ18 he had gotten. Thats all it took. I again returned my camera and got the FZ18. So if you are not sure, give COSTCO a visit. You will have 3 months to decide if this is the camera for you.

Alan

 

[basesloaded190]

unfortunately i have no costco near me. the only place that would see it with a good return policy would be circuit city. i would have to check around my local camera shops to see if they sell it and what their return policy is. i would not want to buy something then have to send it in to get it fixed or return it because it doesn't work right. im at college and really don't have the resources to do that when im not at home.

 

[Rossuziers]

Vanns is reputable & an Fz18 pricegrabber search brought Vanns up as the 2nd cheapest @ $329.99... The cheapest being $329.90...

The same search for the 8 is $100 cheaper give or take a few dollars with Amazon being one of the top few choices... Who knows what another search engine might bring...

BluBand issue aside, I still think that whopper lens is the most versatile major plus that's worth the price difference... And it's the best of the 3 18x cams...

I have to augment my cam with extra glass to achieve the same WA to tele zoom but that's all a small price to pay not to have to wait on a motorized zoom & a Pinoccio extending lens....

What can I say? I'm jealous of that reach but only to a certain point.... If I wasn't so anal about the rigid barrel with rings, I'm not sure how I'd let the bluband issue effect my choice....

But all I know is regardless if Fz8, 18 or 30 or 50... IQ that they've all had posted here is the least of the worries between choosing one over the others & if the 18s that are in Panys hands right now getting the BB fixed solves that issue.. With the exception of having the inconvenience of sending the cam in, that point will be moot...
Good luck!
--

The Amateur Formerly Known as 'UZ'pShoot'ERS' 'Happy Shootin' Comments, Critique, Ridicule, Limericks, Jokes, Hi-jackings, EnthUZIastically, Encouraged... I Insist!



* [email protected] * http://www.pbase.com/rrawzz *

 

[Marty4650]

When shopping for a camera, go FIRST to Amazon.com. Or try B&H.com. Both are reputable and sell at fair prices.

Make that price your benchmark.

You can probably beat that price by a little, but if you find a price MUCH lower, then start worrying. Go to resellersratings.com and check out the vendor. If the price seems like a great deal, it just may be another bait and switch scam. The ratings will tell the whole story. But if the seller has good ratings, then you might have found a better deal. But like the old saying goes, "if it looks too good to be true, then it probably isn't true."

Where you can sometimes find a deal is on closeouts and mega sales, but ONLY buy from REPUTABLE dealers!

Sometimes, if you gamble to save $10, you can end up with a lot of grief, and headaches with trying to get a charge reversed on your credit card.

Personally, I will ALWAYS pay a few bucks more for the peace of mind of knowing the camera will actually ship, than having to cross my fingers and hope it arrives.
--
Marty
Panasonic FZ7, FZ20, FZ30, LX2
Olympus C4000, C7000

 

[mikemarshall]

I'll probably get a lot of flak for saying this but looking at the
images from both cams here over a period of months, the better IQ is
arguable. Even though the FZ18 is the one causing the buzz at the
moment, we've seen some awfully nice pics from the FZ8.

I never typed differently & that wasn't my point at all.. I never typed it sucked... It's just unfortunate that Oly & Fuji forced Panys hand in upgrading it...

No, no. What I wrote there was just a general observation. Wasn't aimed at you or anyone else specifically...I'm not sure the FZ18 is a FZ8 upgrade because there's a possibility that they are aimed at two distinct, although closely-related, buyers. If there's no FZ9, we'll get the definitive answer???

Apples to apples, the only cam that's better is the 18 specifically due to the added zoom range, that's well worth an extra $80.. Hell many think the same of the 18 compared to both the 30 & 50 too, just because of the added zoom & WA....

Not necessarily worth the extra $80 to someone not looking for the added zoom range, though, right?

As a FZ50 owner, the only things that appealed in the FZ18 was the additional WA and the fact that the picture adjustments range from -2 to +2. Not enough to make me want to give up on the FZ50, just to have something newer.

If the FZ30 were the camera of choice when I bought my first digital, I doubt that I would have upgraded to the FZ50. Not enough reasons, but that's coming from a guy who used the same film SLR and three primes for 30 years without feeling limited.
It all comes down to what's important to each of us.

Yup this Blue-Band is the strongest argument in favor of the 8 & I keep forgetting about it because aside from the specific low-light instances where it rears its ugly head, we never see much of it in anything but specific tests to reveal it... I've yet to see it in an outdoor shot & Pany's starting to repair it, plus there's a chance of it not being in every one so may never be a problem for those lucky enough to get a good one...

If I want to gamble, we'll go to the casino in Niagara Falls. ;-)
Given the choice, I'll go with the cam that has no apparent issues.

My wife has the FZ8. It's_a_great_little_cam.

Whos time has past but still will perform excellently for years to come...

Which makes my point. As long as it keeps working, there's no degradation in the results it produces. We may disagree but the FZ8 is still very much of its time.

 

[basesloaded190]

i guess im leaning more back to the 8. if anyone has an idea of if or when the fz19 would be released then i would consider waiting for that. i don't want to wait till fall this year, but if it might come out late spring or early summer than i would just wait for that. if its not coming out till after that, then i think i might just go with the 8.