I don’t know a focal plane from an aperture, but I would like a camera that will take photos from indoors with poor lighting to outdoors at higher end of the zoom range and wide angle shots giving good results with few manual adjustments, maybe ISO settings adjustments. These two cameras have some impressive reviews. I like the size of the Panasonic, the 18x zoom and face detection features of the Fugifilm, but these issues aside, which camera would take the best photos?

I used to own a point-and-shoot Pentax that I absolutely loved: I could take closeups, open the aperture to expose an image in very low light, or take landscape shots using the setting that allowed for "far away" focus. All of these options were automated with a turn of a dial, and even my snapshots came out fantastic. The anti-shake feature was automatic too, though it required more skill to take the closeups and the long-exposure shots.

I’m looking for something similar in a digital camera that isn’t an SLR but has some of the benefits. Point and shoot is plenty nice, but my current digital camera has none of those fancy options. Pictures suffer.

I’ve thought a Panasonic Lumix might suit me well. But I’ve wondered about the lack of a viewfinder on many of these cameras. Doesn’t counting on the video screen sap battery power?

Which Lumix would you recommend? Or is there another camera I’m overlooking that might suit my needs and desires? I’ll spend the money for the right item.

Andrew Goodall’s top selling ebook “Photography In Plain English” is a great place to start learning the art and skills of nature photography. Find it at http://www.naturesimage.com.au along with a great collection of Andrew’s landscape and wildlife photography. You can also sign up to the online newsletter for free gifts and tips on photography.FitLine Activize OxyPlus