Help with unfortunate down grade choice

[whitetailcreek]

Unfortunately I am looking to purchase a new digital camera as my Panasonic DMC-FZ30PP has stopped reading any SD cards. Camera store couldn't give me a real ball park range in repairing it but said it would be over $100.

I took a lot of time before I purchased that camera 5 or 6 years ago and didn't expect to be replacing it so soon. I also am not in a good financial position to be purchasing a camera as to what I would prefer to have therefore will have to give up a couple of features that I really enjoy.

I am really hooked on the Panasonics. I loved that the FZ30PP had such a wonderful zoom and that is something I am not willing to give up as I also have a Panasonic DMC FS3 (not the strength in zoom I need but works well for my daughter). I need something that I can zoom into school functions and auditorium plays and capture facial images. I would also prefer to have MACRO capability but may have to give that up also. I figure I will have to give up being able to manual focus anything and being able to shoot in RAW format as I haven't come across anything that is in my price range.

I have been looking at the Panasonic SZ1 as it does have a 10X optical, a DMC S27 and a DMC ZS15. I figure if I won't see a lot of difference in losing some optical the SZ1 might be able to get me to a better camera when money is better. I could then pass it to my daughter and it would be an upgrade to her current one.

Other than school activities and family photos I use my camera to take many close up shots of flowers.

If I sacrifice my optical zoom what is the plus side of the DMC SZ27 over the DMC SZ1?

Thank you in advance for any help or advice you can give.
A few questions that I have is how much of a difference am I going to find going down to a 10X optical from a 12X optical?

[Ozzie_Traveller]

G'day WTC

I have had an FZ30 for many years, loved it almost to death before passing it onto a beginner when I swapped to another panny camera

I would suggest that you look at the FZ150, just superceded by the FZ200
I would expect to see its price dropping from the $500+ range to the $300+ range while the shops are running out old stock

In the household at the moment we [she] has the FZ100 and it's a magic camera, so the FZ150 should be even better while still being the same sort of size & weight

The FZ30 as I remember is has a 12x Leica zoom which is/was a constant f2,8 maximum aperture thru the zoom range. It also is an extremely sharp lens as well. The new FZ200 also has a constant f2,8 maximum aperture as well, although the zoom range is now 24x

Regards, Phil

[MIMudPuppy]

It's sad when a good camera goes before it's time. I also was interested in the FZ150 but it was out of my budget so I settled for the ZS15 and it's turned out to be a nice little camera so far. I've only had it less than 3 weeks but I'm very pleased. Here are 3 recent photos.

[BBbuilder467]

Adorama had some FZ20's and FZ50's for @$80-$100 a few days ago. I think KEH had some too.