The 7.2-megapixel Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8 fits between the 6-megapixel FZ7 and the 10.1-megapixel FZ50 in the company’s line of ultra-zoom digital cameras. It comes at a time when the ultra-zoom market is rapidly expanding; point-and-shooters are growing tired of 3x lenses and are looking for a more serious camera. The 7.2-megapixel FZ8 fills that need with its 12x optical zoom lens and image stabilization system.
 
The FZ8’s long lens has an optical image stabilization system that reduces blur in images caused by shaking hands. The stabilized 12x lens isn’t entirely unique though. The Canon PowerShot S3 IS and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H5 also have 12x lenses with image stabilization. The FZ8 provides more reliable autofocus throughout its zoom range, but it isn’t functional while recording video like the Canon and Sony models.
 
Because the zoom lens doesn’t work in Movie mode, the Panasonic FZ8 won’t make a great hybrid digital camera, so don’t plan to replace your camcorder with it. It still records television-quality video with 640 x 480 and 320 x 240-pixel resolution at 30 frames per second (fps) and even shoots widescreen movies, but you will miss the 12x optical zoom when recording your daughter’s ballet recital from a balcony seat. The Canon S3 and Sony H5 have functional 12x lenses in Movie mode, and the Olympus SP-550's zoom functions if the audio is turned off.
 
The FZ8 won’t cater to camcorder-lovers, but has a little something for everyone else. Manual and Priority modes for advanced photographers, and 21 Scene modes and a “Simple” mode for beginners. If you like to control every aspect of the picture, this is a good camera to have. The ISO sensitivity can be set up to 1250 and there are a vast number of white balance presets, two Custom modes, and an adjustment scale to make the image more red or blue. The camera’s interface is intuitive, which makes it very easy to use.
 
The zoom lens is the FZ8's lead feature, but there are several other solid components. The LCD screen measures 2.5 inches, has decent resolution at 207,000 pixels, and comes with Power LCD and High Angle LCD modes to make viewing easier when shooting in sunny conditions or holding the camera above the head. There is also an electronic viewfinder that is adequately sized at 0.44 inches; a diopter control adjusts the viewfinder to match the particular user's vision. The pop-up flash has to be manually opened. It evenly lights the frame and is effective to almost 20 feet. This is better than the Olympus SP-550's flash that can't even reach 15 feet.
 
The Panasonic FZ8 measures 4.43 x 2.84 x 3.11 inches and weighs a mere 12.6 ounces fully loaded with an SD card and rechargeable battery. The camera body may have solid components, but it is still constructed from light plastic. The body is SLR-shaped with a comfortable hand grip and a wide lens barrel. This makes handling the FZ8 a breeze, but it won’t fit in your pocket and will need a carrying case. 
 
The FZ8 comes with a lens adapter and hood that are nice for shading the lens on sunny days and gives the camera a sophisticated look. A decent amount of software is included with the camera too; there is even a program that edits RAW files from the camera.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8 has a lot of great features, comes with some nice perks, and has a decent $349 retail price tag. It won’t be a good fit for photographers who want to record video often, but will be great for just about everyone else.