I bought the fz20 based on hydrocruisers recomendation. Got it at www.mpsuperstore.com for $450.00. It should be here tomorrow. Its got very high ratings everywhere I've looked.

http://www.kbcamera.com/leicashop/ca..._73_80_2_27_89

Well Trooper Troutly.... the Leica R 9 system complete goes for around $ 150,000.00+ . You would get both a 35mm and a digital module. The digital module goes for $ 4,995.00 and fits on the $ 3,000.00 camera body. Heck a 100mm f 2.0 ED lens costs $ 6,395.00. A 400-800mm lens goes for $ 9,295 and then an additional $ 6,295.00 for the focus module.

I know a guy who has around $ 120,000.00 into this system. He does Designer fashion shoots @ 10k/half hour in London. You can't begin to compare a 100mm f 2.0 Leica lens that goes for $ 6,395 to anything Nikon or Canon makes. It isn't fair. I had heard some Jap companies have bought them to benchmark their own lenses by. They are that good.

This Leica system is way too expensive for most when a good Jap point and shoot can even do the job. A lens shade for a Leica lens can go for more than what some Jap lenses cost.

No slam intended but Leica rules.

The Leica R 9 system is what they use at Buckingham Palace for crying out loud. Not for lugging around in a car doing photo-journalism.

The Leica R 9 is an Enzo

The Nikon D-70 is a Ford GT

The Panasonic DMC FZ-20 is a Corvette

The FZ-20 just gives the most bang for the buck is all. So for those looking for the most bang for your buck and a huge zoom lens; I did the homework for you. If you want to spend more on the best thing going right now in it's price bracket; Troutly did the work for you. I can't tell the difference between picutres taken with either the Nikon or the Panasonic camera in most instances. But then again I would not want to race a Ford Gt with a Vette either. The question is are you going to race a Ford GT?

Don't get me wrong; the D-70 is worth the extra money if you can or want to spend it.

But I will maintain that the Leica R 9 system is untouchable.

This picture of the Leica R 9 was actually taken with a Leica R 9.

So @ $ 450 ea x 4 = $ 1,800.00

A D-70 with a Nikon Flash and a couple zoom lenses is easilly that much if not more.

So you can buy 4 Panasonic DMC-FZ-20's........

oh forget it....4 Corvettes are not worth a Ferrari ..what am I trying to say?

To those with enough money a D-70 could be a disposable..everything is relative.

...sounds like something a lawyer would say...oh no..

I'm all over the Canon gear.

we throw everything away eventually... i just like the irony of taking pictures of 500k boats with a $2 dollar camera....

i don't know about you, but that pic looks kinda fuzzy for such a high dollar camera....

You mean client..clients..plural would be giving me too much credit.

Will the Canon 1.4x fit the Pano FZM 10??

I bought the 10 the same day they announced the 20 and paid the same price the 20 cost...

The Pano also has a tele lens but it costs $$ 499.00

Sure can.

http://www.b-300.com/fz10ac.html

You just unscrew the lens ring..screw on the PD-55 and then the TL-55 onto the adapter.

The Sony 1.8x is a better/high magnifier lens if you want to spend $ 200.00 but the TL-55 @ $89.00 is fine. The olympus lens on the above site is decent too.

I bought the Canon as it was cheap and I didn't know if doing this would be a good idea. I am very surprised how well it works. My extender on the 35mm camera I had was useless.