Olympus SP-560 UZ vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ18

[shadowcat]

I need major input from anyone out there who has either of these cameras. and, especially if you also looked at both: why you chose the one you did.
They are both the same price so that's out of the equation.
A couple other things if anyone has input on:
1. Per DPreview; the olympus drawback is that unless you used their brand of xd card you can't take panaromic shots. i don't know why this is but it is brought out in their discussion2.

2. how big a drawback is using a battery pack vs AA rechargeable batteries?

3. xd vs sd card: any drawbacks (besides the one noted re the Olympus). What are the differences or benefits.

So there you have it. These 2 cameras are running neck & neck but then they don't have much competition in the 18x range. To toss something else into the mix - I was also considering the Sony DSC H-9 & Canon Powershot S5-IS.
My digital just crapped out on me so I need to replace ASAP you help is really appreciated.

[Photo-John]

I just got the Olympus SP-560 in for review. My initial impressions of the camera are very good. Image quality is great at low ISO settings and the super long zoom with image stabilization works really well. One of the first things I noticed about the Olympus was the feel of the camera. In spite of being a small camera, it feels built better than other super zooms I've used in the past. I'm not sure if it actually is built better, but it feels like it is.

I haven't used the Panasonic FZ18. But I have always like Panasonic digital cameras. They were the first company to incorporate image stabilization into all of their cameras and I love them for that. I have been starting to winder whether the sensor-level image stabilization might be better than lens-based systems. I haven't been able to do a comparison. But since the sensor is smaller and lighter than lens elements, it makes sense that it might be more accurate and efficient.

Canon and Sony almost always have better image quality than Panasonic and Olympus. The Sony super zooms have had some problems with the shutter release buttons failing. I'm not sure if the H9 has that problem. But if you check the reviews there are enough complaint about shutter release problems that you know it's not a random problem.

The Canon S5-IS is the latest in a long line of Canon SX-IS compact digital cameras. They've been among the most popular cameras on this site and for good reason. The lenses, image stabilization, image quality, and controls make them very powerful cameras. And they've been proven over the years. I think that Canon almost always has the best image quality with their compact digital cameras, though.

So there's some more information for you. Right now I am liking the Olympus. But it's probably because I have it right here in front of me. I haven't really tested it. So far I've taken a few photos and done our studio test shots. They will be posted in our Digital Camera Sample Photos section, shortly. Based on what you said, I think you should stick with either the Olympus or the Panasonic. We don't have user reviews for either camera yet. But here's a page that compares the specs of both cameras:

Olympus SP-560 vs Panasonic FZ-18 >>

The main differences I see are the Olympus has a slightly wider lens (one millimeter), higher ISO settings (up to ISO 6400), and a higher resolution LCD. Like I said, I haven't used the Panasonic. But looking at the studio tests I shot, the Olympus has useable ISO settings up to ISO 800 or 1600, depending on your subject and what you consider acceptable. There's noise, sure. But I would happily use those settings if the need arose. The last Panasonic camera I used much was the Lumix-TZ3. I thought it was a very nice camera and the image quality was very nice, for a compact camera. The photographer who did our expert review gave it very positive marks. Here's a link to that review. You can check the sample images from the TZ3 to get an idea of what the image quality from the FZ18 will be like:

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3 Pro Review >>

I hope this helps give you some more direction. I'm sure you'll have more questions. I'll check back and see if I can offer some more help.