realize most of you guys are using DSLRs, but a few of us are still in point and shoot land and the Panasonic FZ20 has achieved a great deal of praise. A lot of folks eagerly awaited the next generation to that line which resulted in the 8mp FZ30. The review basically kills it for me and definitely pushes me into DSLR land:<ul><li><a href="http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/panasonic/dmc_fz30-review/index.shtml">DC Resource FZ30 Review</a></li></ul>

I just skimmed a bit of it. Seems like a lot of small improvements, but two big drawbacks...the variable aperture and poor high ISO performance. We know the FZ20 had a fixed aperture...how was it's high ISO performance? I'm just wondering if Panasonic lost something moving to the new sensor, or whether they just aren't keeping up with the Jones'.

... depending on conditions.

A fellow co-worker and photog has the FZ20, as he wanted a long fixed-lens setup in as compact a form factor as possible, and overally really likes it. However, he admits to what most reviewers point out is its biggest downside ... noise at anything over 100 ISO. He claims it is good up to 200, but output at that ISO is about what one would expect from ISO 800+ on a 20D. No comparison.

The fixed aperature across all 12x optical range is quite nice though. I shout a few using my buddy's FZ20 at a spring Training game. While it performed okay, slow shutter reaction, the EVF and toy-like feeling (plastic + lightweight) would keep me from chosing one over, say, the new offering from Sony (5mp 12x optical with builtin IS) or Canon's S2 (same spec).

(because it's not Scottish - hyuk hyuk)

It's still a good sized jump from something like these to a dslr. Plus, to compare them to a dslr is a bit of a leap - considering the price of a prosumer P&amp;S is still a fraction of the price of an entry level dslr body + lenses that cover the same range as the P&amp;S (albeit waaaaay better of coure).