A bit of a let down compared to Panasonic's earlier models. If they could fix the camera's colour response they'd have a winner on their hands, but as it stands this mode isn't quite up to the high Panasonic standard.

A great advanced camera that offers enthusiasts everything they could want.

A competent entry into the 8 megapixel arena.

While it does have a few things going for it, including a big zoom and comfortable design, the soft edges and colour reproduction issues mean the FZ8 isn't as impressive as it could have been.

This was Sony's first mega-zoom camera, and its combination of lens, price, big LCD, features and build quality, makes it a strong contender in the big-zoom market.

If you desperately need an advanced model with a 12X optical zoom then maybe the H2 is for you, but the poor sharpness level and strange design mean there are probably better choices elsewhere.

A solid advanced ultra-zoom from Sony that takes high quality pictures and offers a variety of advanced functions that should please.

The FZ30 is a joy to take pictures with. If not for the price tag, and the image noise problem, this would be one of our favourites. As it stands, it is a solid entry by Panasonic, and will satisfy most users.

Kodak's EasyShare Z8612 IS has a few things going for it, including a large zoom that is backed up by optical image stabilisation. However, its images exhibit a fair bit of fringing and it can at times be quite slow.

While the FZ50 is a reasonably strong advanced camera, a combination of its size, price tag and issues at high sensitivities mean it is only suited to certain buyers.

A pretty solid advanced camera. It is functional, comfortable, has all the features one could expect, and above average sharpness. It is only let down by overly saturated pictures.

A solid, but not exceptional, advanced ultra-zoom camera, Kodak's Z712 IS offers a big zoom backed up by optical image stabilisation. However, its pictures aren't quite as good as some of the competing models on the market.