Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ8K (black)

Pros: Most settings available on camera without going into the menus. Fast and accurate auto-focus. Excellent electronic viewfinder. RAW mode. Excellent Leica ZOOM !

Cons: Large lens hood detracts from compactness (I don't use it).

Summary: The CNET reviewer's negative comments were not surprising, but don't be fooled by the negative spin about image quality. If you are looking for a point & shoot for quick family snaps and don't care to learn much about photography or the camera, then I would say look elsewhere. The image quality is excellent for this class of camera and once you actually learn to use the quickly accessable image controls, it can produce excellent results. The new electronic viewfinder is quite useable, not at all as bad as I expected. Fast in real-world use and extremely compact for this class of compact zoom, light and easy to carry around all day.