I bought this two years ago for taking pictures for my graduation.  I've done thourough research and at the time this seems to be the best "bang for the buck" point and shoot camera in its class.  With a high megapixel and a high number of zoom, I didn't hesitate and bought this to use at my graduation to take clear pictures.  It surely didn't disappoint!  I've enjoyed every moment I've used this camera and am already looking for replacing my memory card because I've taken so many photos with this camera already!  If you like a high number of zoom to take pictures in distance or if you like to take pictures with clarity with a high number of megapixel, then this little camera is the way to go that will also fits your budget while getting whatever you need it done.  Only blemish or a con I can think of is the way when you zoom in too much, in other words, up to the point when you need to activate "digital zoom", then the pictures will definitely take a hit and starts to become blurry. Overall, I will recommend this camera to anyone who wants a budget point-and-shoot camera!

gokou1628

San Gabriel, CA

I am so in love with my camera!!! The hubby bought this for me as a present for my online business, and I must say, it truly makes a difference in the products that I shoot! I absolutely adore it! It captures so much detail, that it sometimes worries me that my customers will see "too much" of not just good things, but also the little blemishes that my products have. It's THAT good that it really captures everything! The beauty of this camera is that you can actually manually change the settings in accordance to your needs. The camera is a little bit on the heavy side, but definitely not as heavy as the cheapest SLR out there. I couldn't really say that it's better than an SLR, but if you are knowledgeable about tinkering with the camera's settings, I say this camera can be at par with an SLR. As an example, I took this camera to a wedding and actually took better photos than the people who brought their chunky SLRs with them. So it's best to equip yourself with camera settings knowledge to get the most out of this equipment :-)

orange4lemon

Torrance, CA

You will be hard pressed to find a better camera, in this price range. it's that simple. Panasonic has built a winner.  From a point and shoot perspective, the ZS5 automates most of the common functions by the use of Intelligent Auto. Photo pros may complain that it doesn't work perfectly, but IA is designed to work with most settings and environments. You will almost always get a better picture by leveraging all of the custom settings. But let's be realistic. People buying a P&S are looking primarily for quick and simple. The IA mode is designed just for that. If you never took the camera off this setting you would most likely still be thrilled with picture quality. For the more adventurous, the ZS5 offers customization options that make entry level DSLR's blush. You can do so much with just a few pushes of the menu settings buttons. It's amazing how much technology made it's way into a consumer level P&S. Given this, the ZS5 is a great camera to grow with. Start out with a basic P&S and eventually move into more advanced photography. When you max out the capabilities of the ZS5 you will be ready for a DSLR.

bjsworld

Veradale, WA

Unbelievable zoom for a point and shoot. No more blurry pictures. Great alternative to a big heavy dslr. Great battery life. This camera has amazing portability which is why i chose it over a dslr. I take pictures of my kids growing up since they are doing it so fast and I love always having it in the purse with me for all of the magical moments. I am also a scrapbooker so i know the importance of pictures to help tell all of our stories.

kcarter209

Modesto, CA