To anyone thinking about buying a new digital.

bullwidgeon · Feb 8, 2003

I just went through the process of comparing, shopping and finally buying a digital camera (It hasn't even been delivered yet) in order to take some pictures of deer, bears, fish and general scenery. I found out that what I really wanted (A highpowered optical zoom, image stabilized lens camera that no one currently offers) is supposedly coming out next month. Panasonic is supposed to be coming out with a 2.1 MP camera with a Leica 12x optical Image Stabilized lens later this month and the MSRP should only be around $449. I wish I would have known about this earlier before I ordered the Nikon that I already ordered....I guess I can always put the Nikon on E-bay if I dont like it and try to get my grubby paws on the new Panasonic if need be. I just thought I would try to warn people who may have been looking at digital like I have been for awhile now. I wish I would have known about the Panasonic a few days ago, I would have waited.

Bret M.

P.S. No, I don't work for Panasonic!

WesternKS · Feb 9, 2003

Where'd you hear about the Panasonic?? Any info on the web?

I've been wanting a IS Big Zoomer as well.

Thanks!

kilowatt · Feb 9, 2003

Bret,

If you ordered the camera from Cabela's just send it back and wait for the Panasonic.

Brian

_droptine_ · Feb 9, 2003

Here is a link to some info about the the Panasonic camera that bullwidgeon is talking about:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0209/02092905panasonicfz1.asp

Lots of good camera info on this site as well.

_droptine_

bullwidgeon · Feb 9, 2003

I read about it on www.dpreview.com as the link above indicates and also read about it on another couple of pages. WWW.cnet.com was one of them. The camera should be out by the end of the month and looks to be every bit as good as the current standard for digital wildlife photography, the Olympus 2100 UZ that is now discontinued. Unfortunately I ordered from an online camera shop, but I will see what kind of pictures I can get with the Nikon and homemade bino adapter that i plan to make before I make any more hasty decisions. Javalina season is next week and the coues deer are still rutted so we will see what kind of pics I can get. Good luck guys

Bret M.

BuckSnort · Feb 9, 2003

I am glad that I got the 2100 while I could.I just can't uderstand why the newer UZ models don't have IS.You would think that the newer models would have this very important feature.

I have heard that Olympus has a new model coming out with 10X optical zoom and alot of mega pixels,hopefuly it will have IS.

_droptine_ · Feb 10, 2003

BuckSnort,
I have wondered the same thing. I also wondered why they quit making the 2100 when it was selling very well and everyone liked it. I do have a conspiracy theory as to why they killed the 2100 and didn't put the IS in their other models. The 2100 with IS sold so well that it undercut their sales of their other models that they had already produced. They had to kill it so that they could sell their inventory of other models.

Everyone that I have shown my 2100 and the pictures it takes and when I told them what I paid for it, they immediately want one. Some of these people are just those who want a point and shoot. If this new one from Panasonic has good picture quality and is comparable in price to what the 2100 sold for then they will sell like hotcakes!

_droptine_

spectr17 · Feb 11, 2003

bullwidgeon

Just to maybe save you some heartache, you might want to check out that online camera store you bought your camera from at http://www.resellerratings.com/index.html

Many of the rip off online camera stores suck you in with a low price but they don't have the camera in stock and it may be weeks or months before you get your camera despite what the slimey phone sales person told you.

I wish I had know the Oly 2100 and B300 tele lenses were going to be discontinued, I could have cornered the market. Instead I just bought one each.

~spectr17

http://www.jesseshuntingpage.com/forums/