Fz20 Vs Fz30

[MiSh]

I had a fz20 and absolutly LOVED it. BUT my dad managed to leave it in tialand so now he has promised to buy me a new camera and i am deciding wether to either get another FZ20 a fz30 or somthing completly different.
I mainly use it for sandboarding photos so i really enjoyed the burst mode of the 20. is the 30 worth spending the extra for or should i stick with the 20 or get somthing else

[genece]

IMHO the FZ30 is a much improved version of the FZ20....it seems to me the faster ,surer focus would be important to you....get the FZ30.

[jcon]

In situations like this it always comes down to personal prefference. If you were happy with the FZ20 and the results you got, why "upgrade"? Why not get what you had, now, at a much cheaper price and save the extra money, instead of spending the extra money just to get the newer version. Its all up to the buyer though. I just feel if you were happy there is no point in changing.

[genece]

just to point this out ..I was happy with the FZ10, which was why I got a FZ20 that I was just as happy with if not more so.(it was more so). Which is why I got the FZ30 and I am also happy with that move, but maybe someone else may not be....that would be difficult for me to understand but maybe.

[jcon]

Well youre a different breed Gene :p I swear youve got stock in Panasonic or something:p but in all seriousness if there are features on the Z30 that you need(the Z30 does have some nice features), then go for it, if there isnt, than why? Are you going to go out and buy a new computer everytime the new model comes out? All I am saying is why spend the extra money if you dont need too?

[genece]

Point well taken....there are some nice features on the FZ30 but they may mean nothing to some.

[tim11]

Everyone for his/her own but let me post this just for discussion sake. I love the new features of FZ30 but it is just too big for my liking. I'd be very tempting indeed IF FZ30 has the same dimension and weight of FZ20.

[genece]

Everyone for his/her own but let me post this just for discussion sake. I love the new features of FZ30 but it is just too big for my liking. I'd be very tempting indeed IF FZ30 has the same dimension and weight of FZ20.


Thats strange ...I always used a aftermarket adapter on the FZ20 which makes it the same size as the FZ30...if you used the Panasonic adapter on the FZ20 , the FZ20 would be larger.
But the FZ 30 is 5 oz heavier but with the better balance it does not seem heavier to me....I was really suprised to read it is heavier.

[StanStan]

Just ordered a FZ30K from Circuit City for $480.45 [1-800-843-2489].

On site $565.34 less 15% coupon Free shipping [plus state sales tax.]

My new adult toy.

Stan

[mstorie]

I just got my FZ30 last night from Circuit City....

$560 - 15% off coupon - 20% (CC Gift Cards @ 20% discount) = $ 380.00 + tax and free shipping.

Also, dont forget the rebate for the free 512MB SD Card from Panasonic (on Pany's web site).

For that much money, it was a steal, and so far I love it!

[StanStan]

I just got my FZ30 last night from Circuit City....

$560 - 15% off coupon - 20% (CC Gift Cards @ 20% discount) = $ 380.00 + tax and free shipping.

Also, dont forget the rebate for the free 512MB SD Card from Panasonic (on Pany's web site).

For that much money, it was a steal, and so far I love it!


I went to Pana's site and found mention of the 512 rebate but could not find how to apply for it!

CC Gift Card @20% discount???????

Stan

[meagain]

These 2 circuit city deals above make no sense to me. I've been watching CC online for a month and during their 5 hour specials, the price doesn't go below $560-565. There is no additional 15% off (the cameras are marked down UP TO 15% off and is seen in the shopping card), and I've no clue about this 20% off if you use a gift card thing. I used my gift card to pay for it and got nothing extra off.

Can you 2 CC buyers please explain these deals you got?


STAN: Here's the pdf of the rebate form http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/promotions/FSIRebate_FreeSDCard.pdf

[StanStan]

These 2 circuit city deals above make no sense to me. I've been watching CC online for a month and during their 5 hour specials, the price doesn't go below $560-565. There is no additional 15% off (the cameras are marked down UP TO 15% off and is seen in the shopping card), and I've no clue about this 20% off if you use a gift card thing. I used my gift card to pay for it and got nothing extra off.

Can you 2 CC buyers please explain these deals you got?


STAN: Here's the pdf of the rebate form http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/promotions/FSIRebate_FreeSDCard.pdf

Last week I received a mailing from Circuit City of a 100 page circular that had a 10% and a 15% off coupon, good to 12/19/05, on the back cover. [The code is: UZAEXKQAVF but I used it and do not know if it can be used again!!!!.] Called Circuit City at 1-800-843-2448 and they honored the 15% off of $565. Thus the good price. CC adds state sales tax!

Know nothing about the 20% off gift cert!! Wish I knew of it before I bought the FZ30K.

Stan

P.S.: Thanks for the PDF.

[TampaJim]

Circuit City has a 30 day price guarantee. If you find it at any local store or at their store or website cheaper for 30 days, they will give you 110% of that difference back.

[StanStan]

Circuit City has a 30 day price guarantee. If you find it at any local store or at their store or website cheaper for 30 days, they will give you 110% of that difference back.

This is why I like the forums.

I would have never found the 15% off coupon and the five hour sales from Circuit City. Nor would I have found out about the free 512mb SD card from Panasonic without reading about them on this forum. Could not even find the free SD on Pana's site ater being told it was there. Then a post with the URL let me print it out and I do qualify.

Thanks to all for the help

San

[mstorie]

I happen to have a credit card with Providian (now Washinton Mutual) bank. They sponser a program called buysmart (www.mybuysmart.com) for $9.95 per month (you enroll in it) that allows you to purchase gift cards for a number of stores, including circuit city at 80% of their face value. There is a limit (something like $2500 a year), but Target etc are in the program also, and you have to wait about a week two receive the giftcards in the mail (or UPS) after you've purchased them on line (or via phone). You do not have to use the providian credit card to actually purchase the gift cards, but you do have to own the card to join the program. I found out about it because they (providian) called me and offered the service 30 days trial free.

There are other companies that offer giftcards @ 20% discount.

Read this thread on Fatwallet.com for more information:

http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/messageview.php?start=0&catid=24&threadid=468926

The only real pain, is that CC doesnt allow you to use more than four giftcards on-line for one purchase, and the limit for each giftcard is $500 max. Since I received over 20 giftcards in the mail (in $25 denominations) from buysmart, I had to go into a Circuit City store (B&M) and buy new giftcards in larger denominations and pay for them with the $25 ones I received. I then came home with two giftcards and used them online at circuitcity.com to buy the camera.

I received the CC mailer, hence I had the coupon for 15% off total purchase price that was mentioned my StanStan.. (diff code however).

So, without the mailer or frequent visits to forums, you wouldnt have found out about the 15% off coupon. I just happened to get it in the mail. So, I then ordered my giftcards, waited a week to get them, went down to the B&M store to combine the cards into two, came home, ordered the camera online with the coupon and giftcards in hand.

FYI - CC employees at the store where I live were surprised by the number of $25 giftcards I had... twenty five to be exact.