Superzoom/Bridge type cameras

[cell]

I'm in the market for a new superzoom bridge type camera to replace my Olympus SP500UZ, I've homed in on the Panasonic Lumix FZ38 but has any one any other ideas or views? I had looked at the new Nikon P100 but the write ups seems to indicate that picture quality is not great which seems a bit of a disadvantage!

Price limit is £300, it needs to be reasonably light and small (should fit in a jacket pocket), good at macros, have a fast time between pressing the button and it taking a picture (focus time?, my Olympus seems really slow) and I'm not that fussed with video but I like the RAW option.

Any advice welcomed!

[Bankie Boy]

Hi Cell, I am also looking to enter the digital age and think a bridge camera is the way to go for me. I am considering the Fuji Finepix-s200exr. Like you I would appreciate the advice on the subject.

[droschke7]

my "other" Camera is a Finepix S8100fd and they are great Camera's. They have an 18x Zoom, Macro setting, Super Macro Setting, they take video with sound (my Nikon D3000 at over twice the price wont record sound to video) and they are for sale at Jessops for £179 Check it out. There is also a Fujifilm digital that has a 30x Zoom on it but it is over £300 new. Try the Merchant city Camera shop they have secong hand Camera's and equipment

[cell]

I looked at the F200EXR but was put off by the size and the weight, it also has a manual zoom making it more like a small dSLR, for me size really matters so I'd crossed that one off my list however there a plently of reviews that says it's a good camera. The EXR sensor gets very good write ups especially for low light conditions. Thanks droschke7, the Fuji looks good but it's getting on a bit (I know 2 years is hardly old!) and I wanted to push the boat out over my existing camera. I see Jessops has the FZ38 at £250 which is about the same price as many of the bigger internet shops, being an old cynic I like to buy my electronics from the high street so they can be returned easily if anything goes wrong!