With a whopping 27-486mm (18x) lens, Panasonic’s FZ28 is as versatile as any other camera out there, and can easily adapt from a wide-angle shot of a sweeping scenic vista, to a zoomed-in close-up of a bird or wild animal passing in the distance. In addition, the FZ28 comes packed with a ton of features, such as fast 2.5fps continuous shooting mode for fast action situations, RAW format capture for more advanced photographers, and even 720p HD video recording.

The FZ28 is a decent low-light performer; high-ISO performance is good, though not quite the best in its class, and its highly effective image stabilization system helps to combat camera shake.

Shutter lag and autofocus performance are also good and should work fine in most situations with good lighting.

As Sony’s flagship ultrazoom camera, the H50 is a highly capable camera that can adapt to many situations, though its featureset doesn’t quite push the envelope like many competitors. Its 31-465mm (15x) lens, while providing a huge zoom range capable of covering most scenes, is neither as wide or as long as other cameras like Canon’s SX10 or Panasonic’s FZ28.

The Sony H50 has slightly above average high ISO ability - while its high ISO images are slightly blotchy, they do a good job of freezing motion without too much noise. The H50 also features an image stabilization system to reduce camera shake.

The H50 has about average shutter lag, so you may have some difficulty precisely timing your shots. The H50 can shoot continuously at 1.6 frames per second, which isn’t particularly fast, but can be a little helpful for taking bursts of shots and choosing the best one afterwards.

At 7 ounces and 1.4 inches thick, the Panasonic TZ4 is a lightweight compared to the other full-size offerings like Canon’s SX10 and Sony’s H50. Despite the compact size, however, the TZ4 is as capable as handling a huge variety of photo situations as well as any other camera on the market. Its 28-280mm (10x) lens doesn’t provide the longest zoom, but is just enough to capture close-ups of wildlife, architectural detail, or fast action sports, and its 28mm wide angle is perfect for cramped interiors or large landscapes or landmarks.

For speed situations, the TZ4 is also one of the fastest-performing cameras around. Shutter lag and autofocus are both above-average, making it a bit easier to precisely time shots as well as track around moving subjects, which is important for unpredictable subjects like kids or pets or sports players. The TZ4 can also shoot at a speedy 3 frames per second, allowing you to fire off a burst of shots and then choose the best one later, which can significantly improve your keeper rate.

The TZ4 does have a weak point though, and that’s low-light performance. The TZ4 does feature an image-stabilized lens to help combat camera shake blur, but its high-ISO quality is just below-average, producing noisy/blotchy images if you want to freeze moving subjects in low-light situations.