Panasonic's 2008 bridge superzoom — 10.1MP CCD, 27-486mm equiv 18x Leica lens, RAW and 720p video.
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28 was a superzoom bridge camera announced in 2008 and released in the UK that August, replacing the DMC-FZ18 in the Lumix line-up. It kept the 18x Leica-branded zoom formula and was succeeded by the FZ38.
It uses a 10.1-megapixel 1/2.33in CCD behind an 18x zoom equivalent to 27-486mm at f/2.8-4.4, with a 1cm macro mode. There is an EVF plus a 2.7in 230k-dot LCD, full PASM control, RAW (RW2) capture alongside JPEG, ISO 100-1600, and 1280x720 30fps HD video. Storage is SD/SDHC plus 50MB internal memory, powered by a CGA-S006 lithium-ion pack.
A strong all-rounder for travel and casual wildlife work, it added HD video and a sharper screen over the FZ18 while staying light at 417g. RAW support gives enthusiasts room to work around the small sensor's aggressive JPEG noise reduction in dimmer light.
When buying used, confirm the CGA-S006 battery still holds charge and the correct charger is included, exercise the full zoom range listening for gear noise, and inspect EVF and LCD for dimness or bleed. CCD-era sensors can show hot pixels on long exposures; a quick dark-frame test is worthwhile. SD/SDHC media remains easy to source.