“…the FZ7 is a welcome upgrade to an already excellent camera - it offers everything that made the FZ5 so great, and adds a few features, better manual control (via the new joystick) and a refined design. And of course you still get a very reliable image stabilization system and a superb, fast 12x Leica-designed lens.
…
Unfortunately, no matter how good the camera we can’t let the noise issue pass; like the LX1 reviewed late last year the FZ7 exhibits an unacceptable level of noise at all ISO settings, most especially at ISO 200+. For this reason - and this reason alone - the FZ7 misses out on a Highly Recommended; let’s hope Panasonic has a better sensor up its sleeve for the next generation of this otherwise superb camera.”

Wise words from Simon Joinson of DPReview.com in his Panasonic DMC-FZ7 Digital Camera Review