I haven't had any problems with mine at all. I cant imagine what black spotting on pics could be from...dirt on the lens? I take good care of my "stuff" and It's amazing to me the way some people treat their cameras (and other electronics) and then complain they don't hold up. I also don't keep the GPS feature on,which is a big drain on the battery.
You will get a better review from a camera magazine/website, than from random folks on Amazon. Here's a review for the Lumix:
http://www.digitalcamerareview...
Each camera probably has it's special features and in this case I really wanted the the wide range it offered (25-300) and I liked the price. (Cheap enough to replace if they come up with something brand new in a couple years that I MUST have
) If you are a Costco member, they refund your money without hassle if you are unhappy with an item for any reason, which is another thing I liked.
Good luck!
