Express Action Sports

I want to get a new mega zoom camera
such as the Pentax X70 or Lumix FZ28k

Both cameras have 20x mega zoom lenses and claim to have fast shutter release times and advanced action and sports features. However, I read one review that said the Pentax ($300) is too slow for shooting sports.

But the Lumix costs ($400) … more than the pentax.

Any suggestions on which camera would be a good choice? Please recommend other brands if you have a mega zoom camera that you use for action and sports photography.

Thanks!!
What is the BEST choice for a non-removeable lens camera. For Air shows and football. I want to replace my ancient Olympus c-2100. I shoot all types of photos
but the most, most, MOST important venue is sports.

1. I am an air show enthusiast and want a camera with a very fast shutter release time and special high speed still photo features.
Is this camera a good choice for shooting high speed objects traveling through the air (jets)? and is it good for shooting sports such as football?

2. I also like to shoot still life and want vibrant natural color. does it deliver?

3. What about low lighting conditions for still photos? Does it do well?

What about shooting outdoor landscapes? does it deliver?

Zooming and taking pictures of the moon? yes or no?
Does it charge on the USB connector?
I prefer AA batteries over ‘power pack’.
Correction to your terms:

"Shutter release" time or "lag" is the same thing. It is the time measured from when the button is pressed to when the shutter actually opens.

Whereas "Exposure time" is the length of time the shutter remains opens during the process of recording a photo. ie. 1/60th, 1/250th, 1/1000th etc.

To answer your first question:

The Nikon D3 or D300, no question.

Lenses?

Court games, the 24-70 mm f/2.8, 70-200 mm f/2.8 and 200-400 mm f/4
Field sports, the 70-200 mm f/2.8, 200-400 mm, 400 mm f/2.8 and 600 mm f/4

As far as your secondary question goes:

Point and shoot cameras will let you down … the reason? Shutter lag. With sports and action, it is important for the cameras shutter to release as soon as you press the release. Even the lowly Nikon D40 with a budget 55-200 mm lens will out perform any P&S camera and for less than $600 with two lenses. For sports and action, it may be that you want to up your budget and get the camera you really want and need.

There is no reason to spend your money twice, once on a compromise camera and second on the camera you need. Be patient and save your pennies

NOTE: "fast shutter release times" means how long the shutter stays open to expose the sensor. 1/4000th of a second is a fast shutter release time and most DLSR’s shoot at least that fast. Fast shutter lag times is different. From the time you press the shutter release until the shutter actuates, is the lag time. P&S cameras shutter lag can be from 0.8 seconds to over 3 seconds depending upon the circumstances. DSLR camera shutter lag time are measured in milliseconds, thus you get nearly instantaneous shutter response.

Of the two listed cameras, the Pentax has the strongest specs. Neither uses AA batteries, but the superior Li-ion batteries. To shoot the moon, the "624 mm" will fill the frame the most.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_post.asp?method=sidebyside&cameras=pentax_x70,panasonic_dmcfz28&show=all

I see how you would interpret shutter release times to mean that. In the old days of mechanical leaf shutters, the times it took for them to fully open and close were sometimes called "release times" especially by those that calibrated them every year for those who used them.