I have a very modest setup. I use a Pansonic Lumix DMC FZ7. It's one of the little "super zooms." I think the Leica lens system is what lets me get away with more than you'd expect from a sub-SLR camera. I've found ways to work around the high noise issue at ISOs of 400 and above---like these tulip shots. I use a tripod, black matte background, low ISOs and very slow shutter speeds. Recently I discovered that I can use f-stops well beyond 2.8 for these close ups, so that adds some depth.
