Advise on a new camera

I have a nikky D50 with three lenses but after seeing the results from a friend using the Olympus dmc FZ I wish I had saved my dosh !!

So I bought an FZ8 anyway, It was a snip at �£179
and 12x optical zoom!!

 

Can the FZ8 increase 12x to 16x extra zoom as the FZ7 can? if it can it might be worth trying it as all pics of the birds and seals I took in the Farne Islands (seach 'Farnetastic' place) were with the 16x ez and on 6x4 prints are still very sharp even though the mp rate is reduced from 7 to 3.

 

I'm having a bit of trouble with my new camera
PANASONIC DMC-FZ8(K) 7.2MP DIGITAL CAMERA 48XZOOM
I can't seem to take good close ups.
Can someone please suggest what setting is should be on.
Or what i'm doing wrong.
I am only getting about 2 out of 10 photos not blurred.
And even some of those are not very good.
It's on the close up one macro
And the hand shake.

 

The instructions on mine Lyn,(FZ7) tell you to use the close-up mode but stand three metres or so away and use the tele. I have found really close close-ups (macro) more difficult than previous cameras but it may just need more experimenting with.
Woo I wasn't sure whether the extra zoom would affect enlargements as the 16x pushed the mp down to 3, but I needn't have worried as I have just had some 10x8in enlargements done and the are very good, no noticeable graininess so I'm happy.