Not sure if anyone's still reading the thread, but I just purchased an FZ35 and am enjoying it because it's light (and, for family gatherings where someone is always pulling your arm, it will take nice photos in iA
).
I'm also looking into getting the teleconverter for it b/c I do some sports shooting. I've read that it can slow down your autofocus a little, but I think it'll be worth it if your timing's good and you know your sport to get that much closer. (I have a friend with a Canon who shoots sports too and loves his teleconverter.)
And if your concern is camera-shake, the OIS has done a nice job so far for me.
Also, the manual will take more than one read; they do seem to have written it in tech-speak.
But once you decipher it, it does seem to tell you pretty much everything you want to know about the camera. They don't leave anything out.
Enjoy!