With the extended zoom the balloon rising above the fairy chimneys in Cappadoccia is so much more impressive. An extended zoom camera means you can get great photographs of wildlife without having to get so close the animals leave the scene. Think monkeys in the trees of Costa Rica or that bear in Denali park. It is also much less intrusive, allowing for more natural portraits of people if you can photograph them from a distance.
If you can get that same extended zoom lens with a wide angle setting (and you can with the Panasonic Leica) you can get great scenery and group photos too. A wider angle lens means you can capture a larger group while standing close enough to see individual faces. Dedicated hobbyists and professional photographers carry around a tripod and a box of extra $100 lenses to get the close ups and group photos. I am happy relying on a versatile, inexpensive lens, along with the magic of image stabilization to take pictures for my own enjoyment.
Below: Koala 3X zoom and extended zoom -
