Over the weekend, I replaced my two bathroom fans with Panasonic bathroom fans. These are by far the quietest bathroom fans I've ever "heard" (if you're running water, the water drowns out the sound of the fans). I highly recommend them.
There's one thing not mentioned in the installation instructions -- if you're installing the fans over preexisting drywall, they include spacers. It appears that you use the long wood screws through the spacers and into the plastic parts. I cannot see instructions telling you how to use the spacers (although the spacers are listed on the parts list), so this is the only way I could figure out how to do it.
The Panasonic fans I used have lights. The lights are flourescent and I do have to admit that the light is a bit blue and takes a while to get used to.
As an aside, not only did my previous fans vent into the attic, but they vented INTO the insulation. The insulation was black and moldy and disgusting.