Help me select a compact digital camera

[Moley]

Next month I'll be getting a company award but it won't be a lamp in a fishnet stocking. Likely I'll get to select a digital camera and pay any extra over the value of the award. I'm looking at two cameras that seem to be well suited to my limited abilities and the size that would be nice for travel.

1. The Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1.941 This seems to be my favorite unless you know something I'm not thinking about. It has good features for the price and the video seems doable for me. I have read that battery life is not as good as other brands and it has some grainy video or photos in low light. Obviously these gripers have never seen the best of my blurry pics. :lol:

2. Another to consider is the Sony Cybershot. 942 I think this one is the DSC-W290. It doesn't make me love it as much as the Lumix but it gets great ratings.

What do you camera buffs think? Both those are within the 'major award' range and both seem easily used by a non-camera buff. Thanks for the input!

[Robin]

When I asked for my niece in January, Lisa had recommended a few Canon cameras. While the salesman was trying to talk my niece into a cute pink camera, I convinced her to get the Canon.

When looking at features, the more mega pixels the sharper. I think 10 or 12 is easy to find these days.

Image stabilizer is a must. As we get older, the hands get less steady.

I love a zoom. The more zoom the better, IMHO. How much zoom depends on your budget.

Canon site: http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=MultiMiscPageAct&key=PS_Advantage_IQ&fcategoryid=113

Even if you don't want a Canon, you can see what options you want in a camera.

ETA: If I dropped my camera, this is the one I would get. It takes AA batteries so you can either bring rechargeable or use regular batteries in emergency.
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=144&modelid=19211#ModelTechSpecsAct

[Tagrel]

I have to say I loved my Lumix and it was a great camera. But I'm not familiar with either of these two cameras... I'd find a review site and see what the owners of each think.

[OhMickeyYoureSoFine]

This shows a side by side comparison:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_post.asp?method=sidebyside&cameras=panasonic_dmczr1%2Csony_dscw290&show=all (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_post.asp?method=sidebyside&cameras=panasonic_dmczr1%2Csony_dscw290&show=all)

The sony 290 got some bad reviews for image quality. advantage panasonic.
example: http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/sony/dsc_w290-review/compare

For a travel camera I find the widest angle setting to be incredibly useful.
I chose my current camera based on the wide angle setting and image quality.
The panasonic has 25mm vs 28mm for the sony (big advantage for panasonic). Doesn't sound like much but can make a huge diff. Also has more on the max zoom side too. But it costs $50+ more.

These cameras aren't so good for low light and have weak flash.
Good tradeoff for how compact and cheap they are though!

They're both supposedly coming out with new versions very soon so you could look at those or get a bargain on the old ones.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/1001/10010701sonyhx5w380s2100tx7.asp

http://www.dpreview.com/news/1001/10010609panasonicdmcfs11fs10.asp

http://www.dpreview.com/news/1001/10010611panasonicdmcfs33fs30.asp


This is my current camera, panasonic lx3, I am so in love. Oooh la la!

http://www.letsgodigital.org/images/artikelen/38/panasonic-lumix-dmc-lx3.jpg

All these shots are max wide angle

http://tagrel.com/photopost/data/513/tag20.jpg

http://tagrel.com/photopost/data/513/tag8.jpg
http://tagrel.com/photopost/data/513/tag10.jpg
http://tagrel.com/photopost/data/500/P1000155a.jpg

[Moley]

Thank you, Oh Mickey! Those photos are so beautiful, too.

[KatEnigma]

I love my Lumix too. It was the compromise camera DH and I got that was "small and portable" but also took good pictures. The only thing I find inconvenient is that the battery doesn't charge IN the phone. You have to pop it out and put it in the tiny wall charger. I'm always afraid something is going to get lost that way, but maybe that's just me. :oops:

I played around with the Zoom, when we first got it. :D

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj94/katenigma00/Camera%20Test/th_hillview.jpg (http://s270.photobucket.com/albums/jj94/katenigma00/Camera%20Test/?action=view&current=hillview.jpg)

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj94/katenigma00/Camera%20Test/th_viewfromstoop2.jpg (http://s270.photobucket.com/albums/jj94/katenigma00/Camera%20Test/?action=view&current=viewfromstoop2.jpg)

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj94/katenigma00/Camera%20Test/th_rosesclose.jpg (http://s270.photobucket.com/albums/jj94/katenigma00/Camera%20Test/?action=view&current=rosesclose.jpg)

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj94/katenigma00/Camera%20Test/th_rosebushfar.jpg (http://s270.photobucket.com/albums/jj94/katenigma00/Camera%20Test/?action=view&current=rosebushfar.jpg)

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj94/katenigma00/Camera%20Test/th_poppy_near.jpg (http://s270.photobucket.com/albums/jj94/katenigma00/Camera%20Test/?action=view&current=poppy_near.jpg)

http://i270.photobucket.com/albums/jj94/katenigma00/Camera%20Test/th_poppy_far.jpg (http://s270.photobucket.com/albums/jj94/katenigma00/Camera%20Test/?action=view&current=poppy_far.jpg)