5MP+ P&S Recommeded Cameras? Are there Any?

I am looking for a 5mp or better P&S camera with Very Good image

quality. Lately I hear horrible things about the Sony offerings, ok

things about Canon and varied comments about the others.

 

I need a fairly compact camera to take along on business trips and

field meetings. Also, it will be used for family snaps.

 

I would like educated opinions based on image quality and

functionality. No just "I bought this puppy yesterday and it is the

best thing since my granfather bought his first toaster."

 

Thanks folks.

You will find the search function on this site quite helpful. This question has been asked an awful lot recently. Here are a few examples:

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00CiKk&unified_p=1

 

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a-fetch-msg?msg_id=00DESv

 

Also check the sites that are dedicated to this very question. For example:

 

http://photo.askey.net/

 

http://www.imaging-resource.com/

 

http://www.steves-digicams.com/default.htm

 

Perhaps that will help you can narrow things down a bit.

I'd go for the Olympus 7070. (or 5060, if you can still get one) Image quality is as good as any in it's class and unlike most, they have a true 28mm (equivalent) wide angle. (most stop at 35mm) And as one of the links above points out, in the right hands they are good enough quality to be published in major publications.

 

I'd buy one if I knew I'd actualy use it enough, alongside my E-1. (with which they shares the same batteries, flash system and memory cards)

 

If shooting indoors a lot or portraits in the sun, don't forget to get an external flash for any camera you choose.

I was interested to post my good feelings about the Olympus 5060 as well. I'll just mention that the macro performance was very pleasing to me. As soon as I unarchive my last DVD of backups I'll get my gallery uploaded which is mostly 5060 work. Downside is a slightly slow shot-to-shot speed and unremarkable focus/shutter speed, but that's all stuff expected in a sub-$400 P&S. I bought a 5060 Olympus factory refurb on a popular auction side for under $300 and it's threaded for add-on lenses and filters which are also widely available. With 5mpx, the manual modes and a strong feature set, you'd be pressed to find more in a cheaper camera.

You might want to consider a Canon SD500. I recently bought one as a "carry anywhere"

camera (they don't get much smaller) and I'm very surprised by its excellent image quality.

 

<p>I wrote up a quick comparision between the 20D and the SD500 here: <a href=

"http://www.furfly.com/mike/20d-vs-sd500/">

http://www.furfly.com/mike/20d-vs-sd500/

</a>.

Search locations are written in the past and in the rapidly developing digital world are probably out of date by the time they are published, even on the web.

 

Recent newcomers are the Panasonic LX1 at 8Mp or the LX2 at 5Mp [ or maybe the other way around :-) ] They have x6 zooms and image stabilisation with is a great boon for good shots ... while being compacts. They have the new fast processor which Panasonic introduced with the FZ series camera which makes the 'leaders' look sick in comparison.

My Olympus C8080 wide zoom pleases me. It looks like a bulky 35 SLR and does a good job. Prices are cheap. No its NOT an SLR, but it works fine for me. The battery life is outstanding. The large lens can take standard SLR screw on filters and it beats a P&S for only a couple of buck more. Olympus even sells a nice flash that fits on top, and the view finder has a hinge so it can swing out.