Canon G12, Panasonic LX3, Olympus XZ-1, and Samsung EX1 were among the premium compacts I considered. Nikon's feature set seems to be the most adaptable and well-rounded. The purchase can be considered successful. Benefits include: - Easy to hold - Very effective auto mode and scene presets Quick autofocus; Rapid processing time (menu and saving pictures) Benefits include: a good DD matrix, excellent RAW processing software, and the ability to fine-tune all shooting and operational aspects (shadows are easy to drag in the editor) Optical Quality: Razor-Sharp Throughout the Board Extensive 7.1x zoom (28 - 200mm) Excellent image stabilization; user-friendly design; (many wheels and buttons with quick access to the main functions) Battery life is so long that you can fire off a thousand bullets on a single charge. Some drawbacks: It's too bulky to fit in a summer jacket's pocket, and the auto BB isn't foolproof (decided by tweaking and shooting in RAW) Flimsy curtain design; inconvenient optical viewfinder; panorama mode that isn't very comfortable; device's general difficulty to grasp; Unfortunately, the video quality is subpar.
Canon PowerShot A480 camera, black
108 Review
Nikon COOLPIX L810 Digital Camera: 16.1MP, 26x Zoom, NIKKOR ED Glass Lens, 3-inch LCD (Blue)
95 Review
Canon EOS 60D: 18MP CMOS Digital SLR Camera Body - Your Next Photography Companion
125 Review
Nikon D3100 DSLR Camera with Auto Focus-S Nikkor Zoom Lens (Discontinued by Manufacturer)
109 Review