Photogdog Loc: New Kensington, PA

Ditto!

NCWLinda Loc: North Central Washington State

Look at the fugifilm 10 and 100. Amazing p&s. and it has a viewfinder and is very well built. My daughter is a professional and bought this for carrying around. Sometimes people get nervous when they see a large lens pointed at them and this allows for more candid shots.

Robbie7 Loc: Northampton. England

Why not wait until the crop of new arrivals have been tested, there are plenty of Review sites on the net and in magazines. There have been some pretty impressive new models announced and to be released in the next month or so.

rogerl Loc: UK (Harrogate, North Yorkshire)

Thank you everybody for super advice & a great range of options – I knew I’d come to the right place! My conclusions are:

1. I’ve put some sticky tape over the selector wheel as a temporary (?) measure – maybe Nikon will pick this up as a design fault as gwong1’s wife seems to experience the same problem.
2. Many thanks gwong1. I’d not picked up this point (the snag with an on-screen 250 instruction book with an inadequate index) so I immediately altered the Effects default from Soft to High Key (as you suggest) so, if the dial slips in future, it’ll be to something less awful.
3. My wife has a walking difficulty so has a walking pole (we bought it in Alaska seven years ago) which doubles as a monopod. The problem isn’t stability while taking a photo but rather that the D200 + lens weighs 5.5lbs & I just can’t carry that around my neck any more – I use it for wildlife in jeeps, boats (& tundra buggies when we go to Churchill for the polar bears in three weeks’ time!)
4. I’ve looked at the Sony RX100, Leica D LUX 4, Canon SX 260 HS & Canon S100/110- awesome cameras – but rejected them as I want a big zoom (although I see the Leica V-Lux 40 has a 20x zoom – which is probably the camera about which jerryc41’s friend was raving but a hefty price tag compared with the Lumix TZ30 with which it is compared).
5. The Fuji X10 with viewfinder was tempting but, again, not a large enough zoom.
6. I’m tempted by the Panasonic DMC ZS20 (TZ30 here in UK) & Canon SX 260 HS so, if/when I decide to change, I’ll try them both in a camera shop.
7. I keep reading enthusiastic comments here about both the Panasonic FZ150 & FZ200 bridge cameras. I considered, & rejected, a bridge camera because, with having the large Nikons, I really want a walk-about one which will slip easily into my pocket (the Lumix does this better than the Coolpix but the Coolpix is OK).

What I think I’ll do is give the Coolpix another chance (especially as grumpeegit likes his) and hope that the sticky tape on the pesky dial and gwong1’s change cure/alleviate the problem. If not I’ll go for the Lumix ZS20/TZ30, Canon SX260 or (if I can justify the higher price tag to myself, the Leica V-Lux 40). Thanks again to everyone for all your very helpful input which has clarified my thinking no end.

Mike_B Loc: St. Louis, MO

Have you heard of the Black Rapid straps? They sling over your shoulder instead of around your neck. Check out the pictures on their amazon listing (you have to scroll down a little)-

http://www.amazon.com/Black-Rapid-RS-7-Camera-Strap/dp/B002WR7VSS/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1351007155&sr=1-1&keywords=black+rapid+camera+strap

I didn't want to spend $60, so I got this one-

http://www.amazon.com/Quick-Shoulder-Strap-Canon-Cameras/dp/B004MFQ2I8/ref=sr_1_12?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1351007604&sr=1-12&keywords=black+rapid+camera+strap

I've been using it for about a year with my Nikon D5100 and it's very comfortable, even after walking around with it all day. Some people are concerned about the weight of the camera and lens being supported by the tripod screw, but I haven't had a problem nor ever heard of anyone who had their camera break at this attachment point.

As far as looking for a small P&S with good zoom and quality- good luck. I have a Panasonic DMC-ZS9 (like a ZS8 but stereo mic's) and while it has good zoom (16X) I am just not satisfied with the picture quality. I've tried and really, really like the Fuji X10. The picture quality (esp low light) is awesome. I may just have to sacrifice good zoom (it's only 4X) for good output.....

rogerl Loc: UK (Harrogate, North Yorkshire)

[quote=rogerl]We have Nikon D200 + 80-400 VR (for wildlife) & Nikon D90 + 18-200 (my wife's for general photography but I borrow it occasionally). However, neck problems preclude carrying these for general use so I have a P & S. I started with Panasonic DMC-ZX1 (12.1MP + 8 x optical zoom) with which I was very happy (now keep it in the car). I won a Nikon Coolpix S9300 (16Mp + 18 x zoom) in a photo competition. I fell in love with both the enhanced MP and, particularly, the zoom (which I thought might act as backup for wildlife). However, the Coolpix is driving me mad! Its selection dial has a habit of slipping off Auto onto Effects - & the only 'effect' is 'Soft', i.e. out of focus. The problem is - inevitably - that I don't notice the slippage when I whip it out to capture something.; I'm also not sure about its general colour ("proper" spelling!) rendering.

My wife said - "why not get one you're happy with?" I'm tempted and would value your views. Price isn't critical. I'm tempted back to Panasonic because of the Leica lens & would like 'good' MP (I've just given five A1 canvas prints to my local Bridge Club) + a good zoom. Adding a viewfinder (wife won't use P & S 'cos she can't cope without a viewfinder) would be nice but would probably add too much to the cost for little extra utility.

Many thanks in advance for your advice. [quote]

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We're now nine months on ... I took 35 photos on the Nikon Coolpix S9300 yesterday (all in Auto mode for convenience - we were on ady trip & just wanted a record so didn't take the DSLRs); four of them were out of focus and that was in brilliant sunshine! That settled it! So, taking all your advice on board I went out & bought a Panasonic TZ30 (DMC-ZS20 in US I believe) - so far I love it. I know that there are the TZ35 & TZ40 (as well as the new super zoom) but the TZ30 seems to do everything I want &, of course, the price has just dropped to refelect the newer models. The Coolpix is going on Ebay! Many thanks again for all your input.