I am looking to spend my xmas bonus on a new compact camera. I have a Konica Minolta DiMage Z2 at the moment. Whilst it takes sharp pictures with a nice colour balance I tend no to carry it for 2 main reasons.
Firstly it has a pistol grip so wont go in a pocket easily
Secondly the battery doesnt last at all well.

I have a budget of around £200 ,would like a decent amount of zoom and MP’s

The Panasonic Lumix DMC TZ30 seems to tick the boxes , but offerings from Samsung , Nikon and Sony are all very similar.

Just want to be able to stick into a jacket or fleece pocket , take it out , fire it up and snap off a few pics. I go out and about on the bike, skiing etc and see lots of stuff. Would be nice to take a load of piccys and burn an SD card to send to my mum , I bought her a digi photoframe and she would appreciate that alot more than a fridge magnet

Just bought a Canon powershot SX150 IS for £70 (down from £180) and pretty impressed with it, obviously no G12, but at 15% of the price of a G12 I’m happy with it. Fairly wide lens too (28mm), with 12x optical and usable ISO range, and a image stabliser of some kind (eats batteries, but then what compact doesnt’?).

The higher end panasonic lumix get a very good write up, just watch out they don’t become obsolete within 2 months as they have a habit of bringing a new one out at least twice a year, sometimes more!

I’ve got the DImage Z3….awesome camera in it’s day! My Dad now uses mine.

Presumably you’ll be wanting a similar long zoom? If so, the Panasonic Lumix would fit the bill nicely.
Have a look on dpreview.com for compact zoom grouptests. Should give you some more ideas.

I’ve got a Nikon P300 which has now been replaced by the p310. Good camera, but less zoom than you’re used too.

Hello mate! Can I just ask – Christmas bonus?? 🙂

Colleague of mine was raving about his new Canon. Didn’t get the model (may have been an SX sommethinorother) but can do tomorrow.

If you’re taking it skiing and biking you might be better with something shock and water resistant like the Panasonic Lumix FT4. I have an FT3 which I’ve been very happy with.

Hello mate! Can I just ask – Christmas bonus??

amazingly more than a few weeks take home pay !

Never had a bad Ixus… They’re not officially ruggedised but they’ve all been way more durable than you expect from a standard compact (I got my parents the Panasonic equivalent, it feels like you could fold it in half with your bare hands. Whereas my last Ixus got filled with dust in australia, rain in scotland, more rain in scotland, bit more rain… Dropped from a moving motorbike, left on the west highland way for a few nights (it may have rained), snowballed, and generally brutalised for years and was still going strong when I gave it away. Brilliant)

The TZ30 is much more compact than earlier models, and the 20x zoom is really useful. Good, pocketable little camera, takes excellent photos.

Nikon P310 here.

Love it.

Canon S100 here, really recommend. Went from a Nikon D3100 DSLR to this. I know they are different beasts, just found I wasn’t using the Nikon due to its size, I think with plenty of light the Canon is pretty comparable, Nikon better in low light obviously…

I don’t think you could get a S100 within budget.

I’m a Lumix fan, have a LX3 with a Leica lens which I think cost ~100 SH
newer models with better low light capabilities – LX5 LX7

The Canons s90 s100 are good.

A compact and loads of megapixels don’t necessarily make a better camera.

Sony RX100 is the best pocketable compact atm twice your budget though.

own a couple of Panasonic Lumix TZ5. Going really well. Point being they are a few years old and still do the biz and take great pics. Old doesnt mean obsolete !

Get a camera pouch to go on the chest strap of a camel back and take many more pics. Pockets = less camera access = fewer pics imho.