Following my thread yesterday (re. old/cheap compacts), I've narrowed my choice down to Canon's A640 (£70 odd on the bay) or similar or an SX110is (£90 in local Jessops)
Former has a fold-out lcd which I do like, latter has 10x zoom (vs 4x) and image stabilisation.
I've never had an ultra-zoom camera before...do folk actually use them at the long end much?
I had a Konica Minolta Dimage Z3, which I was one of the first raft of superzooms. I think it's got 12x optical zoom and I used it a lot of the time.
It has the shift-CCD type stabiliser that is now in Sony DSLRs, so was usable at slower speeds than you'd think.
How much it gets used at the long end depends on you really. If you like shooting planes, birds, architectural details etc then you'll use it a fair bit otherwise there's generally not much need. Long tele is fine on a compact if the light's decent and you have IS. I had a Fuji F72EXR which had a 300mm equivalent and the long end was nice but I sold it for a whole heap of other reasons. Since then I've scaled back, I no longer have an SLR, the longest AF lens I have is 90mm equivalent, and my compact is a fixed 28mm equivalent. Thus far I haven't missed long lenses at all.
But the question's a bit like asking "do people use big rings?" - some do, some don't.
All that said, I'd guess the SX is the better camera.
Thak Bez - why do you say teh IS is the better cam?
Seem to get similar ratings, and bound to be similar underneath? (so difference is IS + 360mm zoom vs. fold-out lcd + 140mm zoom)
Mainly on the basis that the SX is rather more recent - that said, checking it out the 110 is a bit older than I thought and the 640 a little newer. TBH neither's my kind of camera so if I were you I wouldn't take too much notice of my comments...
Cheers, I'll probberz geta A640 or similar, shame as the sx110is has a 1yr warranty.
My 24mm-60mm Ricoh will be up for sale!