Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ5

Looks like a great camera for the price; pretty much the same feature set as others in its class, the Canon S2 IS and the Sony DSC-H1, but whereas these two support only JPEG output, the Lumix can output TIFF too. Also, the Lumix and Canon support SD, the Sony uses Memory Stick - not a memory format I've invested in, really.

No RAW shooting mode in any of these, the best I've seen for that in the price range is the Canon S70, which also has a 28mm wideangle mode, but an upper limit of 108mm. However, it's compact format was also a put-off. I liked the Pentax Optio 750z, it has a lot of functionality packed into its retro-styled body, and is available on Amazon.co.uk for an amazing £250. Handling one in the shop, though, revealed some build quality issues, although I didn't observe any of the optical issues dpreview mentioned. This was my second choice, overall.

The Lumix has won it for me though. With all of its features, and it's low price point (Amazon is about £100-120 overpriced here, amazingly) make it a good buy.

I also like the styling. It looks like a camera, with the lens center placed, a decent handgrip, and well positioned controls. Compare that to the overly rounded Canon or the off-centered Sony and the Panasonic is a clear winner ergonomically.