I’m looking for a small (will always live in Amanda’s purse) point and shoot camera and have so far narrowed the choices down to the following. Anybody have any advice on which one I should get (or an alternative, if you’d like to suggest one)? (Descriptions/details are from Amazon, for consistency)

Canon PowerShot ELPH 300 HS 12.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with Full 1080p HD Video (Silver)

• World’s thinnest digital camera with a 24mm ultra Wide-Angle lens and 5x Optical Zoom and Optical Image Stabilizer.
• Canon’s HS SYSTEM with a 12.1 MP CMOS and DIGIC 4 Image Processor improves shooting in low-light situations without the need for a flash and
• Full 1080p HD Video for exceptional quality with stereo sound, plus a dedicated movie button for easy access.
• Get high-speed shooting in a point-and-shoot camera: High-speed Burst Mode captures 8.0fps and
• Smart AUTO intelligently selects the proper settings for the camera based on 32 predefined shooting situations.
• Super Slow Motion Movie records video at high speeds to allow slow motion playback.
• Zoom optically while shooting video and keep footage stabilized with Dynamic IS.
• Lowers noise levels at higher ISO settings.

Nikon COOLPIX S9100 12.1 MP CMOS Digital Camera with 18x NIKKOR ED Wide-Angle Optical Zoom Lens and Full HD 1080p Video (Black)

Product Features

• 18x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom-NIKKOR ED Glass Lens.
• 12.1-megapixel CMOS sensor for high-speed operation and exceptional low-light performance.
• 3-inch Ultra-High Resolution VGA (921,000-dot) Clear Color Display
• Capture 5 shots per second at full resolution
• 5-way VR Image Stabilization System

Technical Details

• Brand Name: Nikon
• Model: S9100 Silver
• Optical Sensor Resolution: 12.1 MP
• Optical zoom: 18 x
• Display Size: 3.000 inches
• Width: 2.5 inches
• Height: 1.4 inches
• Weight: 0.5 pounds

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8 14.1 MP Digital Camera with 16x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3.0-Inch LCD (Black)

• The DMC-ZS8 features a powerful 16x optical zoom lens.
• The 16x Optical Zoom Keeps the Subject Sharp While Giving the Background a Soft focus.
• The DMC-ZS8 features a 1/2.33-inch CCD with effective 14.1-megapixel high-resolution.
• Images remain clear and sharp even when they are enlarged to A2 size.
• The Sonic Speed AF system includes numerous re-engineering enhancements, including a higher-speed actuator.

Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-WX9 16.2 MP Exmor R CMOS Digital Still Camera with Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 5x Wide-Angle Optical Zoom Lens and Full HD 1080/60i Video (Black)

• Exmor R CMOS sensor for low-light performance, 5x, bright lens
• Full HD 1080×1920 with dual record of stills and movies
• 3D still image and 3D Sweep Panorama
• Fast capture with 10fps at full 16.2 MP resolution
• iSweep Panorama for one shot landscapes

Do you happen to have one of these? If so, how fast is the damn thing … if you press the button to turn it on, does it turn on quickly? How much lag between pressing the “shutter release” and the actual taking of the picture is there? Is it rugged? Does it suck?

Any info woudl be much appreciated. Thank you very much.

I’m leaning towards the Canon Power Shot, though Julia has one of those Sony’s and really likes it, and the zoom on that Nikon is rather kick-ass. Of course, what I really want is one of these, but I don’t see that happening!