And even browsing a bit here takes uip too much time..

There's an oly that's rain proof. A canon is never a really wrong choice.Don't wait for the Nikon D-whatever, have fun now!http://www.flickr.com/photos/j_wijnands/..

There are two choices for now, the Pentax Optio W20 and Olympus 770. In the future there will be a Fuji that is supposed to be waterproof...

One of the things you can do to make an Ixus more water and dirt proof is to put a little zip case for it on your belt; you'll hardly notice it's there. I've used a Lowepro for quite some time. It attaches round the belt with velcro and is quick to take off..

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You'll need to decide if you like to take a lot of wide angle landscapes, in which case get the model with 28mm starting point. If you want telephotos then the bigger G7 is going to be more what you need. Any bigger and it's going to have to hang around your neck or be in shoulder bag: Fuji 6500 or 9100 with 28-300 which are small DSLR size but without having to carry all the kit, or Canon s3/s5 if 35mm is wide enough..

John.Please visit me at:http://www.pbase.com/johnfr/backtothebridgehttp://www.pbase.com/johnfr..

My d80, and all it's bits and bobs, is quite a chunky lot, so what I did was to buy a Olypmus MJU800, a super little camera fits in shert pocket, 8 mp great iso range, and worth every peny, I never leave the house without it. It as been superseeded with the MJU1000, 10mp, but you can still get the 800 quite cheap, here is apic from it.

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Mike Rudge..

Just an update, I'm thinking of not worrying about the waterproof feature anymore as it limits my selection as MWCT pointed out..

I'm starting to get a liking to the Panasonic LX2 and it's widescreen sensor. I'm definitely a sucker for panoramic shots and wont't be interested in doing much in telephoto so the wider aspect ratio is definitely tempting. Although the high noise of that camera is putting me off (as is no USB2.0)..

Also forgot to mention that video recording mode is also important. Are there any that do high resolution recording at a decent fps? The LX2 looks pretty good in this respect I have to admit..

The IXUS range have always tickled my fancy due to their size and design, but the last time I looked into those was years ago so I'm sure there are better options these days..

Thanks for the tips!..

Insular wrote:.

Some of my requirements are:- Small and robust- Fits in the pocket.

These are true of the Elph/Ixus models. For example, the new 850IS:.

Http://www.bhphotovideo.com/...Canon_2047B001_PowerShot_SD850_IS_Digital.html.

- Waterproof (preferable).

Even the latest models have waterproof cases. Canon makes many waterproof cases for their digital Ixus/Elph lineup. You just need to find the case for your camera model. For example (for the 850IS):.

Http://www.bhphotovideo.com/...REG/Canon_2050B001_WP_DC15_Case_for_SD850.html.

This case is waterproof up to 40 meters, and the cases float in the water (so if you drop your camera in the ocean in one of these cases, it won't sink to the bottom). I went to the Galapagos Islands 2 years ago, and one of the people on our boat who went diving was smart and had an Ixus with a waterproof cases. He got a bunch of really cool shots underwater, even with the tiny flash..

- Budget up to $1000 (would prefer to spend around $500-700).

The SD850 IS is $400. The WP-DC15 waterproof case for it is $180. Flashcards and batteries add a little more to the price (I prefer mydigitaldiscount.com over B&H for flashcards and batteries). Since you are looking to get your camera very soon, you should probably shop locally and pay sales tax rather than take a risk that your camera won't reach you before you leave on your trip. I normally like to advise people to get their camera well in advance of when they need it in case they have problems or buy the wrong thing..

DPReview gave the SD700 IS great marks, but gave lesser marks to the SD800. They didn't review the SD800 IS, but it appears to have some of the SD800 features that DPReview objected to in the SD800 review (higher noise reduction using the new Digit III) and it also has some of the SD700 IS features (same lens/zoom range). It also has the new face detection technology and ability to use SDHC cards..

Good luck. I hope this helps..

-Mike.

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Http://demosaic.blogspot.com..

Also for travel have a look at the TZ3. Great zoom range. small but not ultra compact. not waterproof. TZ stands for Travel Zoom this is what it is made for!terryhttp://tbanet.zenfolio.com/..

Hi insular,.

I see you are in Australia as well - when I wanted a compact digital camera I went tohttp://www.choice.com.au it had a pretty nifty feature that let me select all my requirements (size, video, mp, max price etc) and it would then give me a list of cameras that met those requirements and listed them in order of how well they performed in their tests..

That was a year ago now though, not sure if they have kept it updated..

The buying guide here is great too, but obvously prices vary for us. TRF is good if you are travelling - but don't buy at duty free etc, you'll get a much better deal elsewhere..

Good luck and have a good trip.fallingphotogirlSydney, Australia..

I still think you should read the speck on this, it does movie, and is water proof.

Http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/...QcategoryZ31388QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItemMike Rudge..

Thanks for the tips guys, based on having a look at the shop and having a play, I'm starting to narrow it down to either the Panasonic LX1 or LX2, TZ3 or Canon TX1 (720p@30fps is a major selling point for me!).

Mainly it is between LX2 and TX1..

I have 24 hours to decide as I need to purchase right away! :/..

Sadly you may not find the TX1 in the stores yet. LX2 would be my choice and I'm a Canon user for many years! Forget about the noise just shoot RAW..

Mustafa..