Originally Posted By: Win
WAY off topic, but one of the things I've decided is an absolute necessity, no compromise permissible, is an eye level viewfinder, preferably old school optical.
The LX-5 and LX-7, and the Leica's, have an optical and an electronic viewfinder that can be stuck on the camera hot shoe, not great, but better than nothing, I guess.
I'm leaning toward the FinePix X-100 or X-10. I handled an X-100 locally and it feels and works like a real camera with a great optical viewfinder - not a plastic toy like most of the new digital stuff, and it can be used as a full manual mode camera.
We went through this PS compact digital camera dance a few years ago.
Apparently, the lens system is just as important as the CCD architecture. That being said, after looking at about 50 different makes and models, including all the majors, we settled on a Fuji F200EXR. Solid optics and cutting edge CCD. It has given us no problems and takes great photos, in just about any lighting situation. At the time there were several setting "tweaks" that made for better than factory setting results. It was better than the Pannys at that time, which was our second choice. It's only big drawbacks to us were a lack of optical viewfinder and proprietary battery (the old Canon would run on AAs in a pinch).
It also fits in my shirt pocket. An iPhone does too, but doesn't take anywhere near the same level of picture. Made in Japan to boot.
I'm sure the technology has refined and trickled down since then, and what we bought in 2009 is now further improved and available at a lower price point.