Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3

Most top reviewers have taken the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 for a spin. Top-quality reviews can be found at The Imaging Resource and DPReviews.com. The report at TrustedReviews.com is shorter, but perhaps easier to digest. DigitalCameraInfo.com also weighs in, but its reports can be overwhelming for all but the most dedicated shooters, and few cameras escape the editors' highly critical eyes unscathed. There aren't a ton of user reviews for this camera as of yet, but Amazon.com has a decent selection.

Critics love the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 with only few reservations. One issue is the short 2.5x zoom range. The other is that outside of the included Silkypix software, RAW image converters are hard to come by for some popular photo-editing packages (shooting in RAW format gives users the most editing flexibility, but you can also shoot in JPEG). After that, however, it's all clear sailing. The camera is lauded for its great image quality and well-above-average performance at higher ISO settings, all thanks to a new image sensor and a Leica-branded lens that's a cut above many others. There are tons of features as well, including face detection, optical image stabilization, a hot shoe and more. Advanced photographers will appreciate the full complement of manual controls, while beginning shooters have plenty of aids and automatic modes to get things picture perfect. The Canon PowerShot G10 (*est. $420) is also well regarded, especially when shooting at low ISO settings. However noise and the effects of noise suppression are a notable step behind, especially in lower light.