so I have been looking to get a P&S for not only myself, but my mother (many of you remember how I got her a 85 3.5DX lens for XMas, well, apparently she wants a small camera to take out to dinner, etc). . .
understandable when you see the look on the waiters face when you hand him a D200 with a prime mounted (where do I look, how does this work, etc.)
SO, last night's announcement was enlightening, but I'm wondering what everyone thinks. . .
The S8000 sports the following at $299:
* The thinnest camera in its class
* Wide-angle 10x zoom, NIKKOR ED glass lens
* Macro shooting from as close as 1cm (0.4 in.)
* 14.2 effective megapixels for high-resolution images
* High performance optical lens shift VR image stabilization
* High ISO 3200 capability at any image size up to its maximum of 4320 x 3240 pixels
* New Enhanced Motion Detection*2 for sharp, steady results
* New advanced flash control for clear and beautiful flash shots
* 3-in., approx. 921k-dot TFT LCD with Clear Color Display
* New Creative Slider for applying effects onto images
* Movie shooting at HD 720p for high-definition images with stereo sound
* Smart Portrait System with Skin Softening
* Subject Tracking
* Scene Auto Selector provides quick, carefree picture-taking in a variety of situations
* Quick Retouch for the best balance of contrast and saturation
* USB charging via Charging AC Adapter EH-68P/EH-68P (AR) or PC
Whereas, for about $80 more, I have been seriously considering the Panasonic Lumix L3 (currently at $380 from abesofmaine.com) simply because
-has a leica quality lens
-24mm wide
-f/2.0
-has a module for DxO
Thoughts on the two? I have played with the Lumix L3 a bit. . .should I wait for the famed L4? Is it worth the wait? Consider the Nikon (which I know no one has used, but based on stats alone). . .
I couldn't get any info on how "quick" the S8000's lens is. . .