Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3K (black)

Pros: 28mm Wide Angle, 10x Optical Zoom, 3'' LCD, IS, Built-in Lens Cover

Cons: No manual controls, No zoom in Video Mode, Average Battery Life

Summary: I have to get on the bandwagon here. This is a superb little camera, definately worth a 10 on Cnet! They completely got it wrong with their rating because this camera definitely deserves at least an 8.0!

As far as the Pros go on this camera, it's exactly as good as it sounds! Real life needs for real life situations for real people that loves superb photos and having the right camera to capture those moments.

On the Cons side, those are practically the only things an ADVANCED user would care about. Manual controls are mostly for expert photographers as white balance and exposure settings are already in this camera, so I don't know what else you need. Zooming in video mode isn't important to me since I don't particularly take much video footage. And I only say average battery life because I tend to look through the photos I already shot pretty often without using the power save on the LCD, therefore, that's particularly what drains the battery. However, you usually get @ 250-270 shots per charge, without frequent previewing.

Panasonic has basically taken the original TZ1 and made it even better. There's not much missing from this camera. As I've said, 28mm Wide Angle LEICA Lens, 10X Optical Zoom, 3" High Resolution Screen, Excellent Image Stabilization, etc. All this in a fairly compact camera. Panasonic has also improved the "noise" on higher ISO's. Low light performance is much better than on previous Panasonic models. The most important this is, the camera takes fantastic pictures.

Another thing I'm extremely impressed with is the construction and finish alone. Just holding it in your hands it screams quality and feels like a tank. I love it. It seriously feels like a $700 camera. No exaggeration. I was a little worried about it not being able to fit in my jean pockets before buying it. Women may have issues with really tight jeans but for us guys no problem. It fits fine. I seriously can't believe I can carry around a camera with a 10x zoom inside my jean pockets. Truly remarkable. The 3" screen is amazing. You can practically enjoy your pics right on screen without even printing them with the high resolution output. Image quality is great, and if you need extra sharpness and want that "Canon-like look," you could always use the camera on "Vivid Mode."

It's also not much bigger or heavier than your overpriced Sony's. Plus, on Amazon, I found it for three hundred, with a high speed 1GB Panasonic card included.

Overall, I am extremely pleased. If you are looking for a great zoom camera in a small enough form factor, you should seriously consider the DMC-TZ3. This is the best compact camera I've ever owned.

Updated
The deal on Amazon for the camera and 1GB memory card is still available for $330. What's better than that?! The only accessory you might have to buy now is just the DMW-CT3-K, the leather case specifically for this camera.

Seriously, you can't find the perfect digital camera nowadays without finding something missing from it, but this has to be as close as you can get to a perfect camera. At this price, do yourself a favor and BUY IT!