Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX9V (Black)

Pros: Easy to carry in shirt pocket- great travel camera
LCD screen is viewable in bright sunlight
HD video is amazing when viewed on HD TV
Low-light pics are truly unbelievable; I've never had such good indoor shots without flash
Zoom is sharp and image st

Cons: No external battery charger- must charge in camera (can buy external charger separately)
Zoom control is a little sluggish
Image quality is great however I would describe the color saturation as slightly low

Summary: I started looking for a new camera to take on a trip to Italy in June and saw the reviews for the Sony DSC- HX9V. Low light shooting without flash was my priority since I knew I'd be in cathedrals and museums where flash is forbidden (photos in general were forbidden in some of them). The camera didn't disappoint- the new Exmor R sensor would come through with flying colors. The video quality was truly outstanding - every bit as good as a full sized video camera. I pretty much left the camera on the intelligent-auto setting with the flash turned off. After 9 days of shooting I came home with more than 640 pictures and videos and was eagerly waiting to see them on the big screen. I was amazed at the quality of the low light pictures and the HD video!
Panorama pictures were a nice bonus- I got really good ones at the Vatican plaza and St. Mark's square. If you get this camera make sure you get a high speed high capacity (at least 16 GB with 15 MB/sec) SD card because the HD video needs fast performance to work well. As stated before the color saturation was a little on the weak side (for my taste anyway) but I was coming from using Canon cameras for years and was used to their slightly oversaturated color. If you are taking a much-anticipated trip somewhere I will gladly recommend this camera to take along- it is worth the $350 price tag. Happy Trails to you!