Hello everyone

Since I’m fairly new to the DIGIDEEP web site, I found out that I misplaced my questions (In the Strobes forum).
I’m looking at changing my Camera (I use a NIKON COOLPIX 5900) but I don’t want to go for a DSLR since I’m traveling quite often and I don’t want to carry everything every time.
Therefore I have been through a lot of Websites presenting tests as well as forums and I have to make up my minbd between 3 models, CANON G7, PANASONIC TZ3 and OLYMPUS SP550UZ.
The choice is rather difficult because it seems that the G7 has the best results so far but there is no wide angle, the TZ3 seems to be also with very good results but there is no manual settings available, the SP550UZ has apparently everything I’m looking for eventhough it is a bigger camera than the others, but I couln’t find on INTERNET enough underwater pictures to make up my mind, it seems rather low (according to the tests I read) and it uses XD cards instead of SD cards.

I REALLY NEED SOME HELP TO MAKE A CHOICE!

Thank you for any comments you might have on those 3 models and of course let me know if you see any alternatives which will fit my wishes (wide angle, zoom equivalent to 200/300mm minimum, stabilizer, manual or semi-manual modes, housing available, macro mode up to 1/2 cm)

FWIW the one I would say hold off on is the G7, Canon came out with the G9 which has RAW again and it may spec out nicely.

Before I went dSLR I used Olympus P&S;and they were always reliable and gave me good results.  Giles also used Olympus P&S;and liked his.  The only reason I did not go with the Olympus dSLR was that the Olympus dSLRs did not spec out as well as the Nikon’s or Canon in terms of shutter lag/autofocus and the final decision was that there was a great deal on a Canon which I could not resist.  XD cards did not bother me much (in fact the 8080 could have 2 cards in it, and XD and CF which I like).

The one thing I would recommend is that you go with a camera that gives you more control (manual) so I would hesitate if the camera did not have it, so for me personally the Panasonic would be a non-starter. 

I would hold off (if you can) to see what happens with the G9, if acceptable shutter lag and cycle times are short enough, coupled with RAW support, it may be the winner of the 3 and Canon has a housing out.  The only down side is 35mm at WA is a bit tight, though Ikelite has a workaround for their G7 housing.  It looks like Canon has made some nice tweaks on the G9 and if the new Digic III does increase performance on the shutter lag side a bit, this can be a pretty strong camera (to gice you a frame of reference, according to the numbers the G7 (not the G9) in auto focus (not half press) is about 16% quicker than the 5900 and about 20% quicker wheen prefocused.

The Olympus SP-550 UltraZoom is about the same when pre focused, but is way too long when using any autofocus according to testing Even manual focus specs out slow on the OLY and the cycle time on RAW is very poor.