My shortlisted cameras...choose one for me!

[skooby]

Hi All, after shortlisting a few cameras to buy I have come up with the following models

1) Casio z750 (7mp)
2) Casio S500 (5mp ultra thin)
3) Canon SD500 (7mp)

In summary, I want something that can be carried around at all times, speedy startup and shutter speed, good battery life and some features to play around with (Eg: toilet toy & public transport trips). I have been leaning towards the z750 until the S500 made an appearance. Although I would still consider the SD500 based on reviews.

Budget

No budget constraints

Size

ASAP (As small as possible)

Features

How many megapixels will suffice for you? 5MP Min

* What optical zoom will you need? (Standard = 3x-5x)

* How important is “image quality” to you? (Rate using a scale of 1-10) 8

Do you care for manual controls? Nice to have, can live without

General Usage

* What will you generally use the camera for? holiday snaps, pub/club snaps, people and landscapes

* Will you be making big prints of your photos or not? YES

Will you be shooting a lot of indoor photos or low light photos? A handful, majority outside

Will you be shooting sports and/or action photos? Some soccer shots/movies

Miscellaneous

Are there particular brands you like or hate? No

Are there particular models you already have in mind? Listed above

(If applicable) Do you need any of the following special features? (Wide Angle, Image Stabilization, Weatherproof, Hotshoe, Rotating LCD) NO

[jessie25]

From the review on this site of the z750:

A lot of people are trying to choose between the Z750 and the Canon SD500, and here are some things to consider. For an easy point-and-shoot camera that takes great pictures right out of the box, the SD500 is probably the best choice. If you want manual controls and the ability to tweak camera settings, choose the Z750. For low light shooting I preferred the SD500 due to its LCD that "gains up" in those conditions. The SD500 had a more powerful flash as well, though the Z750's Flash Assist feature makes up for its weaker flash. If battery life is paramount then the Z750 wins by a large margin. In terms of continuous shooting performance the SD500 wins easily, though it has no "fast shutter speed" or shutter priority mode like the Z750 does. Regardless of which of the two cameras you end up with, both are good choices. Take what you've learned in this review and the SD500 review and decide which is best for your needs.

I know that doesn't really answer your question and you probably already read the review. But it just kind of highlights the point I'm trying to make, which is that without knowing a bit more about your priorities it's difficult to make a more solid recommendation. Personally I'd pick the SD500 if I were in your shoes, but I'm not in your shoes.

[kimnkk]

I picked the SD500 after deciding between the Z750 and SD500. I went with the SD500 because it takes better images out of the box (the true P&S style), better screen, better flash and because it physically looks better.

[skooby]

Thanks for your quick responses. Looks like the Canon has taken the lead although i do have a soft spot for the casio...

Any other recommendations from people in the same situation?

Cheers

[ander75it]

If I have to replace my old Oly C50Z which went bad a few days ago (don't know, will be taking it to the shop today) I'd currently pick the Casio, b/c of full manual controls, though the cradle slightly worries me... But I guess I could easily pick a charger and a card reader on eBay for a few bucks, if I were to buy the Casio.
This is only b/c Oly doesn't make a really compact cam with a viewfinder :-( And no, I have considered the C7000/C70, but it ain't compact enough for me... For a large cam, I'll get the Canon S2, now that's power, but for carrying around all the time, an ASAP cam ;-) is a must.