Another rookie looking for directions!

[MarkinHouston]

Budget: Less than $500
Size: Doesn't have to be too compact; Konica M Z3 is a good size [B]
[B]Features: 4 through 7 megapixels would be nice. Heck yeah, ultra-zoom! Image quality is very important. 8 out of 10, and no manual controls needed! I want things as automatic as possible.

General uses: This is primarily for vacations. Upcoming plans include two weeks in France, so the gamut ranges from Mont Saint Michel to bistro, church, and museum interiors with low lighting and flash restrictions. Plenty of outdoor shots will be included, but my major concerns are these:

I'm lazy, so changing a bunch of manual switches between pictures isn't likely to happen. Automatic settings with lots of self-explanatory icons are good things to have. BUT I want to have some optical zoom capability, and I would like a camera with enough flexibility to produce good low-light results.
Making large-sized prints is not a big priority, but the ability to capture some action photos would be a plus.

I am pretty much open to brands and models. I have seen some good reviews and/or discussions about Fuji, Canon, and Sony.

Can this wish list reach satisfaction in only one camera? Thanks for the input.

[MarkinHouston]

After reading several reviews after the original post, I think my best choices are the Fuji F-10 or the Canon SD500. The Canon Powershot S70 is the same price and 7.1 mp--what are their respective differences, and is the Fuji easier to use? Thanks. :)

[tim11]

Your original post:
Size: Doesn't have to be too compact ....... ultra-zoom! ... etc
And all your choices in 2nd post seem to fall exactly into the smaller compact and just average zoom. Ultra zoom is 6x optical and up.
From what I read in here Fuji F10 seems great for low light / no flash (having ISO1600), but at just 3x optical zoom.
For ultra zoom and ease to use, I suggest you also look at Kodak EasyShare Z7590. It has 10x optical zoom and ISO800 (max.). I don't know about its reliability and quality but at least on paper it looks quite impressive.
If low light is not a great issue, you can't beat the Panasoni FZ5 or its direct competitor Canon S2 IS (both 5MP and 12x opotical zoom with image stabiliser)... And low light means can mean anything.... and some people take successful photos in 'low light' with these cams.
Anyway, it's just a guide for you.

[bhappy127]

will you let me know what camera you choose? i am basically looking for all the same things you are looking for and i am also deciding between that particular fuji and canon camera but i can't seem to make a decision! :confused:

[MarkinHouston]

bhappy, I decided to go with the Fuji F-10 over the Olympus 800. I was able to play with the Fuji some, and it is very user-friendly. I think the quality for the pix I will be taking are quite suited to the strengths of the Fuji at a significant savings as well. It will arrive in a couple of days so I can let you know how it is performing!

[bhappy127]

I'm looking foward to it!