reccomend a cam for my needs

[mitka]

Budget

i'm prepared to pay 350$ or less, without accesories

Size

* i want a camera that is easy to carry around, i think about 500g.

Features

megapixels are not so important, i rarely print. 6 will be far enough.

* as i only like the look and features of the extended-zooms, so 10x-12x.

* image quality 8 i think. the more the better.

yes, that is what i care. manual controls

General Usage

* i will use for anything, not that particular. i want it to be fun, with manual controls and creativity

* no, no big prints.

low light would be good, as it will be my only camera, not only for daylight shooting

as above, sports would be good, but i'm not going to specialize on it:p

Miscellaneous

there are no brands that i dislike, and i like a lot that is considered good in reviews(i'm a newbie yet, this will be my first cam.)

there are 2 models i have in mind, canon powershot s3 is and panasonic lumix dmc-fz8.

the cam must have an lcd, viewfinder(i would like it to be non-optical), image stabilization would be an option if sticked to the extended zooms.

as i already mentioned, i want a cam that is fun to shoot with, and as i got interested in photography, i would like manual features. i'm not going to turn pro though:) so i want it to be a good first step.

waiting for your reccomendations.

[toriaj]

Both the S3 and the FZ-8 are excellent cameras and should fit your needs. Go to the store and play with them, see which one feels "right." If you end up finding another camera that you like, just do your homework and make sure it has the features you need.

[mitka]

well, i understand that..

i considered lumix for weight, and much better displays.. otherwise it's canon i think..

which one would you prefer in low light?
let me say, in general, if you were in my shoes which one would you prefer matching my criteria?
and why?

[toriaj]

I answered you in your Canon post, too :)

If I were going to buy a camera of this type, it would definitely be the Canon S3. I have seen its potential over and over again in this site and others. The Fz8 is also a very capable camera. Just see which one feels best to you. No matter which one you choose, you'll get a great camera.

[mitka]

thank you for your attention:) it's really helpful..

maybe someone can add anything before i come up with further questions:D