used to have an optio 750z-

[the_tat]

would like one that is smaller and lighter with similar feature set,
like the canon A630 or 640 because it has the same rotating LCD and manual controls but LCD but not a dealbreaker,

Budget: < $450
Size: less than 5"wide/3.5"tall/1.5" thick

- 7MP+
- 4x+ optical zoom
- high image quality
- prefer manual controls

General Usage
- outdoor architecture (less outer edge distortion)
- indoor low-light action (image stabilization, faster times between shots)
-prints up to 16 x 20

getting a little fried reading reviews, thanks in advance for all help!

[sjseto]

Can't think of one that offers everything you ask for. The Canon PowerShots (you should also include the A710 IS and A570 IS on your list) come the closest but are a little on the chunky side. There's the Panasonic LX2 which has marvelous specs but apparently has trouble capturing fine detail in photos, according to Jeff's review. The new Casio EX-V7 also appears very impressive on paper but the reviews so far have not been very enthusiastic about its image quality.

Also keep in mind that image stabilization won't help you freeze action if the shutter speed is too slow, which will often happen in low light. For that you'll need good high ISO performance, so if that's important to you, look at the sample images at ISO 800 and above and see which ones look the most tolerable (and correctable in noise-reduction software) to you.

Stephanie