Originally Posted by splandorf
Hi!
Just wanted to put in a vote for getting a compact P&S camera with a wide-angle lens. Mutliple manufacturers have just begun putting out wide-angle models this past year.
"Wide-angle" in this case (so far) means ~28mm field of view fully zoomed-out. "Standard" P&S lenses typically start at 35-38mm. Althought it doesn't sound like a big difference, the visual impact is huge. 28mm is *great* for capturing more of the sweeping outdoor panoramas you'll likely be trying to photograph while touring.
Canon's model in this category, the SD800IS (or IXUS850 in Europe) is highly regarded (reviews at
www.dpreview.com, etc.), and comes with image stabilization built-in. Big plus!:
http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerSho...3404498&sr=8-1
Other manufacturers have some well-regarded Wide Angle point and shoots as well, such as:
Sam
The problem with the Elph series is that it requires a rechargeable battery. I really would not want to be bothered with recharging. It is much easier to go out and buy some AA batteries when you need them.