A Small Take-along Camera needed UPDATE

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

My husband and I have begun taking trips on our motorcycle and my Nikon is proving to be just too big to bring along.  Since I am a point and shoot girl, a take-along camera doesn't have to be fancy, but since I do have a good camera, I am used to getting quality pictures. Suggestions?

UPDATE:

I just got back from Best Buy and there were two that the clerk recommended, but both had LCD screens so :-{

Most of my shots will be outside ones. Both have 3' screen size and 1080 video

Nikon Coolpix S9100 - 12.1 megapixels; 18x zoom.

Sony Cybershot H?9 ( Ican't read my notes, but it is H something 9) - 16.2 Megapixels; 16x zoom.

Perhaps she only showed me these because I told her I had an old Cybershot and currently had a Nikon.  It sounds like I need to check out the Cannon Powershot, Canon ELPH, the Olympus Pen, and the Nikon J-1. 

I did think of an iphone because my kids have one, but I have a flip phone = old school - which fits in my jeans pocket and can be dropped all the time without damage.

Thank you so much for your input.  I can see that I need to widen my search.  Perhaps I can find one with a viewfinder option. Back to the store.......

[Richard Crowe]

Have you considered the Panasonic Lumix DMC G-1 (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicdmcg1/) or DMC G-2 (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/PanasonicDMCG2).  These cameras seem to have a lot going for them, including an eye level viewfinder and interchangeable lenses, in a very small package at a pretty low price. Especially if you buy used... 

Amazon.com prices for G-1 and G-2:  http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=panasonic+dmc+g1&...

I also like that these cameras have a hotshoe which will allow far better flash imagery han if you had to rely on a bult-in flash...

They are not as small as the miniscule Canon ELPH cameras but, I think there is a point of diminishing returns in downsizing cameras.  They become hard to handle and many (IMO) important parameters such as hotshoe and eye level viewfinder are eliminated in the pigmy models.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

That Panasonic looks wonderful, but it is a bit bigger than compact.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I just saw this today. I don't know much about it though but CNET thinks it's good.

http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-cameras/sony-cyber-shot-dsc/4505-65...

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

My Canon PowerShot A710 IS is really nice - it's the only camera I have and it takes good quality pictures.  It's really old though, I imagine the newer models do an even better job.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I read about that one today.  I have checked out all the cameras on line you all have suggested and now I am overwhelmed with choice.  Small, durable camera with quality photos, fastish shutter speed, minor adjustment capability (like sunny, cloudy), good battery life, viewfinder.....

[Laurie, Wally & Charlotte]

I can totally recommend the Sony Cybershot HX1.  It has some limitations, but it's lightweight and very convenient to use.  Plus, you do have the option of setting it manually.  It takes great panoramic shots, and Sony sells a teleconverter that works quite well.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

  I have an older Sony Cybershot and played with it this weekend. While it is 'slow' it takes good photos outdoors, not=so-good ones inside or with low light.  Maybe I will put a new take-along camera down farther on my priority list and make do with this for a while until I decide.

[J and Riley (and Luna)]

I just got a Canon Elph (the "new" PowerShot) and so far I really like it!  I haven't had a chance to play with it much, but it's extremely light, has nice big buttons and the photo quality is great. 

This is the one I got (was on sale last week; I got it in red)

Canon Elph 300 HS

[F, Calla & Luca]

I have an old and new model of these and love them.

[Sally, Ditzy Mitzi & Sgt. Pepper]

If it didn't come with an HD card, they make it even better.   I was told to get one for my Canon 120S and it made a

lot of difference, and they are not expensive.  Apparently digital cameras don't always come with them.