Panasonic LX3 from Amazon/Ritz

[sklathill]

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001CCNDK4?ie=UTF8&tag=43rumors-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B001CCNDK4

Panasonic LX3 for $427 at Amazon via Ritz Camera. By far the cheapest this camera's been in a while. It's already a year old now but if you know about cameras, you know this is by many accounts still the best non-interchangeable lens camera you can get. If you don't and you're looking for a camera and you have up to $500 to spend and you don't particularly care about telephoto shooting (the lens is fast and very wide, but doesn't zoom in all that much) or the camera being super pocketable (the lens bulges out a bit even when off), this should be on your short list.

[Jim3535]

I have an LX3 and do concur that it is a great camera. It's definitely the best P&S camera I have seen for shooting indoors or in low light situations. The F2.0-2.8 lens combined with better ISO performance is awesome. It also produces really nice B&W images.

The main drawback is the price. You can get a Nikon D40 (DSLR) for that price. So, if you don't mind the extra size and weight, that would be a good alternative. The other annoyance is that while the LX3 is small, you need big pockets to store it comfortably. If you plan on pocketing a camera every day, consider one where the lens doesn't stick out.