New & Recent Pocket cameras with 24mm wide-angle lenses

Updated 15 October, 2009

Canon PowerShot SD980 IS (aka IXUS 200 IS)

Casio EXILIM EX-H10

Resolution: 12.1 Megapixel Lens: 24mm 120mm w/Sensor Image Stabilization Storage: SD/SDHC card + no (?) internal memory LCD: 3.0 230,400 pixels Size / weight: 3.9 x 2.1 x 0.9 / 4.6 oz. Price / Availability: $330 / now http://tinyurl.com/yaq23zk Notes: Small & light, HD Video, Canons first sub28mm compact.
Resolution: 12.1 Megapixel Lens: 24mm 240mm w/Sensor Image Stabilization Storage: SD/SDHC card + 35.7 MB internal memory LCD: 3.0 230,400 pixels (960 x 240) Size / weight: 4.0 x 2.4 x 0.9 / 5.8 oz. Price / Availability: $250 / now http://tinyurl.com/nc6a48 Notes: Small & light, HD Video, long life battery

Olympus FE-5020

Samsung HZ10W (aka WB500)
Resolution: 12.0 Megapixel Lens: 24mm 120mm w/Digital Image Stabilization Storage: xD or MicroSD + 19 MB internal memory LCD: 2.7 230,000 pixels Size / weight: 3.7 x 2.2 x 1.0 / 3.8 oz. Price / Availability: $159 / now http://tinyurl.com/ygcvhob Notes: Small & light, xD/MicroSD are non-standard
Resolution: 10.2 Megapixel Lens: 24mm 240mm w/Optical Image Stabilization Storage: SD/MMC/SDHC card + 30 MB internal memory LCD: 3.0 460,000 pixels Size / weight: 4.1 x 2.4 x 1.4 / 7.7 oz. Price / Availability: $220 / now http://tinyurl.com/m2f5u9 Notes: Best Bang for the Buck for most users (?) 12.1 MP version HZ15W (aka WB550) is $254 / now
http://tinyurl.com/llet9l
New & Recent Pocket Cameras with 25mm wide-angle lenses
Panasonic DMC-FX65 (aka DMC-FX60) Panasonic DMC-ZR1 (aka DMC-ZX1)
Resolution: 12.1 Megapixel Lens: 25mm 125mm w/Optical Image Stabilization Storage: SD/MMC/SDHC card + 40 MB internal memory LCD: 2.7 230,000 pixels Size / weight: 3.8 x 2.1 x 0.8 / 4.6 oz. Price / Availability: $ Unknown / Oct./Nov., 2009 Notes: Small & light weight, HD video
Resolution: 12.1 Megapixel Lens: 25mm 200mm w/Optical Image Stabilization Storage: SD/MMC/SDHC card + 50 MB internal memory LCD: 2.7 230,000 pixels Size / weight: 3.8 x 2.5 x 0.9 / 5.6 oz. Price / Availability: $233 / now http://tinyurl.com/yllf5qf Notes: Small & light weight, HD video
Panasonic DMC-TZ6 (aka DMC-ZS1)
Panasonic DMC-TZ7 (aka DMC-ZS3)
Resolution: 10.1 Megapixel Lens: 25mm 300mm w/Optical Image Stabilization Storage: SD/MMC/SDHC card + 40 MB internal memory LCD: 3.0 230,000 pixels Size / weight: 4.1 x 2.4 x 1.3 / 8.1 oz. Price / Availability: $245 / now http://tinyurl.com/nynyfx Notes: Long Zoom, HD Video
Resolution: 12.1 Megapixel + Hi-Def video Lens: 25mm 300mm w/Optical Image Stabilization Storage: SD/MMC/SDHC card + 40 MB internal memory LCD: 3.0 460,000 pixels Size / weight: 4.1 x 2.4 x 1.3 / 8.1 oz. Price / Availability: $284 / now http://tinyurl.com/ygy2mzk Notes: HD video useful for commercial jobs (?)
New & Recent Waterproof & Semi-rugged Pocket Cameras

Non Wide Angle models

Canon PowerShot D10 Fujifilm FinePix Z33
Resolution: 12.1 Megapixel + VGA video Lens: 35mm 105mm w/Optical Image Stabilization Storage: SD/MMC/SDHC + No internal memory LCD: 2.5 approximately 230,000 pixels Size / weight: 4.1 x 2.6 x 1.9 / 6.7 oz. Price / Availability: $295 / now http://tinyurl.com/lrzgv2 Notes: Canons first semi-rugged compact camera. Best rated pictures for non-wide angle model.
Resolution: 10.0 Megapixel + VGA video Lens: 35mm 105mm - no Image Stabilization Storage: SD/SDHC card + 50 MB internal memory LCD: 2.7 230,000 pixels Size / weight: 3.6 x 2.4 x 0.8 / 3.9 oz. Price / Availability: $143 / now http://tinyurl.com/lcdcj6 Notes: Light, inexpensive. Waterproof only. Price is for Green (shown) - Black is $131, Pink is $143

Wide Angle Models

Olympus Stylus Tough 6000
Olympus Stylus Tough 6010
Resolution: 10.0 Megapixel Lens: 28mm 102mm w/Optical Image Stabilization Storage: xD or MicroSD + 42 MB internal memory LCD: 2.7 230,000 pixels Size / weight: 3.8 x 2.5 x 0.9 / 6.3 oz. Price / Availability: $210 / now http://tinyurl.com/yezf3n6 Notes: xD and MicroSD are non-standard
Resolution: 12.0 Megapixel Lens: 28mm 102mm w/Optical Image Stabilization Storage: xD or MicroSD + 45 MB internal memory LCD: 2.7 230,000 pixels Size / weight: 3.7 x 2.5 x 0.9 / 6.3 oz. Price / Availability: $Unknown / Oct./Nov., 2009 Notes: xD and MicroSD are non-standard. Updated and improved version of Tough 6000
Olympus Stylus Tough 8000

Panasonic DMC-FP8

Resolution: 12.0 Megapixel Lens: 28mm 102mm w/Optical Image Stabilization Storage: xD or MicroSD + 45 MB internal memory LCD: 2.7 230,000 pixels Size / weight: 3.7 x 2.4 x 0.9 / 6.3 oz. Price / Availability: $275 / now http://tinyurl.com/ycrvem5 Notes: xD and MicroSD are non-standard
Resolution: 12.1 Megapixel + Hi-Def video Lens: 28mm 129mm w/Optical Image Stabilization Storage: SD/MMC/SDHC + 40 MB internal memory LCD: 2.7 230,000 pixels Size / weight: 3.8 x 2.4 x 0.8 / 5.3 oz. Price / Availability: $279 / now http://tinyurl.com/lle9m4 Notes: Folded optics only not rated against water/dust/drop protection. HD video
Panasonic DMC-TS1 (aka DMC-FT1)

Pentax Optio W80

Resolution: 12.1 Megapixel + Hi-Def video Lens: 28mm 129mm w/Optical Image Stabilization Storage: SD/MMC/SDHC + 40 MB internal memory LCD: 2.7 230,000 pixels Size / weight: 3.9 x 2.5 x 0.9 / 6.7 oz. Price / Availability: $309 / now http://tinyurl.com/m7c4ms Notes: Rubber pads, reinforced glass, HD video. Rated overall best buy in recent reviews.
Resolution: 12.1 Megapixel Lens: 28mm 140mm w/Sensor Image Stabilization Storage: SD/SDHC card + 33.7 MB internal memory LCD: 2.5 230,000 pixels Size / weight: 3.9 x 2.2 x 1.0 / 4.9 oz. Price / Availability: $259 / now http://tinyurl.com/ybrbp23 Notes: HD video, anti-reflective LCD, In-camera auto-stitching for21mm equiv. panoramic shots.

Recent review of Waterproof Pocket Cameras: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/Q209waterproofgroup/
New & Recent Micro Four Thirds DSLR cameras
Jointly announced by Olympus and Panasonic in August 2008, this the new mirror-less format / lens mount uses a traditional Four Thirds sensor size (18 x 13.5 mm) but allows smaller DSLR cameras by removing the mirror box and optical viewfinder. The three key technical differences are: (1) approximately half the flange back distance, (2) a smaller diameter lens mount, and (3) two additional contact points for lens-to-body communication. Removing the mirror mechanism means that lenses for the new mount can be considerably smaller than current Four Thirds designs. The format requires framing via Live View on either the LCD monitor or an EVF. Existing Four Thirds lenses can be used on Micro Four Thirds cameras using an adapter.

Traditional DSLR

vs. Micro Four Thirds

Olympus Pen E-P1

Panasonic DMC-GF1
Resolution: 12.3 Megapixel Lens kit: 14mm 42mm f/3.5 5.6 Storage: SD/SDHC card Viewfinder: 3.0 LCD 230,000 pixels Body Size / weight: 4.7 x 2.7 x 1.4 / 11.8 oz. Price / Availability: $799 / now http://tinyurl.com/lubu9w Notes: No built-in flash. In-Body Image Stabilization, stereo sound in video, collapsible zoom lens. Review: http://tinyurl.com/nx7kp7 (37 page detailed)
Resolution: 12.11 Megapixel Lens kit: Incl. 14mm 45mm f/3.5 5.6 Storage: SD/MMC/SDHC card Viewfinder: 3.0 LCD 460,000 pixels Body Size / weight: 4.7 x 2.8 x 1.4 / 10.1 oz. Price / Availability: $899 / now http://tinyurl.com/mafvb6 Notes: Built-in flash. Image Stabilization in lens, AVCHD video, optional viewfinder, F1.7 20mm pancake. Review: http://tinyurl.com/yhn3nw5 (34 page detailed)
Side-by-side comparison image (w/pancake lens): http://tinyurl.com/lpb8h9