Initially I was interested in the new four thirds style camera in particular the Panasonic GF2 the successor to the popular GF1 which has a large fan base. In essence these cameras are a compact version of a DSLR with some of it capabilities but in a 'compact' body. They take a great photo judging by the images on online blogs. However, the cost, complexity and being less compact than I desired made the decision not to purchase this camera easier.
My attention turned to the Panasonic Lumix LX5 which is also a successor this time to the the hugely popular LX3. The camera can be described as a top of the line point and shot camera and carries the high quality Leica lens. It is compact, shoots well in low light, has increased functionality outside of auto mode and appears from the images I have viewed to posses higher image quality across a range of conditions when compared to my previous camera. These attributes cover everything I was looking for in a camera the only downside being the price which is just under the $800 mark from TEDS's.
Out of curiosity I checked an online camera dealer and found the price to be around $300 less expensive than TED's including delivery. Plus the online dealer came with a recommendation from people who had purchased cameras from them previously without issue. So it looks like I will place an order in the next day or two, in the mean time here is a few photos of the camera until the real thing arrives.
