I have a Canon Powershot S230 as my backup, and it fits easily in my pocket, has a sturdy metal construction, and most importantly, it takes great photos. I probably get about 300 shots per charge, maybe less, I haven't really been keeping track lately, but the battery does pretty well. I'm sure that the other brands have great p&s cameras, but my experience with the Powershot has been awesome, and I think the new models are even smaller than the S230, with more features...