Canon, Nikon, or Panasonic?

[AmyF]

Canon Powershot SX150
Canon Powershot SX210
Nikon Coolpix 8200
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8

In the store, I most enjoyed the Nikon Coolpix 8200 - seemed to product the best images (on the camera screen anyway) and seemed to have the best reaction time to prepping for and taking photos.

Review wise, the Panasonic seemed to have the most overall high reviews. I've been spending a lot of time online looking at these cameras, reading reviews, and testing them in the stores.

What I'm looking for in a camera: ability to produce great quality shots for both on screen display and prints. Decent macro for close ups, zoom for far away, and ability to handle action shots well. I'm just an amateur and shoot for fun. I take a lot of our dogs, children, nature, beach scenes, etc.

[Anbesol]

To be completely honest with you,

those are all fine. Get the one you like the best. There is no 'secret best camera', just get the one you like.

Actually, if you could get the Olympus XZ1, or the Canon G12, or Canon S95. Then those are the secret cool cameras. Otherwise, roll the dice.

*edit - okay, that was a lame answer, I'll try an answer with a bit more enthusiasm this time.

With the zoom, both the Nikon (24mm) and the Panasonic (25mm) start out their zoom significantly wider than the Canon's (28mm). They all have between 1-5cm macro focus distance, all plenty adequate for macro. The SX150, in particular, is about 40% heavier (10.8oz) than the rest which are all similar in size (~7.5 oz). Its no surprise the pictures looked best on Nikon's LCD, that one is the brightest, best LCD of the bunch (930 vs 230 kpixel). Keep in mind, its a nicer LCD, they are not nicer pictures. The Nikon also is the only one of them with a CMOS sensor, and should translate to a slight improvement in low light ability. All of that shows Nikon with a slight edge, until you realize that the Nikon is void of any manual shooting modes, the MAS, whereas the Canons and the Panasonic does. So, when we consider size/weight, manual shooting, and wide angle, the only one that meets all three is the Panasonic.

However, what I originally said is also true, the difference is negligible and practically not there, take your pick they are all almost identical.

[jackbruce]

great, it's very detail..