Should I buy a Nikon P80? Recommendations?

[Bakpackr]

I am not looking to carry a dSLR on my backcountry hiking trips in the Rockies, but I would like the best quality and nice zoom capacity (pref. 10X +). Low weight/bulk is important to me, as is a quality pic. Nearly bought the P80, but the reviews are scaring me away. Saw pics from several owners and they look 'soft' rather than sharp and detailed. Can anyone recommend a 'smaller than the Nikon D80 or Canon dSLR's' that would provide decent zoom and sharp pics? Most of my pics will consist of landscapes and hopefully, some flower close-ups.

[fx101]

I am not looking to carry a dSLR on my backcountry hiking trips in the Rockies, but I would like the best quality and nice zoom capacity (pref. 10X +). Low weight/bulk is important to me, as is a quality pic. Nearly bought the P80, but the reviews are scaring me away. Saw pics from several owners and they look 'soft' rather than sharp and detailed. Can anyone recommend a 'smaller than the Nikon D80 or Canon dSLR's' that would provide decent zoom and sharp pics? Most of my pics will consist of landscapes and hopefully, some flower close-ups.

Olympus make some really compact cameras (SLR and P&S). They just came out with a ridiculously small DSLR called the E420 but remember if you want a lot of zoom DSLR lenses that zoom a lot with respectable quality tend to be quite hefty. The Olympus 570UZ is supposed to have a ton of zoom and IS very close to that on a professional Canon or Nikon lens. Its image quality is also pruported to be quite good. The D80 actually isn't THAT big. I used to have it combined with the 18-200mm lens and it zoomed A LOT, provided great quality and although it was somewhat large it was light. I can't say that for my D200 now though.

[aubade914]

I just got the P80 and I love it. I just posted in the viewfinder board with some photos that I took at a horse show this weekend. I am a beginner photographer but it has worked great for me so far. The 18X zoom is awesome!

It also worked really well in macro mode one day when I tried it out in my yard. Here is a close up of a flower:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...0/DSCN0070.jpg

Taken on the very lowest quality/smallest file size, by the way. I hadn't bought my big SD cards yet. haha.

[Bakpackr]

I just got the P80 and I love it. I just posted in the viewfinder board with some photos that I took at a horse show this weekend. I am a beginner photographer but it has worked great for me so far. The 18X zoom is awesome!

It also worked really well in macro mode one day when I tried it out in my yard. Here is a close up of a flower:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...0/DSCN0070.jpg

Taken on the very lowest quality/smallest file size, by the way. I hadn't bought my big SD cards yet. haha.

The flower pic turned out very nicely! Thank you for comments!