People often ask me for a camera recommendation. It can be pretty confusing with so many cameras coming out every year. And with digital still pretty much in its infancy (although it has quickly matured over the past few years), it's hard to know which brand to buy or what features are most important. I personally have always used Nikon cameras. Currently I am using 2 d300 digital slr's. But I recently bought my first digital point and shoot camera . . the Canon G9.
The Canon G9 is fairly hefty as far as point and shoot cameras go. It might not fit in your pants pocket, but it is definitely smaller and more convenient to carry around than the larger dslr cameras. This is a fully loaded camera. You can shoot in manual mode, aperture or shutter priority, or in auto or program modes. Plus it shoots great HD video. Add to that a beautiful screen and a cool interface when you change shooting modes. And for those of you who like to shoot Raw images (and I'm a big fan of Raw), the G9 has that ability as well.
The Canon G9 is a great camera. If you are used to shooting with a dslr, the G9 will fall short in terms of feel and capabilities compared to a dslr. But if you are looking for a top of the line point and shoot camera, either as your only digital camera or as a substitute when you don't want to haul around a larger camera, the G9 is a great choice. The going price for the G9 is $499, but I got mine for around $410 on a special sale. It's pretty usual to be able to find it online or at a big box store for around $450.
