Cameras -- need advice

Well, the time has come to replace my Nikon Coolpix 4500 -- I sold it last year, thinking the little Olympus 740 7.1 megapixel camera my wife has could fill its place ... no such luck. Despite its lofty pixel count (for 2005) the Olympus is nothing more than a glorified point and shoot with marginal picture quality indoors and outdoors. I really liked the Nikon because it was essentially bulletproof and took amazing photos. It had a great macro lens and a lot of customizable options.

I'm looking at a few contenders, which vary a good deal in price.

First is the Nikon Coolpix P5100 - 12.1 megapixel

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikonp5100/

This camera seems like the successor to my old Coolpix -- a nice magnesium alloy body so it does not feel like a toy, and Nikon quality. It also has an optical viewfinder, which adds quite a few points in my book. Cost - about $300.

Second, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 - 10.1 megapixel

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/panasonicdmclx3/

A very capable camera with an incredible Leica f/2.0 24mm lens. Only major drawback for me is that it does not have an optical viewfinder. I hate using an LCD screen in bright daylight to take a picture. Cost - about $400.

Third, the Canon G10 - 14 megapixel

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/read...dkey=canon_g10

This is the most expensive choice, and also the most bulky. It's got everything I want in a camera, but it's almost as big as a regular SLR body. It also has an optical viewfinder. This camera costs at least $450.

Most of my serious photos will be from vacations, and will be taken outside. I take family shots around the holidays, and some macro when I'm just messing around.

So, anyone have experience/advice with any of these cameras?

So I'm assuming you don't want a dslr, you really just want a point and shoot? If so, the Canon G10 is probably the best of the bunch. We have a member of our photography club who has one and he takes very impressive pictures with it. It gives you alot of 'dslr' like functionality in a reasonable size. But a new standard, called the micro four-thirds is very cool - and it's pretty impressive. It gives you very small size (Not quite as small as P&S), but allows for interchangeable lenses, etc.

Lumix G1

Here's some info on the Olympus take on it.

I'm an Olympus fan boy, so I like the four-thirds standard. But for point and shoot, other than the Olympus Stylus series - which are shock, freeze and water proof - you can probably do better with canon and get a more versatile camera - particularly in your price range.

Yeah, I am looking for a camera that I can fit in my jacket pocket while skiing ... a dslr is just a too big. I've steered clear of the Nikon P80 and the Olympus equivalent for that reason; they are basically as big as an SLR with a 50mm lens.

My wife has the Olympus Stylus 740, and I have not been impressed with it. It's shock and weather proof, but also impervious to taking good photos inside. The tiny little lens and the flash on it are just not all that good.

I guess the Canon is my best option ... that's the one I'm leaning toward at this point. Thanks for the advice.