Consumers with somewhere upwards of $400 or $500 to spend on a compact camera can get plenty of great features – long telephoto zooms, movie capability, and 6-to-7-megapixel files. We looked at three leading cameras in this category: the Canon PowerShot S3 IS, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H5, and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ7. We found similarities and differences. All three cameras are capable, but the differences are significant enough that most users will have a clear favorite.

	Review Overview - Advantage Chart
METERING/EXPOSURE/ FOCUS
Metering	Sony Cyber-shot H5
Exposure	Draw
Focus
Manual Focus	Canon PowerShot S3 IS
Auto focus	Panasonic Lumix FZ7
STILL IMAGING PERFORMANCE / IMAGE QUALITY
Speed/Timing
Start-up to First Shot	Canon PowerShot S3 IS
Shot to Shot	Panasonic Lumix FZ7
Shutter to Shot	Sony Cyber-shot H5
Resolution	Panasonic Lumix FZ7
Image Stabilization	Canon PowerShot S3 IS
Color Fringing	Panasonic Lumix FZ7
Moiré	Sony Cyber-shot H5
Distortion	Sony Cyber-shot H5
Noise/High ISO Performance	Sony Cyber-shot H5
Low Light /Long Exposures	Sony Cyber-shot H5
Dynamic Range	Panasonic Lumix FZ7
Color	Canon PowerShot S3 IS
White Balance	Panasonic Lumix FZ7
Portrait	Canon PowerShot S3 IS
VIDEO CAPTURE
Control Options	Canon PowerShot S3 IS
Editing Features / Playback	Canon PowerShot S3 IS
Video Performance
Outdoor Scene	Canon PowerShot S3 IS
Motion / Compression	Canon PowerShot S3 IS
Image Stabilization	Canon PowerShot S3 IS
Color	Canon PowerShot S3 IS
Resolution	Panasonic Lumix FZ7
Low Light	Canon PowerShot S3 IS
Audio	Canon PowerShot S3 IS
COMPONENTS
Viewfinder	Sony Cyber-shot H5
LCD screen	Sony Cyber-shot H5
Flash	Sony Cyber-shot H5
Lens (controls)	Sony Cyber-shot H5
Macro Mode	Panasonic Lumix FZ7
Battery	Panasonic Lumix FZ7
MODEL DESIGN /  PHYSICAL TOUR
Model Design /Appearance	Canon PowerShot S3 IS
Handling	Panasonic Lumix FZ7
Front	Sony Cyber-shot H5
Back	Panasonic Lumix FZ7
Sides	Canon PowerShot S3 IS
Top	Canon PowerShot S3 IS
Bottom	Canon PowerShot S3 IS