Top 10 cameras of October

Panasonic's popular Lumix DMC-LX3 has dominated our charts for several months ever since it went on sale. For October, it came up tops again, but this time pursued in the rankings by two wide-angle shooters--the Canon Digital IXUS 870 IS and Fujifilm FinePix F100fd. This seems to indicate a consumer preference toward point-and-shoots with more creative controls and wide-angle optics. Another noteworthy trend are touchscreen cameras. The almost-buttonless Nikon Coolpix S60 made the charts, sandwiched between Sony's Cyber-shot DSC-T700 and T77 which are both touchscreen offerings themselves. We also noted a demand for tough cameras like the Olympus Mju 1050SW. With Christmas just around the corner, this chart might just point you to what's hot in stores to consider.

Note: Results are based on readership and polls conducted with selected retailers (Alan Photo Trading, Cathay Photo Store and MS Color Service) in Singapore.

	1.	Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3       CNET Asia rating: 8 out of 10 The good: High-resolution multi aspect ratio image capture; F2.0 optics; highly customizable modes which can be saved; large sensor delivers impressive image quality. The bad: Unable to capture full-resolution images in 16:9 format; use of lens cap may be an issue to some; bundled RAW image-processing software not up to the job. The bottom line: The LX3 is a good camera with an excellent feature set that positions it way beyond any conventional point-and-shoot on the retail shelves today. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	2.	Canon Digital IXUS 870 IS   CNET Asia rating: 8.1 out of 10 The good: 28mm wide-angle lens; fast DIGIC 4 imaging chip; large 3-inch LCD. The bad: Lacks optical viewfinder; power button difficult to press. The bottom line: Though the 870 IS isn't perfect with its noise issues and minor design faults, it still remains an excellent compact camera. A sharp lens, fast image-processing times and fantastic picture quality make the IXUS an ideal combination of style and substance. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	3.	Fujifilm FinePix F100fd   CNET Asia rating: 8 out of 10 The good: Ultra-high ISO sensitivity of 12,800; wide dynamic range; intuitive face detection; short shutter lag; 5x optical zoom with 28mm wide-angle lens; good image quality. The bad: Relatively heavy; awkward positioning of flash, easily covered by fingers; lacks full manual control. The bottom line: Despite an awkwardly positioned flash unit, the F100fd didn't disappoint with its enhanced feature set and excellent image quality. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	4.	Canon PowerShot G10   CNET Asia rating: 7.6 out of 10 The good: Easily accessible settings on top deck; 28mm wide-angle lens; natural-looking colors in photographs; speedy performance. The bad: Heavy and a tad bulky; no major improvements to feature set from G9. The bottom line: The G10 is going to be tough competition for the Lumix and other pro-level point-and-shoots, but it boils down to the image quality which is subjective. The features have not changed much, though it should satisfy those looking for a compact shooter to complement their dSLR setup. Review | See full specs | Rate this
	5.	Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T700   CNET Asia rating: 8.0 out of 10 The good: Attractive design; large, useful feature set; nice 3.5-inch LCD; fast performance. The bad: Touchscreen not for everyone; soft images. The bottom line: Part smart-looking snapshot camera, part 4GB portable digital photo album, the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T700 will satisfy those who like showing off their pictures as much as they like taking them. Review | See full specs | Rate this