I have the Canon SX200IS and love it. It easily fits in my pocket so portability is no issue. The image stabilitzation has enabled some pictures I never would have gotten before - including a picture of the Nile from a moving bus. The zoom produces descent, non-grainy photos.

Its obviously not going to substitute for a slr - but you already know that.

if you want to see photos I've taken with it, the ones from my Mediterranean cruise are here - http://kathcoll.shutterfly.com/

A Canon S90 is what you want.

Do you have a good camera shop near you? If so see if they have your chosen models in stock and hold them, take along a card so you can try them out and check the photos when you get home.
Does either shoot also in RAW as well as Jpeg? If you shoot with a DSLR normally then having the ability to shoot RAW is an advantage as you will know.
Ask the shop what other models they have which meet your requirements and try those too. The Pentax X70 for instance, with 24x zoom. though that is probably too big for you.

Take you card home and look at the results. See if you like the photos from one more than the other. Go back to the shop that let you play and buy your camera there - even if it costs you a few bucks more than on the net. Good camera shops are worth there weight and need supporting.

The alternative, which doesn't really meet your requirements I know, is to buy a superzoom for your DSLR and use that. It will almost certainly still produce better photos than a P&S will. Or look at the new Olympus Pen cameras.

The Canon SX200IS would probably be the best for your needs. I realize it is a bit largish compared to something like a Canon G11 (which would be a non-starter for you due to your zoom requirements).

Just bear in mind, while they are getting better all the time, P&S cameras and good low light / high ISO performance are somewhat mutually exclusive.

I searched for a long time for a camera that combined functionality and compact size. Check out the Canon SX210.. it 14 megapixel and 14X optical zoom which is ridiculous. You can zoom the camera across a best buy and read the letters on the boxes across the store.

I have Canon SX210 and I love it.

Our Panasonic Lumix fits your description. We bought it just before we went to Africa, as a "back up" but the little thing just kept taking the best pictures. Read some reviews. It has a Leica lens. Continues to impress us. We had a series of Canon Elfs and other tiny Canons, but they ALL went bad. This Lumix is still going after heavy use.

I thought I wanted a good zoom and spent a lot of time looking at Canon G11s etc and anything with a long nose......but in the end I plumped for the Lumix LX3.
I now find I have no need for a zoom I don't miss it at all.
The Lumix is just about the best camera - digital or otherwise that I have ever owned.
It has a very wide angle lens, but the thing that REALLY grabs me and continues to amaze and delight me is how light sensitive it is.....it just don't use the flash...it's amazing.

THe auto settings are great and I've only skimmed the surface of the manual stuff.
It's small enough to qualify as a compact - smaller than the Canon G11s and I carry on my person full-time.
I did buy some accessories - a telephoto lens and a polaroid filter but I find I really don't use them filter.
Don't be misled by mega pixels - the big numbers are pointless - look for sensitivity and functions that you need.

Khunwilko, I also love my LX3 (Panasonic). Should also mention that it has excellent video capabilities.

I shoot with my SLRs and a bunch of lenses. But my LX3 is my "carry everywhere" camera.

I always only travel with disposable cameras. I absolutely love them. Decent photos, and no monetary value to the equipment. Nothing to lose or have stolen. I do convert them to disc/digital when I have the film developed.

If I were going to purchase a new camera, I'd go with one of the Canon Powershots.

THe Powershot range is huge now and there are somer great cameras - I've had digital cameras since the 90s and Canon digital for the last 10 years so buying the Lumix was a big step as I really wanted to continue with Canon - I liked the storage software.
So going for the Lumix was quite a big jump for me and I can't express to highly my admiration for this camera it really is superb in terms of portability and quality of photo. Yes there is a great video function too - I have a 32 inch flat screen TV and the vids look perfect.

As for the adapter and lanes - I think it's nice to know you can do that - although my telephoto isn't up to much, but I personally don't like carrying all that stuff around - I no longer use an SLR - I'm just not a good enough photographer to make use of most of that equipment.

(I now use Aperture as my storage organisation program)

In the end a lot of it is budget - and believe me if you pay the extra for one of the more expensive models, even a rank amateur will notice the difference in picture quality.

Echnaton--
thanks so much for posting this. i have been thinking along the same lines exactly, and I'm ready to upgrade.

i'm wondering, now, if you have bought your camera yet and am wondering what you think!

thanks!

"The Canon SX200IS would probably be the best for your needs. I realize it is a bit largish compared to something like a Canon G11 (which would be a non-starter for you due to your zoom requirements)."

The G11's 5X optical zoom actually equates to a 250mm when comparing to 35mm camera's focal lengths. At the other end, my G10's 28mm is plenty wide.

G!! - is pretty big itself - but it does have a "telephoto" attachment accessory.

The new 3/4 Olympus and Lumix are about the same size if you want interchangeable lens.

The my LX3 has a rather puny telephoto attachment but also the wide-angle and a polarising filter.

The LX£ in "intelligent auto" is incredibly fast - and you'll find you won't need flash in at least half the situations you used to due to the sensitivity of the screen.

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