Which is better:canon powershot a580 or panasonic lumix dmc fs3?

Question

all things considered - its down to the little differences for me. battery, manual options, etc.

Answer 1

I would buy a Canon before I'd buy a Panasonic.  I've had a Powershot A540 for over two years and I love it.   Have never had a bit of trouble with it.

You can compare them side by side here--

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

Although the Canon is a little cheaper, it has a little better zoom, and most important, it has a viewfinder, which is very beneficial in bright sunlight.  LCD screens wash out in bright sunlight, so having the viewfinder will still let you take pictures.   You can also use the manual focus if you want to learn more about setting the controls yourself, otherwise, it is fully automatic, too.