The Nikon Coolpix P7700 is a recent acquisition for me. There is nothing wrong with this 9.3 mm diagonal sensor (1/1.7" sensor - a BAD way to characterize sensor size; 4.67X multiplier would be also more illlustrative.) It is certainly quite versatile, covers the equivalent of 28 to 200, lens is quite fast as well.

BUT, for the typical ONE-BAG TRAVELER, particularly one not highly focused on photography, I find it distinctly too BULKY. It cannot be carried in any pocket save a good-sized jacket pocket, and is rather marginal for belt carry. Particularly for purely urban travel, likely I will continue to use my Canon S95, half the size, much slimmer, and fits into a pants pocket.

For most people who have typical point and shoot, the next step "up" should be a small DSLR, such as a Nikon D3100 with "kit lens," whose price particularly if you can find a "refurb" from Adorama or the like is very similar, whose whose 1.5X "multiplier" sensor of about 28.4 mm is far larger than that of an S95 or P7700. Such a "DX" format DSLR can be packed with body and lens separated if space available is the issue.

I have the photography bug and I am a Nikon man myself. I've spent serious money on lens over the years. But, when I need to slim down my camera gear profile, I use the Lumix LX7. It is like a mini-DSLR. The low light capabilities are much better than a standard P&S camera.

My brother-in-law uses the Sony RX-100 and it is just as good; better if you agree with my brother-in-law's arguments. Regardless, you can't go wrong with either. The glass is better on the Lumix, but the sensor is bigger on the Sony. Potato ... Poo-tat-oh

<<when I need to slim down my camera gear profile, I use the Lumix LX7.>>

which has a lens wider than the P7700 or the S95, coverage is 24 mm equivalent instead of 28, but the long end is shorter, 90 mm equivalent, a bit thicker than the S95, still a very reasonable choice. It also has the FASTEST LENS in the class. An alternative to the P7700 would be the Canon G15, a bit shorter, but especially, not as deep, 1.57" instead of about 2.10 ", lens is about a half stop faster throughout up to its longest length, 140 mm equivalent, instead of the 200 of the P7700. If one definitely needed a camera that would still fit a belt case, it would be a better bet than the P7700.

I have a Nikon P7100, predecessor to the 7700 and, if I am not mistaken, the same size. While I wouldn't try to get it in and out of a blue jeans pocket, much less a shirt pocket, I've had little trouble carrying it in a front trousers pocket.

<<same size>>

The P7700 has a base depth about 2 mm greater than the P7100, plus a lens cap that increases the depth difference to about a quarter inch more. The newer camera has a filter thread, which secures the lens cap, and allows one to use a polarizer. The older camera has an integrated lens "cap," more convenient perhaps, but one of the more delicate parts of the overall mechanism.

As Newton wrote, "For every action there is an opposite and equal reaction." Similarly, for every advantage, from a different perspective, there is a...disadvantage. Life's conundrum..

I think you are at the point we are for luggage. You have to fit the camera to the trip. If photography is not really your bug, then stick with the Canon you already own and you are familiar with the operations.

If I had to stick to the parameters you set, I would go with the Sony. The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 has the same dimensions, basically (http://www.dpreview.com/products/sony/compacts/sony_dscrx100) , as your Canon, but is a superior camera to it. Canon S95 is 3.94 x 2.28 x 1.18"; the Sony is 4.02 x 2.32 x 1.42". Supposedly, Sony is coming out with an upgrade this year. Regardless, it is an expensive camera. My brother-in-law got his last year on one of Amazon's Christmas fire sales for 40% off.

If you go to the DP review site, Buying guide menu, side-by-side comparison, you can pull up all you need for every conceivable camera comparison. Good luck and have fun camera hunting.

Reviewing a set of about fifty primarily snapshots from yesterday, friends and their young daughter over for a belated holiday event, I find that I am overall pleased with the Coolpix P7700, all of the shots done available light indoors.

The Automatic White Balance works very well, faces look quite natural, not overly yellow or red. I set the camera on Auto-ISO, upper limit 800, then as needed vary the minimum shutter speed, generally setting that at 1/30 to minimize subject blur, from their movement. The grip is quite secure, allowing if needed one-handed shooting. Focus acquires not instantaneously but quickly enough for the purpose. Image quality, looked at on a 24-inch monitor, is excellent for ISO 400 and below, and still very good up to 800.

I am not, however, yet satisfied relative to a case for the camera, which is bulkier than most point and shoots. Two different Ortho-Tech neoprene cases add protection, but too much bulk. I am still considering what to use, the main issue being moisture and dust protection for travel. Of course whether a separate case is needed if the P7700 travels inside a front corner pocket of a Tom Bihn Co-Pilot or the like is arguable; the camera can be closed with the rear LCD screen facing inward.

The P7700 also has an easy to use PANORAMA MODE. Actually, there is both a Panorama Assist, which is meant for post-processing, but also an Auto-Panorama. which only requires that one hit the shutter button then rotate the camera 180 degrees. For a horizontal pan, I find it actually gives a nicer image if one holds the camera vertical, which generates a 1024 x 3200 pixel image, whereas a horizontal pan gives a 560 x 3200 images; that larger dimension is a bit smaller than the native 4000 pixel width of the native sensor. There actually is also an option for a 360 degree panorama also with a 3200 pixel width, vertical resolution half that of the better 180 degree variant.

Likely with the Panorama Assist mode one could generate files that have significantly higher resolution, if a larger print rather than album or web use is the intended usage. With all of the Panorama modes, the camera automatically activates a useful set of gridlines to help level the camera. Regardless, this feature effectively provides a much wider angle of view than the nominal 28 mm equivalent wide setting on the 7.1X zoom.

The white balance is the reason I chose Nikon's DSLR over Canon.

Have you simulated your vacation lighting conditions, if you can? This will let you monkey with the ISO vs. aperture vs. time. For nature, and museum type shots, I like detail, so I tend to use the lowest ISO (80 for me) and I adjust the aperture depending on the time and my ability to hold the camera steady. For family stuff, I stick with the ISO at 400. For outdoor nighttime photography, I got a really light telescoping tripod that does the trick if there is no strong wind. I don't care about the added space needed for the tripod, because for me, it is a must.

I use a Pedco Jumbo Camera wrap to protect my camera lcd display. I used a Nitze Ize backbone belt clip case as my travel container for the camera. It holds two extra batteries and memory cards as well. It is "crushable", so I could flatten it, when I carry the camera in my pocket. I hate neck straps, so I used a very good wrist strap.

I concur with Neil's advisory regarding ISO selection. Particularly with smaller sensor cameras, using the lowest possible ISO is important, yet for more movable subject particularly indoors, ISO400 to even 800 better deals with subject movement, giving overall sharper images.

The Ortho-Tech cases I purchased, fortunately not too expensive, don't seem to be an optimal answer for the P7700. I do have a Black Rapid RS-7 strap, cross-shoulder carry, that I use and like for my moderately heavy D300 DSLR, so I am considering getting their mid-size cross-body strap plus bag rigs, the SnapP 20, not cheap, but not exorbitant for what it includes.

http://www.blackrapid.com/products/snapr-20

For the area where we'll be, I do think that the issue is DUST protection, but at the same time, easy removal and replacement. For some other destinations I have been, MOISTURE is the issue, or at least it was the days we spent last spring in Quebec City. The SnapR 20 is a bit larger, but looks like it could readily hold if desired also a small flash, a spare EN-EL14 battery, and a polarizing filter. Black Rapid straps attach to the tripod mount, not the regular strap lugs.

Error: The Black Rapid strap-case-handstrap combos is the "SnapR" series. Cost is $30 for the smallest one, $40 for the medium size; their straps for DSLR's are in the $50-60 range. As the cases are a heavier nylon, not neoprene, I'd think that they would compact readily when transported in a typical "personal" item.

I have now reviewed all the photos I took with the Nikon Coolpix P7700 during my two week trip to Israel. Those I kept number about 1300, not counting perhaps 50% to 100% more than that reviewed and eliminated or "chimped" soon after they were taken. Out of those I have now transferred about 240 to my iPad, to show to friends and family, as much as anyone might tolerate over forty-five minutes or so.

In general I am VERY satisfied with the overall quality, including some photos taken under very dim light, and without any use of a tripod. The "chimp" rate increases under that situation of course. For my purposes, I doubt that anything would have been gained by taking a DSLR, the choice of about half of our group. The totally silent operation frequently was an advantage.

My least favorite aspect of the camera was using it under very bright outdoor light, mainly due to limitations in seeing the image, a problem one encounters with any camera that lacks an up to the eye viewfinder, optical, reflex or electronic. I did make much use of the panoramic mode; about 10% of the photos were done that way. I do think that Nikon should consider a P7800 that might be a centimeter longer, but include an electronic viewfinder. I did at times find the swiveling LCD useful, when taking overhead shoes.

Generally I used the camera on "P," i.e., Program, exposure adjustment typically -0.3 to -0.7, but in Jerusalem, where by law ALL buildings are a fairly light limestone, 0.0 was most common, with sometimes some need to use +0.3 to even +1.0. Lightmeters, of course, assume that any surface is 18% gray.

Video performance seems very good. I shot a few short videos, mainly of music being performed by our rabbi and his son; these might have been even better with an external microphone.

For nightly image review, and transmission, I used the Apple 30-pin to SD card adapter, until I lost it at a hotel, and found it worked well. This comes as a set with a 30-pin to USB connector, which in turn can be used with the regular to micro-USB cable supplied with the Coolpix. In turn, this allows one to transmit back to friends or family "electronic postcards." The newer Apple products use a Lightning to SD connector, that includes an inch or two of cable; my wife used that, and reports not problems with it.

I did not bring a separate case for the camera, as I simply stowed it in a front pocket of my Tom Bihn Co-Pilot, but in the future, would consider acquiring a case like the Black Rapid SnapR 20 in the future.

Good exposure information to know. Thanks. Wifey and I will be heading to France and then Israel in October, after the high holy days. This will be the first time I won't take my DSLR to Israel, so any tip is helpful. We do have different "pocket" cameras, so it will be interesting how the exposure settings will compare.