What camera will suit my needs?

[yaksta]

Hi all, I've been reading and researching on what camera to buy and keep changing from an entry level DSLR to a Panasonic TZ10. Hoping that someone here can persuade me in one direction. I want a camera that will take quality images for product images on our website as well as a camera to take with us to the US at Christmas to capture great family shots of our trip to Disneyworld. I hope to blow several of them up to place on the walls in our games room to remember this once in a lifetime trip. Our website images are of gift baskets & flowers and want them to be crisp & clear. I have a light tent and current camera is an Olympus 790sw and hoping to improve the quality of these images.
Cheers

[jbee]

I am pretty new to this also but if your trip is only 8 weeks away, and you have not already got a good grasp of SLR's or are not willing to put a lot of practice in before you go, then go for a good point and shoot. An SLR will not compose a better shot for you than a P&S or necessarily take a better shot, but a high end point and shoot is designed to do what it says and do it well and easily. The high end P&S cameras will still shoot RAW if you like to fiddle in Photoshop and offer enough pixels to get poster size shots, I got some from my 5mp Panasonic FZ20 5 years ago with no problems. A P&S camera will take more than adequate shots for a web site too.
An SLR will give you more scope for artistic interpretation I think and with skill could give you better shots, but it will also demand more of your time to do it.
I don't want to put you off an SLR, I got one for my UK holiday , but I bought it 5 months before I went to give myself a chance to learn how it works, I am still learning 4 months after my return and will be as long as I use one.
It depends If you want to put the effort in or not.
Others may disagree of course.

[yaksta]

Thanks jbee that's great advice. I was leaning toward the P&S as I didn't want to over complicate things and come home with ordinary photos rather than great ones. When I asked at a local retailer JB Hifi his recommendation was the Panasonic TZ10. He said it would do all that I wanted with scope to further develop an interest in photography. I suppose I just want to be sure that this is the best camera for my needs right now before I spend $500 and find out there was a better camera that produces better quality images. If anyone can tell me a better camera than the TZ10 for under $600 please do.
Cheers

[OzzieTraveller]

G'day Yaksta

Firstly - welcome to the Forum ... you'll find us a nice mob of enthusiasts willing to share with you lots of knowledge and all that stuff

From your description above, I would say "get the TZ10, use it, & enjoy this trip"

The TZ10 is a very nice camera, is nice 'n light, thus good for travelling, has a good lens, has enough pixels etc etc so 'just get on with it and put it into your handbag' (but pay for it first)

In 6-12 months time, maybe you will then want to explore a more 'robust' camera with lots of camera controls and maybe interchangeable lenses ... but that's another story

Enjoy your trip, show us some of your pix - and have a good time as well
Regards, Phil