Hey people,

I looked at these camera in late Feb, and was trying to decide between them.

I mainly want the camera for my upcoming holiday to Europe.

The FZ18 is $100 more expensive than the S5 IS.
The S5 IS can now have the "firmware" mode to let it shoot in RAW.

So I'm leaning toward the S5IS.
Is there anything about to be released (next week or so I leave in about a month) that would be better suited.

Basically I want a P&S, a DSLR is to complex to learn in the time I have (plus they a lot more expensive).

http://www.pricespy.co.nz/cat_13.html
List of camera and prices in my market.

Thanks for your help/advice.

1: dslr's have auto modes, this may be something too consider ?

2: i used to have the panasonic fz8 and the fz18 is a model up i think, it was a good camera

My father bought the FZ18 and he simply loves it. In fact, that is what I proposed to him over the canon

The panasonic goes higher in iso if needed, the lens has more zoom and also wider.  In fact, I don't think there is any other camera with a lens wider than the panasonic (28mm in 35mm format!).  Of course you can get wider, but you need a DSLR in that case.

so 2 votes for the panasonic so far...

Next question is: Is there any good/effective way to take photos from inside the tour coach, without it looking like it was taken through glass?

Canon S5 I.S hands down. Although panasonic does make a good camera its nowhere as good as Canon. My father has an S5is and a panasonic (not the one you're looking at) but in terms of image comparison the Canon is significantly better. He's had two panasonic's and we both agree the canon takes a better picture.

thanks for the reassurance goodcase.

Can you show us pictures goodcase? I mean pictures from the 2 cameras we are talking about?
That would be fun to compare.  You know, stating things like that without proof or samples, how can you rely on that 

Circular Polarizer should remove some of the reflections of non-metallic surfaces and part of the glare (also makes the sky darker blue by removing some of the haze). But you may need to get an adapter tube to put this filter on either of the camera as they don't seem to have filter threads on the lens.