<<Finally, if I'm taking shots outside, in my opinion, any outside shot that's not within 2 hours after sun up or 2 hours before sunset has lousy light anyway so you might as well use a P&S.>>

While I agree that it's lousy light, I can't agree that you might as well use a P&S. I have gotten several shots during high sun that turned out great. Had I used a P&S, I wouldn't have them.

I haven't taken a photo for the purpose of saying "I was here" in a long time, it's just not something I care about, so the P&S isn't worth it for me. I don't need or want those shots that are "just as good" with a P&S.

Having said that, it is a very subjective decision on what, if any, camera gear to take, and no one answer is right for everyone.

In a self-edit, I had worked on changing all my 2nd case to 1st, but I'd missed a few. I should say "or I might as well have used a P&S". I realized after I typed it that it's probably more like "there is no bad light, only bad photographers" hehe and *I* don't handle that light well enough to make it worth it. Or don't like the exposure in those shots well enought to be happy with them. But whichever it is, I've yet to see very many from mid day that I've really like. Maybe couple, that might capture some of the narrow shadows in NY on the streets, for instance, where a longer shadow might as well be evening already. And a couple where I intentional used the light to do something in high key.

But *usually* I came back empty in those times, so was sharing my take, or rather my rationalization, on being ok about being selective on when to haul it around. I actually have pretty much come up empty on the P&S too - but not always, and oddly, not always a "we were here" (although we take a dozen or so of those on a trip, because I remember how much I love going through my mom and dad's very few pictures of their road trips and how young they'd been and all. So I want our family to have that too.

Mostly though, the P&S is my security blanket, haha.

That's why it's so subjective on what to take and what to leave, everyone has something different that they feel comfortable with or enjoy as a challege.

I've had to develop my midday skills because that's my best opportunity for the shots I like to get. I don't even own a P&S anymore - I sold my G6 prosumer to a friend's son so I could buy a second dSLR body. I got tired of having to change lenses constantly as well as having to give up my photo ops so my niece could use a good zoom (she'd borrow my camera at those times she needed the tele when we go out shooting together). Now, we can both use the dSLRs and she uses the 75-300mm lens and I use the 200-500mm for teles, and we switch around with the 17-50mm and 28-75mm for the wider end.

For me, I may choose to leave the 200-500mm at the hotel if I know my day won't allow for it - which means low light, lots of motion (e.g., boat ride, etc.), or I have to carry my gear not wheel it. If I know I'm going to be on sand or snow or climbing stairs, I'll limit myself to the 17-50mm, 28-75mm and 75-300mm lenses and one body as I can fit them in my beltpack. For hiking, I usually try to use the wheelie and drag it all with me.

As for my rationalization on when not to bother with it all, I would say museums, meals, and tours of buildings or grounds. For me, I'm not going to get a better photo of the Mona Lisa than what's on the postcard. For me, meals are just something to fuel me for more activities, and I don't need to "remember" what the dish looked like. The tours keep me going so fast, that I don't have time to stop and establish what will make a great shot let alone get the shot. Again, in those cases, a postcard is a better alternative than pulling out any camera. But, again, I'm the type that I don't take photos unless I think it will make a "great" photo - I fail more often than not in making that shot materialize, but the potential is there and I enjoy the challenge.

I kind of delineate - photography, or something for the scrapbook. Only recently though. Before that, it had to be a great shot or an attempt at one, so I just look at them as two different things now. My p&s literally fits unnoticed in my front pocket and come to think of it, most shots taken with it have been by strangers I've handed it to. I want to remember us the way were were, I suppose and for our daughter to be able to as well now.

Love to hear some tips for midday shots someday. I love shadows and everything always looks flat for me without that play with the light. Half the time, I think that's actually what I'm taking pictures of. I was just digging through some shots of mine and still didn't see many I like that were midday.

This one was about the best I came up with, I think:

http://www.trekearth.com/viewphotos.php?l=5&p=340835

My guess is that it's because you're a new dad - now there's a reason to establish all those "the way we were" shots.

My best trick for the midday shots is to expose for the sky. That always gives you a good basis to work with. Even if you don't do any post-work on the shot, you'll have a properly exposed sky with deeper shadows below. It also works if your subject is black or white.

Thanks for the tips and interesting your last line, as the only middays I've seen that I've reall liked were black and white.

Probably right on the dad thing too, although it was a conversation like this on Fodors once before that that got me thinking. I took the "art only" sort of POV, and the poster counterpointed how a person might regret not having simple shots of themselves. Later I was looking at this grainy old instamatic shot of my parents laughing it up on a beach boardwalk and all their recent health problems and aging. And they saw it again, as I'd been keeping it, and I realized how much we all treasured that simple unpolished little memory and changed my mind and now do both.

You may want to try the canon powershot sx210S, 14megapixel with 14 optical zoom. Takes great pics and small enough to fit in your pocket

If you are not comfortable with your SLR camera then try with the DLSR camera...It has really very good picture clarity and a good aspect ratio...! I already done with my DLSR camera in cabo san Lucas hotels...