Pansonic LX3 vs Samsung WB100/WB500/550(camera geeks please)

[G]

I've currently got a Pansonic FZ18 and am looking for a 24mm wide-angle compact to replace my now-broken Samsung NV24HD. Will be used on Holiday, festivals and ideally occasionaly nights out, etc.

The 24mm is important to me - I really like the extra dimension that extra 4mm gives to pictures, both with landscapes and the ease of taking pictures of groups of people/inside.

I quite liked the look of the TZ7, but it doesn't quite go wide enough and not so sure about the not as good lens/CCD.
I was going to actually buy a LX3, then I found out about the Samsung WB550 and similar cameras.
These have the 24mm wide angles I want along with the 10x zoom which is useful especially for taking along when biking and taking pics of other bikes. It's also got a lens that retracts into the body for easy pocketability.
However, it does lose out on quality to the LX3, the 10x zoom versions starts at F3.3 (the 5x at F2.8) while the LX3 starts at F2, the LX3 also has a flash hot-shoe, though not sure if this'll ever be a big issue.

I'm hoping to get out for some mini-tours later in the year and like the idea of the near-SLR quality for those epic landscape shots, but then I also like the relative cheapness and flexibility of the Samsungs.
I wasn't entirely impressed by my Samsung NV24HD's exposure choices in all situations, however don't know if this carries over to the newer models; the LX3 seems to get good reviews in this aspect. Also, the Samsungs have an exposure button easily accessible on the back, so it should be much less of an issue to get it right.

Any thoughts? Any one got any experiences with these?
Especially with the LX3 on a 'daily' basis and, well, anything with the Samsungs.
I'd be planning to do the LC1 lens cap mod to the LX3, which would make it a bit more reasonable to keep in a pocket at Festivals etc.

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

May be one for a photography forum G, I only know a bit about DSLRs I'm afraid.
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[G]

Tried on a popular looking UK camera forum (was waiting for Jay to get back to me with suggestions of a forum, but he just came back with a Canon one .)

This site is interesting for comparing quality of photos:
https://www.digitalversus.com/duels.php?ty=1&ma1=60&mo1=600&p1=3869&ma2=36&mo2=659&p2=4648&ph=15

Had a look at the Samsung WB500, which hasn't helped me make my mind up.
I'll either end up kicking myself for not having the reach of the zoom, or that extra-good quality in questionably light, etc.

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]

Could try asking on here:

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/

To be fair though, for the most part whatever camera you will buy will be compromised in some way. It's just up to you to choose the one that will fit you best.
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[G]

That was just where I asked .

I gave in and got a secondhand LX3 on ebay. Not a great price, but 95% of places seem to be sold out now. Prices may well go down a bit when they come back in stock, but I suspect will go up worse before then.
Unfortunately I just missed one a few days go with loads of extra for £40 less, buy it now.
At least this one was bought from a chain of shops local to me and comes with receipt.

In the end, I do have the FZ18 for big zooms. It was so much simpler when there wasn't so many different slight variations!

Oh and as usual, including in Jessops, the people trying to sell me these units in shops were useless and knew worryingly less than me.

[Wafer_Thin_Ham]