Not every great photographer is using a digital SLR camera. There are some "close-to-pro" models that do not have interchangeable lenses. That does not mean you get sub-par quality. No, indeed.

In fact a couple of these "prosumer" cameras are quite unassuming in appearance, but they are extremely popular as "spare cameras" among pros and as primary cameras in the hands of great photographers who just don't want to be bothered with bulk and complexity.

The Canon PowerShot S95 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC LX5 are two of the most highly rated cameras on the market in the prosumer category.

Well, maybe I am getting ahead of the reviewers, because these two cameras have not been officially reviewed by the experts yet. They are too new. But both are upgrades of highly rated cameras, and they have retained the same features and benefits that got them that rating. The main difference in both models is the ability to take HD video.

Side-by-side the two cameras look fairly alike. The Canon is a bit smaller, but not by much. Both are 10MP sensor cameras with excellent lens quality. And both have a wide aperture of f/2.0, which, if you are not familiar with lens terminology, is excellent for get fast shutter speeds especially in low light conditions.

With respect to features that pros look for, they both have plenty of control settings that can be individually set so that the photographer can get the image she wants. In addition, they both have the ability to shoot in RAW mode, which lots of photographers prefer.

Differences that may sway you in one way or another:

One thing you cannot help but notice if you study the remarks of the experts is what high quality images both these models produce. High quality is what makes great photos.

Canon and Panasonic are leaders in compact camera sales. You can see a side-by-side checklist of benefits for the Canon and Panasonic prosumer compact cameras at http://digital-photographic-resources.com/cameras/prosumer.html.