Any camera recommendations?

The view of the long walk we are making, using a normal, un-zoomed, shot:


and a panoramic shot cropped to the same height (you'll need to use the link below to see it at same height as the image above):

(Click to see full width)

 

That's brilliant. Not sure if I get that option. Like I said, it was all too confusing really!

 

Optical Image Stabilizer - prevents camera shake, particularly in low light conditions on hand-held on full zoom

HD Movies (720p) - the Image Stabilizer stops the picture wobbling if you giggle whilst shooting your video!

Face Detection, Auto Red-Eye Correction - maybe it won't take a picture if someone blinks? And I think you can set it (on a wall / tripod) to take a photo of you when you wink at it, or something like that - rather than just the 10-second-self-timer

I don't see any Panorama option though - but you can take multiple shots, and stitch them together again - many image software editing tools have that facility (although having panorama mode on the camera means it holds the shutter/aperture settings, so the colour / light balance will be better)

 

Oh Dear! and you a midwife and all!!

Bit late to this thread, but my 2 pennies worth would have been to get a Canon. Based only on the fact that I have a cousin who swears by them because he reckons they make the best lenses! How is your purchase performing? I have an old Nikon 2200 which still works but it seems to take the colour out of the pic. By that I mean for example, if I take a pic of a red rose it doesn't look so red as it should be. So looking for a replacement.

Cheers.