While the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX100 is a really nice ultra-compact camera, I think it’s more than most people need. Why? Simply put, the 12 Megapixel CCD on the FX100 is overkill for the point-and-shoot crowd.
If you’re willing to give up a few million pixels, you can get the DMC-FX33 or DMC-FX55, which offer the same features, faster performance (due to smaller file sizes), and better image quality.
Do I recommend the FX100? Absolutely. But unless you’re making absolutely gigantic prints (and will be keep the ISO really, really low), check out the FX33 or FX55 instead.