Buying a new compact camera - which one?

I am in the position of looking at a new compact camera in the next few months to replace the Canon A710IS point and shoot that I have (the issues are numerous but the main one is battery drain).

I have a 50D for my main shooting but want a good P&S for general use when a) I cba carrying the big camera and b) when wifey wants to use it (the 50D is too much camera for her).

Looking for decent operation (with the ability to go manual for me), good battery life, good picture quality (not interested in high MP at the expense of image quality). Would prefer to stick with Canon unless there is an outstanding reason to move.

I have had a quick look at the S95/S100 and G12/G1X ranges but would like real world comments from owners.

ask in the P&S section but I'm seriously looking at the mirror-less options

I can't say anything about the g series after the g10. The G10 I have gets alot of use. You can go manual on any aspect of it's settings including focus but I don't do anything but AP priority on mine and I get good shots up to ISO 400, graininess after that. It has features I will never use, you could spend a week or two learning to proficiently use all of it's little gizmo software trickery. Or use it green box with pretty fair results if you want.

And an extra battery for it was quite possibly my most useless photography purchase, it just keeps on going and going.

X100 would be my pick.

First define compact as you see it.

nikon P 300 f/1.8

samsen wrote in post #14537946
First define compact as you see it.

+1

Before my T3i i was using an S2IS and while it was a point and shoot, it was by no means "compact". When i think compact I think of something that could carry in a pocket, like an ELPH series.

mikeinctown wrote in post #14538736
When i think compact I think of something that could carry in a pocket, like an ELPH series.

right, pocket size but with a large sensor

Define 'pocket' - large coat pocket, jeans pocket, cargo pants?

Go to a store - the G1X is only 'pocketable' by very, very broad definitions that exclude most pant pockets, as is the G12 to a slightly lesser degree. The freshly announced Sony RX100 looks like a very interesting proposition in terms of relatively large sensor (Nikon 1 sized, i.e. still significantly smaller than any of the mirrorless cams, still larger than premium compacts such as the Panny LX5 or Oly ZX-1 but in a smaller body than any of them), although I'm a little hesitant due to 20mp crammed on a tiny amount of real estate.

I've used the S95 briefly, and very much enjoyed the handling. I've also been pleasantly surprised by the quality of the Ixus HS220 (now replaced by the 230, I believe), which is a true pocketable cam. Actually OK at higher ISO, not a whole lot of manual control. I don't really like the G series cameras all that much - brick-y, lots of control, but don't quite gel with me in terms of interface.

Seriously consider micro 43 - I recently bought my first two (a panasonic GF2 and an Olympus E-M5). Both fit in a coat pocket or large cargo pant pocket when paired with a 14mm prime (28mm for equiv), but you are buying into a system, so you'll likely get a few extra lenses and so on, and so forth. They are very capable cameras. Sony's NEX series are also very nice, but lack the glass selection and most lenses are so large that they negate any 'pocketability'. And then there's always the Fuji X10, which is fairly compact.