P&S for son.

My son is going to Spain for a couple of weeks. He called me and asked about a good P&S camera in the $200-300 range. I have not kept up on this type of camera and would appreciate recommendations.

It depends on what type of camera he prefers.

If a compact zoom is what he'd like, the three usual candidates are
Panasonic's ZS7, Canon's SX210 and Sony's HX5.
They all have a huge zoom range (Canon with more zoom power but also longer at the wide end - 28mm vs. 25mm), fit in your pocket if its not a tight jeans, and provide a variety of features including manual controls, GPS (ZS7), and good (relative to compacts) metering, focusing and white balance.

If he prefers an ultra compact - he should get either Canon's new SD1400 or Panasonic's aging ZX3.

Finally, if a Super Zoom is what he's after, he can get Panasonic's FZ40. It's a great camera compared to its price. Not perfect, but certainly enjoyable.

So what is he looking for?

Thanks, I think the compact zoom choices are pretty much what he is looking for.

In that case, the three I mentioned are all great choices.
The ZS7 sells for a little less than the SX210,
has a wider, 25mm lens but zooms to 300mm rather than 392mm.
It also has a built in GPS, which could be a nice addition for a vacation abroad.
The SX210, in my opinion, is a nicer camera to work with, but that's just me.

Canon SD4500 - on sale at Best Buy for $291 right now. http://www.bestbuy.com …6&loc=01&id=121​8237707369. If you can do with less zoom, the SD4000 has a faster lens for about the same price.

The SD4500 is indeed a fine camera. Only gripe is its non-wide 36mm lens.