I would say....look no further.

The Stylus 500 is a fine choice.

It has a very sharp lens and produces excellent photos. It also has a low shutter lag (that is good).
It also has a huge 2.5 inch LCD.

On top of that, it is weatherproof. So a few raindrops or a mild dust storm will not harm the camera.

Here is a link to a review of the camera:

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2005_reviews/stylus500.html

With such a large LCD, I would not consider putting the camera in your pant pocket. The LCD could get scratched or broken. Get a good fitting case to hold the camera.

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