i am naive to this market. my only digital camera purchase was a 4MP by minolta with 4X zoom in 2002. lots changed since then. now i am looking for something that's fast, ultra-compact, with 4x or more, +/- image stabilization. so many out there that look alike. i would appreciate some help choosing: cannon vs sony vs panasonic vs fugi vs casio vs olympus. i will be using it to capture pictures of my kids, events, or similar scenarios. i am willing to spend up to $250.00. i am open to suggestions.

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