I'd go for something with a large optical zoom, like 10 x the difference this makes over 3x is massive, when combined with digital zoom it multiplies so add 5 x digi and you have 50 x! However with a drop in quality though. I bought a Panasonic lumix TZ3 but in low light the picture quality drops badly. It doesn't have a fully manual mode either. Olympus have done 10 x optical zoom digi compacts before so it may be an idea to look at their products. With compacts the big names are all pretty much the same in features and picture quality as you go up the price scale. It's when you get into the pro kit when it comes down to Canon and Nikon, my Eos 1Ds cost over 5 grand new, with 11.3mp and compacts don't even touch it in picture quality. These cameras use a photo sensor which is close in size to a 35mm film frame, compacts are like your little finger nail, so the m pixel isn't the be all and end all of which camera is the best, it basically governs how large you can blow up a picture.
Look for opitcal zoom, a fast lens, size of photo sensor and the lowest iso rating, if you get stuck give me a shout.
