I have to replace my Sony W1 due to lots of dust in the sensor. I love the Sony for its fast start-up, shutter lag,and time between shots, its great LCD, and the 2 AA batteries that last quite long when using rechargables. I have had some problem with blurry indoor shots - even with flash - so I am considering cameras with image stabilization.

I use the camera about 50% for taking indoor flash pictures of my preschool aged children and 50% for travel - scenery, buildings, etc.

I prefer to exclusively use the camera on AUTO although with my Sony I set a shutter speed that my hand can handle and used the manual setting for indoor shots and that helped reduce my blurred pics - but I don't prefer to do this.

So I am down to the SD700 or FX01 for my point and shoot needs. I know this has been discussed in the past, but if anyone with experience with these cameras on AUTO can help me decide, I would appreciate it. My priorities are:

- high quality outdoor pictures and good quality flash pictures

- fast start up, focus, shutter lag, shot to shot times

- good quality LCD - I like to see how the kids look in the picture and decide whether to take another one.

- I really wanted AAs because I have used regular ones when my 2 sets have been out of a charge, but that is less of a priority obviously b/c neither of these cameras has AAs. I would like good battery life.

I know the Canon is more expensive than the Panasonic but I don't want to make that a deciding factor.

Thanks.