Available on-line, but where on the high street?

I've narrowed my choice of camera down to three. To make the final
decision I need to handle each one - there is no way I am going to
commit myself to a >£500 spending decision without at least handling and
trying out each model. The trouble is, I can't find a retailer with
stock. Actually, that's rubbish, they've *all* got stock, just not stock
of what I want to see. What they've all got stock of is the
point-and-click no-brainer compacts, budget DSLRs and one or two "nice"
DSLRs. What they haven't got is compacts that bridge the gap between
the two. It's not that there aren't any, and I don't think it's that
they don't sell - surely the manufacturers would have realised long ago
and there would be no models. So why can't I find any?

If anyone can please suggest where, in the south-east, I can get my
hands on any of the following (I don't mind travelling) I'd be most
grateful: Canon Powershot G6, Panasonic Lumix DMC-LC1 (that's not the
recently anounced one, it's the 2004 model), or the Leica Digilux 2.

Thank you for any replies you can give.


Justin.

 

Is there a London Camera Exchange shop anywhere in your area? The
ones around here (Southampton) are fairly well stocked, though I can't
say whether they have those specific models.

 

Thank's for the suggestion. I've searched their site and they've none at
any of their branches.

I'm interested to know, now I've been looking at availability, how
others choose their cameras. Do you (you in general, not specifically
Mans!) go into a store with a model in mind and, if they haven't got it,
try out a few others and end up (perhaps after trying other stores)
buying a different model? Maybe you buy on-line knowing that you, for
example, like the EOS-100 so the EOS-300/350 will be right up your
street?

Perhaps I'm just too late for the models I want, maybe they carry stock
when the model is 'fresh' but now they're onto what is 'fresh' now?


Justin.