which point and shoot for fast performance in low light

[FatherOfMany]

I'm looking for buying advice on a mid (to high) range point-and-shoot. The most important feature for me is good performance, and image quality in low light conditions. I have toddlers and tend to take most of my pictures at home at night. My current camera, a Canon SD1400, has been quite a lemon. About 1/3 of my pictures come late, missing the moment. Another 1/3 are on time but blurry. The rest are good. My previous camera, an SD800, was great. With the SD800 I could take 3 pictures quickly, hoping one captured the moment. Each was usually good. With the SD1400, I can only get one in, which usually isn't very good. So I want to avoid the $150-$200 range, looking more around $300. The camera needs to fit in my pocket. I'm defining good performance as quick AF and quick 2nd shot. If a fast lens can help me avoid using flash, getting off quick shots, then that is a bonus.

Scoring what is important to me, I'd say
70 - performance and image quality in low light
10 - HD movie capabilities
10 - continuous capture features
10 - zoom; an ultrazoom would be nice outside, but I'd be worried about the slower lens for inside

Some models I've considered
Panasonic LX7 - Seems about perfect from a feature perspective (fast lens, big sensor), but pricier than I want to go. I've also heard it is a good deal bigger than its competitors. Should I consider an LX5?
Olympus XZ-1 - I don't like a manual lens cap. I'll lose it, and the lens will get smudged and scratched
Canon SD-100 - Seems to fit a nice spot with price and features. People raved about the S95, but seem to pan this one. Is this an inferior camera to the S95, or did it just not get better by enough?
Nikon P310 - Good price and fast lens, but a small sensor and mixed reviews
Canon SX260HS - Good price and reviews, ultrazoom, but I'm worried about indoor and low light.

[Andy Stanton]

If you want a point and shoot with fast performance and good low light image quality, the Panasonic LX7 is one of the best, though it's quite a bit more than your budget. However, the older model LX5 is practically the same camera but it's considerably less expensive. I've seen it for as little as $249. Another quick point and shoot camera that's very good in low light and is within your budget is the Olympus XZ-1. Keep in mind that both the Panasonic and Olympus cameras require a lens cap.

The Canon S100 is very good as well but it's slower than the Panasonic and Olympus models. However, it does not require a lens cap.