wabigoon,
I'm going to do now what I should have started with earlier; I'd like to ask you a few questions;
1) what do you intend to take pictures of.
2) what will you be doing with your images? ...or asked another way, how will you be viewing and sharing the photos.
3) What is your budget?
4) you mentioned "view thru the lens". Most pocket camera line up pictures on the screen at the back of the camera). A few have Eye Pieces where you look thru the small eyepiece that shows an electronic screen representation of your shot (Electronic View Finders - EVF). Older pocket cameras (film) used a view finder that wasn't always a true representation of the shot (like a scope that wasn't zeroed). View thru the lens is SLR (single lens reflex) and not available in pocket cameras to my knowledge. How important is this feature to you.
I was surprised that google turned up more than a few cameras that I think might fit your bill...including 25x and 30x. But your answers could help narrow down the search.
