The problem with saying a particular lens is "great" for the category
(or price) of camera it falls in doesn't do much to tell the new owner
what to expect.
There's no reason (other than money!) why a pocket camera can't take "as
good" pictures as an interchangeable-lens SLR. The pocket camera should
not be held to lower standards than larger cameras.
My gut feeling is that the Styli and IS cameras have significantly
better lenses than the XA. My memory of the soft edges of the XA's
images is still very strong, almost 15 years later. *
* I have all my print work done at the Kirkland Costco, whose people are
nuts about print quality. (You should see their reprints. Exquisite!) I
haven't made a direct, "scientific" comparison, but I can see the
difference between the IS-10's lens and a Sigma 28-70/2.8 in a 4x6
print! (As good as the Olympus lens -- which, of course, is NOT billed
as state-of-the-art -- is, the Sigma is noticeably sharper.) I was
rather surprised, because the IS-10's lens is hardly a Coke bottle --
I've gotten some crisp, lovely 8x12s from it.
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