That's my thinking, too. The more lenses, the more better, especially if you're a lens freak and know exactly which lens you need for a given situation. But just how many lenses do you want to carry either while hunting deer or out in the boat? Same with me in the van, I want a dSLR, but lenses can get expensive since you really do need a different one for different situations, and every lens I get is just one more piece of crap to deal with in the van. So I went with the most versatile option (at the time), which was the S2 IS for it's fully automatic mode plus all the different manual modes, and the ability to use wide angle, telephoto and macro lenses, plus filters (I have a UV filter on every lens all the time, if for nothing else but to protect the lens). And, that 12x optical was the best option at the time.
Now, telephoto being one of the primary criteria, the SX30 IS certainly seems to be the best of both worlds short of getting a bunch of lenses - automatic or manual, excellent lens, great zoom, great wide angle, and takes filters. If I weren't still getting excellent pictures with the S2 IS, I'd dump it for the SX 30, rather than go dSLR with a Rebel, simply because I can get the same results with a camera that costs quite a bit less, and don't have to deal with all the lenses (even though I really want a dSLR).
Good luck in your educational quest, and in whatever you decide. Here's a list of the
Top Camera (and Lenses) Reviews Sites that You Should Be Familiar With. Many have reviews of the SX30, complete with excellent images of the camera itself.
This site in particular has a good video of the camera and the features.
