What are today's replacements for my Nikon 995?

I'm out of touch with the middle market cameras being sold today, although I'm aware that the point and shoot low end has gotten a lot better and the high end and DSLR cameras are stunning - but the latter are out of my price range ($300-500 I guess) or need.
What I like about the 995 is the long optical zoom range, the choice of automatic or controlled exposure/speed, the ability to tilt the lens with respect to the screen, the zoom range finder view for low light, and the firm grip for my large hands.
What I never got used to was the long time to open up and the delay in settling focus and exposure in automatic - hard to grab a shot as I did with film. I know these improved a lot in the first year or so after I bought the camera.

Nothing like the 995 out there right now.

Nothing with a twist body either.

The closest thing you can get now is a Panasonic or Canon. The Canon G10 or 12 would be very good, if the zoom range meets your needs. Panasonic has several small-body but large zoom cameras on the market, but they lack the flip and twist screens of the Canon G models. That would be the closest thing you can get now to the twist body Nikons.