Mirrorless camera.

[vash]

i think mirrorless burns batteries down faster since they have to keep the sensor powered up..

versus you looking thru and using a mirror for the viewfinder.

[CurtEgerer]

Just to throw out a couple of other options less traveled, these are my 2 standbys that get the most use. The Leica Digilux 2 is my all-time favorite digital. If you grew up with a mechanical 35mm film SLR, you won't even need a manual to use this. It is a whopping 5.2 MP Don't panic. The images are stunning thanks mainly to the lens (which is fixed). If this 28-90mm f/2.0 Summicron had an M-mount, it would be $5000+. These cameras have a cult following and sell for around $400-600 today.

Leica Digilux 2 for Professional Photojournalistic Use

The other is my real workhorse camera - the original Lumix GF-1 (I don't care for the many upgraded versions over the years). Picked this up on fleaBay complete for around $125! I almost bought one new back in the day for $650+. Awesome MFT. A cheap way to test the mirrorless waters.