[jyl]

The question is so open-ended - depends on what you want to do with the camera.

But I'll tell you what I have and why. We got a Canon G2 (now they have the G3, it is similar). 6 MP, regular knobs and buttons for omst functions (I hate scrolling through menus), has some degree of spotmetering, hot shoe for a flash. Basically, it feels and handles more like a "regular" camera. The bad part is the zoom range is limited (I think they improved that in the G3) and the Canon wide and tele lenses aren't very wide or tele (but you can buy aftermarket). Also, like every consumer digital camera I've seen, the lag between pressing the shutter release and making the exposure is irritatingly long (but you can press the release partway to "pre-focus", thus reducing the lag). Oh, get a 1GB Microdrive (don't have to be IBM brand) as it will hold something like 700 exposures at high resolution - we've never, ever, run out of storage.

I still prefer a normal SLR but I'm waiting for the digital SLRs from Canon and Nikon to offer full-size sensors (CCD or CMOS is the size of a 35mm negative, so the interchangeable lenses give the same perspective as when used on the film 35mm SLRs), appx 13MP images (I've read that is the resolution needed to approximate the information content of most 35mm film), with minimal shutter lag (<1/10 sec) for <$3K. They make such cameras now, for $>$8K.