That should get you a compact camera with 3x zoom w/ built-in mini-flash.

The size of the LCD viewing screen will affect the price.

Also the ISO rating (low light) varies up to 3200 ISO (good)

Different brands use different memory cards, if you have a preference, or already have some for other devices.

Some newer type cards cost more than the old standard card types that are have been out for awhile.

Also, some use a built-in rechangeable battery that can be charged while in the camera, but if it discharges too low, you wan't be able to take pictures without charging, or a having a second battery.

The amount of shots/flashes a camera can take: if they hold (4) AA batteries will last longer than (2) AA batteries.

Some still cameras can do video, some with sound, most may do 320x240, and some do 640x40, and some of those are only 15 frames /second others are 640x480 @ 30fps, but time is limited by the size of the memory card it can hold.

Sometimes the max card is 2GB which may get you 20 mins @ 640x480 @ 30fps.

Take a look at Walmart and you can check & "feel" the cameras.

Thanks for the good info, reg. (I'm not the OP). I'm thinking about one of the small digital cameras as well, and I find the Nikon 550 (?) to be attractive because it has a 5x zoom, rather than a 3x. It's about $300 I believe. Do you have an opinion on this camera? I don't see that Canon has a comparable one. Thanks, Steve

For what it's worth, I love my Sony Cybershot DSC-H2, with the link to the Amazon.com page below. Don't be intimidated by the price -- I don't know why it's so much, when I got mine off of Amazon almost a year ago for less than $300 (I would check other places). My first digicam had been a Fuji (it was okay, but I was ready for an upgrade). I really like this camera for 3 features: the zoom, the image stabilization, AND you can switch to a manual feature so you can start learning how to you use SLR functions. It will prepare me for a DSLR sometime in the future (so I can plan my shots). But, even as a point and shoot it's great. It is a little bulkier, so definitely not a carry-in-your-teeny-purse camera, but I really like it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Camera