What's the best point & shoot digital camera and why?

I guess this question really depends on what you are looking for.

For me, when I look for a P&S camera, I look for something small, easy to use, produces sharp pictures, large megapixel (4mp and above) and most importantly its auto mode makes the correct adjustments for the situation you are in.

When considering brands that I trust, I usually got with Canon as my first choice and Nikon as a second. I have had great experiance with these P&S cameras. I currently use canon SD400 and I couldnt be happier. It fits in my pocket with ease and starts up pretty quickly. It has done well for me.

I disagree with one of the repliers answer in regards to zoom being more important compared to Megapixel. This is because when you take a picture with a camera that has more megapixel and less zoom, you can always take the picture and crop it. You can always get the same results of a camera that has more zoom and less megapixels.

My husband just did some research and bought his mom one. He got her Kodak, 4mp, 5X optical. He said a higher optical zoom is better that a higher Megapixel.

I like my Fuji FinePix E900. Its a 9 Mpix Camera and can be used for fun as well as serious photography!!