thank you for the answers! I think best the camera in your price range is the Canon Powershot A540. You can find it "everywhere" for about $170. I've recommended this camera within my own family, so I'll be living with the results of this recommendation right along with you. You can use the rest of your budget to buy a decent memory card.
Go here and read an extensive review:
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2006_revi...
Check the sample images, too.
This will blow your mind. The A530 is now discontinued, but it was the "little brother" to the A540.
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/150-vs-5...
Canon just introduced the A550, which has more pixels, but offers less user control. I'd be happy with the A540, but the A550 is probably also worth considering.
A550 review: http://www.steves-digicams.com/2007_revi...
You will need to add a memory card and I suggest the Sandisk or Lexar brand in any speed. You will spend from about $20 for a 512 KB card, which is perfectly adequate, to about $40 for a Sandisk Ultra II, which is as good as you'd ever want for this or many other cameras.
My brother has the A540 and my mother-in-law has the A530 - on my recommendation - and neither one has stopped speaking to me yet. The one that is dicounted to at least $100. http://shopping.yahoo.com/b:Digital%20Ca... Samsung ..6.o megapixle 130.00 Wal-Mart.. From an image quality standpoint.
The Fuji F20.
Actually- from a lot of standpoints.
newegg, BHphotovideo, adorama, abes - all have it for $150 right now. You'll need to spend another $25 on an xD card.
http://www.nextag.com/fuji-f20/search-ht... I would think the Canon A540 would be your best bet. go to yahoo shopping
digital cameras
digital camera guide
it will help you decide | 