What type of camera would you go for?

Whats the better type of camera for traveling? a digital or a SLR?

And if so what brand?

less than $800,

Both. A digital SLR, aka dSLR.

Brand?
Leading dSLR brands are Nikon and Canon, each of which has strong armies of supporters as well as haters. You'll hear a lot of suggestions as to which one is actually better, but the thing is they're both great brands. It's just the thing that usually when somebody is being sold on one brand they rarely consider the other. Part of the reason is that they can re-use their set of lenses with new bodies they buy, when they stick to the brand.

Now that said, when I travel I drag my dSLR along (which requires a whole extra camera bag to accompany me on all trips), but also my wife takes a small digital point and shoot with her. When we go to a fancy restaurant, for example, the dSLR stays in a hotel and a small p&s goes with us. That's a better alternative for taking SOME pictures, albeit not even close in quality to what dSLR would have produced vs no pitcures at all. If you're to have just one camera on your trip - you need to consider this as well. If you don't know much about photography, and are not willing to learn - dSLR may also be a waste of money for you. It's kind of like driving a car with manual transmission - you get better control and better gas mileage, but you do have to learn how to drive it and it does come with a number of inconveniences (try to sit for two hours in stop-and-go traffic and your clutch foot will ask for mercy).

So it's only you, who can make the final call!

To give you a reference go to http://www.dpreview.com/reviews and read very detailed reviews about the cameras you're considering, and then you'll be able to decide which one is for you!

Good luck,
LEM.

--- Re: additional info ---

For under $800 you can get from dSLR department:
- Nikon D40
- Canon Digital Rebel

Both are great entry level dSLR cameras, again people will suggest one over the other, but just go to http://www.dpreview.com/reviews and make your informed choice... Oh, and don't be thrown off by words "entry level", because an entry level dSLR will normally yield much better results than an advanced point and shoot anyway.

From point and shoot department:
- Just about any point and shoot currently in production.
Did I mention dpreview has great reviews of those things? Take a look and decide, once you decided on type of camera.

Casio Exilim series of cameras are very good.

If money were no object I'd have the Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III and every Canon lens that appealed to me and their top of the line flash unit.

For traveling you might consider a camera from the Olympus Stylus SW series since they are shock proof to a five foot drop and water proof.

i like Nikon d60 very much, it is the newest Nikon's dslr camera and also it is the smallest dslr
its price is approx. 700$