Kim Komando takes a look at the Digital Camera offerings. She is the best looking geek out there.

Some well-reviewed compact cameras are the Canon PowerShot A510, www.consumer.usa.canon.com; $150; 3 megapixels, Kodak EasyShare CX7430. www.kodak.com; $180; 4 megapixels, and the Hewlett-Packard Photosmart R717, www.hp.com; $220; 6 megapixels.
Smaller versions that fit into your pocket are sleeker, thinner, lighter and often snazzier. But that style usually means a larger price tag. Some standouts in this category are the Canon PowerShot SD300 ($240; 4 megapixels), Casio Exilim EX-750, www.casio.com, ($325; 7 megapixels), and the Pentax Optio SV, www.pentaximaging.com; (under $235; 5 megapixels).

 Need more controls? Many models allow you to manually focus the camera and adjust shutter and aperture settings.
The Fujifilm FinePix E550, www.fujifilm.com, ($250; 6 megapixels), the Olympus C-7070 Wide Zoom, www.olympusamerica.com, ($450; 7 megapixels), and the Canon PowerShot S60, ($235; 5 megapixels) have received good reviews.
      
 Most cameras have at least a 3x optical zoom. Some go to 10x or 12x — truly long-range lenses. Two cameras with good reviews that let you get close to the action are the Fujifilm FinePix S5100 ($290; 4 megapixels; 10x) and the Olympus C-770 Ultra Zoom ($290; 7 megapixels; 10x).
For even more flexibility, consider a digital single-lens reflex camera. These cameras allow you to swap lenses. Use a wide-angle lens to photograph the Grand Canyon, and switch to a telephoto for a close-up of wildlife. Two well-reviewed digital SLRs are the Canon EOS 20D ($1,300; 8 megapixels) and Nikon D 70 ($1,000; 6 megapixels).