"What are the top 5 things I should look for in a camera?"

This is a tough question, since so many factors play into it. Although there are about a million, these are a few basic but very big the questions you should ask yourself before you go shopping.

How much do I have to spend?
How much do I want to learn before using your camera?
Am I using the camera for great personal photos or would I like to venture into maybe some artsy stuff?
Will the pictures be printed or mostly used on the internet?
If I decide to trade up to a more sophisticated camera later, what brand do I want to start investing in now?

I've been asked to give an idea of how to shop for a $300-$400 camera. In that price range, unless you are willing to buy used, a decent SLR will be difficult if not impossible to find. This negates the need to worry about trading up, as SLR camera lines are the ones where you will likely keep your lenses even if you move to a different body.

If you are looking for an easy-to-use camera, something you can point and shoot with that will take beautiful pictures but is compact, I would suggest looking into a Pentax Optio A10. They have 8 MP resolution, comparable to most professional digital SLR cameras, and a great range of film speeds, which will also affect the resolution of your images. This translates to the ability to do a lot of editing (cropping or other special effects) without losing much picture quality, and you will get crisp clean prints and enlargements up to a very decent size. It has some neat features, too, like time-lapsed photos. Everyone I know who owns this little gem of a camera swears by it. In the same price range with similar features but a little more bulk is a Sony Powershot. My first digital was a Sony Powershot and I LOVED it. It's a fun little camera to use, also with some fun features. And Sony makes the digital sensor panels for a couple of the big-name digital SLR cameras, so you know you're getting superior quality.

If you are looking for something that has a little more pizzazz, that functions more like an SLR without the SLR pricetag, you might want to look at the Canon Powershot A720 or SX100, or the higher-end Sony Powershot. These cameras will all keep you in the $300 - $400 range, with enough budge room to invest in a few extras like a spare or bigger memory card and a tripod so you can set the auto-timer and jump in your own pictures from time to time.

And if you're willing to go just a *little* bit higher, you can probably happen across a Canon Rebel or a Pentax K100 on sale or clearance for around $500, either of which will easily allow you to upgrade lenses and bodies over time. Even an entry-level SLR will offer you much more flexibility in the long run, and it might be worth your while to spend the extra $150.

Some buying tips:

Don't listen any sales guys' opinions unless you're in an actual camera store. Most department or drugstore or electronics folks are (essentially) clueless and will steer you towards whatever will make their monthly sales total look the best. Ask them specific questions about technical stuff only like, "What's in the box?" If, however, you are in an actual camera store, you need to talk to the salesguy who owns the Canon, THEN the salesguy who owns the Pentax, THEN the salesguy who owns the Nikon, and so on and so forth. We photographers, we love our cameras and develop biases VERY quickly, and after we fall in love with our cameras for whatever reason, it's dern near impossible to stay objective.

Here's the dirtiest little secret EVER: Megapixels aren't the be-all and end-all. For what it's worth, one of the top-of-the-line Nikon professional cameras is (get this) just 4MP. ~gasp~ There are 12MP SLRs on the market for half the price that can't even touch the picture quality. The average joe like yourself will probably never need anything more than a decent 4MP camera, which will make beautiful enlargements up to at least 11" x 14", and through a reputable company with good enhancing technology, 2x3 feet or bigger. The megapixel thing becomes more important when you are doing a lot of digital manipulation but for the average joe, it's more a bragging thing than anything else.

Pick the cameras up and hold them. See how they feel in your hand - does it fit your hand good, is it well-balanced, is it ludicrously heavy or so lightweight you're afraid it'll crack? These are important factors because if you aren't comfortable with the size and shape and weight of your camera, you will probably get accustomed to it, but I doubt it'll becomes a love affair.

If you have a specific camera you're interested in already, by all means ask me about that model and I'll try and give you an honest opinion. In the meantime, happy shopping!