Fujifilm S602
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2002_reviews/fuji_s602z.htmlA camera that you can grow with and not toss aside in a year. This is an excellent camera, maybe the best before venturing into the digital SLR camera that will be in the $1500 range. The Fujifilm S602 costs in the US $699.
What I love about this camera is the five shot buffer memory. Meaning, you can take 5 action shots (full shots in high quality!!!) in less than 1 second. Also, the single shots will write to the memory card in a lot less time than most digital cameras below $700. The 6x optical zoom is great for those far away shots. You can also attach your own flash if the built in one isn\'t powerful enough. This camera is very good indoors, a problem with most digital cameras in the sub $700 range.
Oh yeah, it takes 60 second videos in high quality as well. The camera can take SmartMedia and CompactFlash II and is fully Microdrive compatible (for IBM 1 gig memory cards).
This camera beats out the fabled Epson G2 in everything.
BTW - Fujifilm\'s technology will convert full 3megapixels into 6megapixels with its patented CCD technology.