Any photographers out there? I'm looking to get my father a camara for Christmas. Tomorrow is Black Friday so I'll be on the hunt for one. The SLR's are out of my price range, fwiw. I've read good reviews on the Nikon Coolpix P80 ($300), this could be an option.
http://pages.ebay.com/cashbackoffer/terms.html?_trksid=m37 http://cgi.ebay.com/Nikon-Coolpix-P...ryZ31388QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Microsoft is a powerful drug.
Get the D40. I know you said DSLR's are out of your price range, but you can probably find one for <$300. http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/recommended-cameras.htm
SLR's are definitely the way to go if you can front the $. I picked up a 2nd hand Nikon D70 recently and WOW at the difference. But if you're just wanting a straight point n shoot, the Coolpix range is pretty decent.
My wife's Panasonic Lumic DMC-TZ3 takes awesome pics and is a breeze to use. Reading a lot of online reviews can be helpful in choosing the right camera for your needs.
What kind of camera? Something to slip into the pocket or more professional with lens attachments? I don't have experience with the later, but I have to recommend the Cannon PowerShot series as they are easy to use, durable, and take high quality photos for a good price. I like mine quite a bit.