New Camera?

While we were in the hospital taking pictures of our newborn, our 2 year old pulled the camera off a table and shattered it. It was a Canon PowerShot A630. I would love to learn some photography skills, but it all starts with a decent camera. I can spend a couple of hundred bucks to begin with, with adding lenses and such later if needed. Any suggestions on where to start?

Colt

Is there no hope for the camera? They can repair a good deal for little money. I don't know if there are any repair shops around you. Call around to some of the camera shops and ask if they repair or know of any. The big chain of repair shops is SPTS (Southern Photo Technical Service). But I don't know if any are around you or not. That would be the first avenue I would explore. Then if that does not work out, do what I told Kyle to do. Go to a Best Buy and Circut City, tell the salesmen what you are looking for and how much you want to spend, get their recomendations, then go to a online retailer or ebay to see if you can get the best deal. I am a fan of the new Nikon P80. Its not a DSLR but for the size and weight and price its not bad at $399 and I think Circut City has for $369 right now.
Eddie

What is a DSLR and what would make a DSLR better than the P80?

Never mind about th DSLR. I read your post on cameras and that helped. A lot. Thanks for that post! I have found a Nikon P80 for $255. Cheapest I have found. http://www.86photovideo.com/products.asp?product_id=18815

I know I looked at the P80, but I didn't like that I was limited to just the one lens. I wanted to get a camera that could kind of grow with me as I learned more. I didn't feel like this one could. From what I've gathered from talking to a bunch of people, you won't find a camera at this price with these features (specifically the 18x zoom; if I'm thinking about the correct camera). My opinion (for what its worth), awesome camera, but didn't like the limitations.

DSLR's are great if you have $500-800 to spend on a decent package. Yes they do give you options to grow with your camera being able to by different lenses and having a greater range of control over your pictures. If you are talking about a camera to take hiking mostly with you and still have the something that will take amazing shots you are not limited only to a DSLR. I have a 18x zoom on a point and shoot and still have full manual capability to to capture amazing photos, yet it is lighter weight and more compact than a DSLR. In fact it can do everything a Entry level DSLR can do except change lenses. But with the excellent wide angle and zoom it has built in I really don't need to. Unless your planning on getting deep into photography, or just using hiking or taking family photos a point and shoot will take photos that are just as crisp and clean as a DSLR( unless your a pixel peeper). I love my Fuji 18x zoom 10 megapixel and all the photos I have posted on here have been taken by it and I can't tell the difference between them or my Nikon D80( $900 DSLR). Idon't know much about the P80 but I know Nikon makes a great camera. Look for full manual control settings and wide range of aperture.

So the P80 only allows for the standard lens? I have a Canon A630 now (the one my son broke) that allows for more lenses attached, and it is just a standard dgital. However, it only has a 4x optical zoom standard. I do love that the P80 has an 18x.

If I decide to continue to grow in photography, I can always bump up to a DSLR and just let the wife keep the P80.

Wow.. everyone beat me to the punch on this one.... hahaha.... damn work. Yes the P80 offers most all functions with the eception being that you are stuck with the one lens. I have played with this camera and I love it. I am thinking of buying it for myself. The trade off of the lens is that you get a really really light camera . I would love a depth of feild preview button and a shooting in raw format but I guess I cant have my cake and eat it too.. but then what would be the purpous of cake if you could not eat it.... hmmmm
Eddie