Nikon Coolpix 5600 (about $250 two years ago).
5.1 MP and it also takes the videos I post over on the NE Chapter section. The difference between 4 and 10 MP camera will only show up if you take a picture at max size and then print an 8 by 10 glossy. You said its ONLY 7 MP. That is more than enough ... do not fall for the marketing hype ... I was in the marketing field for almost 30 years, so I can sling the bull$hit with the best of them.
Its my second Nikon and they both have been easy to use. It only has a 3X zoom. A 10X zoom would be nice, but you need a tripod at that zoom to get good pics, unless the camera has built in stabilization algorithms.
Yes, mechanical zoom is the best. Digital zoom in a camera is just marketing hype. You can do digital zoom in your picture software on the computer.
I took 73 pics last night and the one with Boston in the background was my best shot. Just deleted the other 65 or so pics.
Time for some lunch - how about a can of clam chowder? Sounds good, especially since the temp is falling already. No ride today
