What features should I look for?

That's a difficult question to answer, it really depends what you want to shoot photos of. If it is just herps and habitats, you should be fine with almost any camera as long as its lens is capable of going wide enough and producing high enough magnification.
I really think you might be better served by buying a book on close-up photography to learn what sorts of things you might want.

Things I would require would be a camera that has interchangeable lenses or at least a very wide ranging zoom, a sensor capable of producing smooth images at at least ISO 400, depth of field preview (either by LCD or a DOF preview button).
I would also want a system where I could buy larger, more powerful flash units that I could control either with an off-camera cord or wirelessly.

How do digital cameras compare with SLR's? Can digital cameras produce pics that are as nice?

I'm not sure what you are asking here. There are several types of cameras.
- point and shoot film cameras
- SLR (single lens reflex) film cameras
- fixed lens point and shoot digitals
- advanced fixed lens digitals (SLR-like, but with a fixed lens)
- digital SLRs (DSLRs - interchangeable lenses)

I have to admit that I get better photos now with my digital SLR than I used to get with my film SLRs. That's because of the immediate feedback of the digital camera.

Most DLSRs have bigger sensors (physically bigger in size, not megapixels) and therefore produce better images at high ISOs. However, many of the current advanced amateur cameras produced excellent results as well.

The advantage of the DSLR is that you are buying a "system" not just a camera. Therefore, if (when) you want to upgrade to a newer camera body later on, you can still use your flashes, lenses, etc.

I know a lot of people who have moved from a fixed lens digital to a DSLR. I don't know anyone who has gone the other way. That should tell you something about which is believed to be superior.
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Chris Harrison
San Antonio, Texas

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