I have a Panasonic FZ30. www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Panasonic/panasonic_dmcfz30.asp (DPreview is a good site for researching). I got it new on eBay last year for $440, so it's probably dropped more. 8mp, awesome zoom, I love it. It's got a flip-out/twist LCD which is good for unusual angles and is an "slr-like" camera, has tons of features but you don't have to buy lenses for it.

I also have used a friend's Canon Powershot www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Canon/canon_a630.asp which I really liked as a smaller camera. Also had a flip-out/twist LCD (better than the one on my Panasonic because it twists enough so you can take a picture of yourself hugging someone or a critter, and see the LCD at the same time). If I were to get a smaller camera (the panasonic is large), this one would be it.

My husband just got a Canon Rebel XT with lens kit (well, I got it for him for his b-day earlier this year), which is nice even though it's not the latest model - got it on eBay for about $500 new.

Keep in mind that you don't NEED 10 megapixels. Both of our cameras are 8mp and the photos are so large that we could easily make poster-prints if we wanted to. I think 6 - 8mp is good for most people, even for closeups and detailed shots.

Snake-keeping and the photo-bug seem to go hand in hand, don't they?
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Lauren Madar - OphidiaGems.com | CageMakers
1.0 BP, 1.0 Hog Is., 1.1 Hypo BCI, 1.1 Surinam BCC, 0.1 GTP

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