I have a point and shoot Sony Cyber-Shot but I've had it for about 3 years so the model I have isn't available anymore. I think it was around $250. I looked for one with a good zoom lens, and one that had a good macro lens for taking pictures of small subjects (like bugs) up close. Sometimes, the butterflies will let me get close enough to use the macro lens.

Cannon Powershots get good ratings too. There are lots of different models of Powershots and Cyber-Shots and the prices vary quite a bit for the different models. There are tons of reviews on the web but some are biased and most are snobbish. They don't like to admit that a $200 camera can take excellent photos. A lot of the articles are outdated too.

If you have access to Consumer Reports (check the library), the December 2010 issue has reviews on Basic Cameras. That one will be current enough so you could find the models that are mentioned in the article. It should show prices and give good unbiased ratings. I can see the title of the article through my library's website but it won't let me access the text yet because it's too current. Copy the article while you're at the library, then see which specific models you can find on Bestbuy.com.

The same issue has reviews on more expensive cameras too. If I had a bunch of money to spend, I'd like to have one that took good photos of MOVING targets like hummingbirds or butterflies in flight. My camera wouldn't score well in that catagory.