I won't recommend my camera simply because it's an older model (a left-over '06 Sony Cybershot that I got in early '07 on sale), but it is a GOOD camera.

I'm far from an expert but I can share a little:
Look for something you can change the ISO on, at least to 1000. If you have good light, you can take pictures indoors with no flash on that setting. I do quite a bit of that in my living room and on our "florida type" back porch room when the sun is providing good light, and of the cats on the window sills, but you have to shoot at an angle or you just get silhouttes.

Look for a high OPTICAL zoom number if you want good zoom capabilities. Digital zoom doesn't mean much...you can zoom, but the more you zoom the grainier the photos will become. If you get a high optical zoom number (I have an x12 and really could use a camera with better zoom for the wildlife photography I do on my property, but it'll have to wait awhile) Good zoom capabilities can come in handy when you want to potograph an adorably sleeping kitty without moving too much or too close to wake kitty!

My camera has a bazillion things I'll never learn to use, but the zoom is one thing I know about and is important to me. I do use the B&W and sepia settings sometimes.

The more manipulating you will be doing with editing programs, the higher mega pixel number you should look for.

That's about all I know about to share, hope it helps some.