Do you have a digital camera? If so what kind and how old is it?  

I can recommend some great online resources to allay your confusion.

First, learn a little bit about how they work, it's not as hard as you might think:

http://www.howstuffworks.com (search "digital cameras" , "photosensor")

http://www.wikipedia.com (search "photography", "digital photography")

http://www.dpreview.com (camera reviews and a huge forum for discussion)

http://www.steves-digicams.com (mostly consumer cam reviews)

http://www.dcresource.com (same as above)

http://www.megapixel.net (same as above with good dictionary on terms and techniques for digital photography)

to start. *wink*

In short don't be confused by the megapixel myth. Look for a camera that is *fast*, offers you a good a battery life and great handling before you think about image quality. When you think about image quality don't get hung up on more megapixels. As I said before I am still using with excellent results a 7 year old camera and the prints I've made always get compliments from folks such as "did you take that?". For small consumer cameras the photo sensors are all about the same size "1 and 1/8" very small, the sensor makers have simply been packing more photo receptors into the same area of chip space, this does increase the number of pixels in the final image but it does NOT improve image quality. I'd say stick to a camer with less than 7 mp if you are buying a consumer digicam. (Also known as a prosumer these days) If you want more versatility and larger sensors (ie. lower noise for low light photography without flash , more resolution) you might consider buying a DSLR. DSLR's allow you to change the lens for specific photographic effects. There was a time when lens attachments were provided with prosumers but the market has moved on, today you can buy a cheap DSLR for around $600 bucks with a decent lens. (Pentax, Nikon, Canon and Sony are all in the game with new offerings) Just keep in mind the increased performance (image quality,speed,versatility) comes with a longer learning curve and reduced handling (DSLR's are big compared to consumer cams) and usually a highier price.

Use the resources I mentioned above and take your time, whittle down your list to 2 or 3 choices offering the options you want and *go to a camera store* and try them out before buying. Handling and responsiveness can make or break your camera owning experience. Much success as you embark on your new hobby.

Regards,

David