Not long ago, your digital cameras choices were limited to either an automated point-and-shoot model or a complicated, manually controlled camera. Today, the boundaries have blurred, but the sharper images that the newer hybrid cameras produce haven't. Now, easy-to-use point-and-shoot cameras let you manually adjust exposure and shutter speeds for full creative control.
Take, for example, the FujiFilm FinePix A700 . This camera is easy to use, yet offers enough sophisticated features to keep more advanced photographers happy--and comes at a bargain price to boot ($199 list). The A700's foremost feature is its surprisingly high-end 7.3-megapixel Super CCD sensor, a feature previously only available in cameras aimed at advanced and professional photographers. Seven megapixels provide more than enough resolution for startlingly crisp 4-by-6-inch pictures, and the extra resolution produced by FujiFilm’s proprietary Super CCD sensor allows the same photos to be pushed to poster size without any loss in visual quality.
The 2.4-inch LCD screen has an anti-glare coating for better viewing in bright light and adds 12MB of internal secondary storage in case the removable, wafer-thin xD-Picture card (alas, sold separately) is full or removed from the camera. Textured rubber coating, a comfortable handgrip, and a well-placed shutter button and zoom controls make one-handed picture taking a snap. The A700 is powered by two readily available alkaline AA batteries (though rechargeable batteries can also be used). 
If you're looking for something a tad more high-end, the Canon PowerShot A640 offers an amazing 10-megapixel resolution. It may produce professional-quality shots, but you won't pay a pro-level price: the A640 is available for $337. Canon packed 21 shooting modes into the camera--and all of them are visible on its 2.5-inch LCD. The screen is on a revolving hinge that lets the photographer swing it out for easier viewing. Various overlays show the printable areas for standard photo prints. Full manual modes for exposure control and 30-frames-per-second videos with sound are also included.