If you had $1,000 what camera would you buy?

Question:I am budgeting $1,000 into a new camera and would like to know what one is the best. I would like a point and shoot camera that has some nice focus and zoom. Close up nature pictures and action pictures of my young kids is what I will be taking pictures of. Please teach me about the different features on cameras and why one is better than the other. Thanks

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: I am budgeting $1,000 into a new camera and would like to know what one is the best. I would like a point and shoot camera that has some nice focus and zoom. Close up nature pictures and action pictures of my young kids is what I will be taking pictures of. Please teach me about the different features on cameras and why one is better than the other. Thanks

i have the sony a100 and really like it. I probably would have got the nikon d80 but it was out of my price range and the lenses are more expensive. Look at the canon rebel xti , the nikon d40x and the sony a100. theyre all in the 1000 price range. go to the store and hold each one, see which one feels most comfortable to you. if you go to a store where they allow u to walk around with the camera and take pictures experiment with settings and see what each camera can do.
Good luck!
ps. if you choose the a100, the SAL 75-300mm lens is a nice compliment to it

Go get a D80 with 18-135mm
You can have that for a grand and it will run circles around any p&s.