Good camera for a novice photographer

My husband and I wanted to purchase a new digital camera before we have our first child in December. We had previously owned a Nikon Coolpix (although it is now terribly outdated) and have had really good experiences with it. The photos always turned out really well and it was easy for us to use. The Nikon S550 has proven to be perfect for our needs, too.

I love the size and weight of this camera - can even fit in a pocket!

It has so many different scene and mode options that the photographer will always find a good way to take a great picture. Make sure to read the manual to learn about them all - they come in handy. We typically use the camera for photos with friends and family - we're not producing photographic art, but the pictures we've taken have been great!

This camera includes a video camera component that can record 45-60 second clips on average and even records sound. It's great to have the option now to easily send brief video clips to friends and family.

We love the rechargeable battery and charger that comes with it. Previous cameras of ours would burn through AA batteries so quickly. When we traveled overseas, it wasn't the easiest to find replacement AAs (not to mention the prices!). We're looking forward to having the charger for future trips. (By the way, the charger itself is probably 4 inches long.)

The one drawback that we've found thus far is that the S550 doesn't have a viewfinder. We enjoy the large LCD screen for viewing photo subjects, but on a bright/sunny day, it's tough to see the screen really well.