The Canon PowerShot SX20 IS is definitely a step up from a point-and-shot and a step down from an SLR with changable lenses. Its size is convenient for the image control you get. Its image control (exposure, focus, close-ups) is excellent. It even takes movies. I strongly recommend purchasing a User's Guide to get the most out of all of its features. I got "A Short Course In Canon PowerShot SX20 IS Photography" manual that I really like. The documentation that comes with the camera is limited and mostly online. Note that this camera does not come with a memory card. I got some SanDisk Ultra II SDHC 4GB memory cards for it that work great.
Canon PowerShot SX20IS 12.1MP Digital Camera with 20x Wide Angle Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch Articulating LCD
