The following information should give you some options to consider. One big thing is cleaning battery and camera electrical contacts.
Consider this battery tale of woe. The camera reports battery low and cuts off ... it's really bad electrical contacts. The battery goes into a 16 hour non automatic charger, but the battery is not really low. The battery may now be severely damaged by overcharging.
Many of the new cameras come with only an LCD display. Would suggest that you find one that has an optical view finder because the LCD is almost impossible to see in bright sun.
Higher mega pixels may not really be the best thing to look for. It is more expensive, takes longer to process, and may not be needed unless you are making a really large picture or blowing up a small part of a picture.
http://www.dcviews.com/press/agfa-dv-500... ...
Check this link for a camera that may be just what you are looking for. This is a digital video and single-lens reflex cameras that can show the finish line action in a video so it does not rely on the fast click of the shutter to catch the winner.
Via the built-in USB port, the device can be connected to any normal computer, using the power supply from the USB bus to enable continuous operation. The DV-5000G can therefore be used as a full PC and web cam with VGA resolution (640 x 480) at 30 fps. http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=9886342 ...
The information about my camera is just to show that you don't need the biggest and best.
My camera has 5.2 mega pixel, but I use 3 most of the time because it gives great results, is faster, and takes less memory. Also, it only has a 3 x optical zoom and 7x digital zoom. I never use the digital zoom because making pictures larger works better on the computer. This is an old camera, but everyone is impressed with the quality pictures it takes ... like magic.
Check with the Geeks in several stores and compare prices. Ask what cameras they own. Once you select a camera read all about it in the owner's manual.
Check this camera. FUJIFILM - FinePix 10.0-Megapixel Digital. This is more camera for the money.
Wide-angle shooting, a 12x optical zoom and picture stabilization mode combine in this camera for exceptional shooting performance, even at a distance. Plentiful scene modes, autofocus and automatic white balance controls make this camera a snap to operate. Life time Warranty (Parts & Labor)
You may be able to find it on the Internet for a lower price.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=8879234&type=product&productCategoryId=pcmcat152400050001&id=1212192673855 ...
This could be the best slim line camera.
http://shopping.yahoo.com/p:Sony%20Cyber-shot%20DSC-W150%2FR%20Digital%20Camera:1995337750;_ylc=X3oDMTB0bjZzaWNuBF9TAzk2NjMyOTA3BHNlYwNmZWVkBHNsawNlbGVj ...
The last source link will show you most of the old and new cameras available today.
The first source link will help you clean camera and battery electrical contacts. Digital Cameras require lots of power. If the contacts are not really good, it can cause lots of problems.