Cheapest Camera that I won't want to fling across the room

Well, my camera had finally bit the dust. I'm looking to get a real cheapy point a shoot camera to tide me over til the summer/fall when we'll have a bit more money and I'll be able to get myself a digital SLR.

I also want to be able to get some kind of decent picture from it so I don't feel tempted to fling it across the room. We are in such a picturesque area and I'd love to get my hands on a SLR NOW but just can't. HELP!!! What's a decent cheapy that I won't feel bad about paying for to use only for a few months? Optical zoom a must.

Katrina

How much do you want to spend and what kind of pictures are you planning to take? And maybe you can tell us what would make you want to fling a camera across the room. It would be good to know that so that we can help steer you to something that will get the job done for you :)

Given your situation, I would actually suggest getting a used older model DSLR for around $250-300. Eventually, you could upgrade to a newer DSLR and keep the old one as a backup, and any lenses you get could be used on the future upgrade camera you buy:

Some good choices would be:

Canon EOS 350 also known as the Rebel XTi
Nikon D50
Olympus E-500
Pentax K100D

Any of those will be very capable DSLRs and lightly used ones sell for under $300 including the kit lens nowadays. They are not the newest, but they are plenty capable cameras, and you can grow with them.