Actually I think your intended use of the pictures would affect your type/choice of camera.
I mean, if you just wanted some pics for your own collection, then I think most of the pns cams listed here will probably be fine.
But if you are going to use the pics for a magazine or for large prints, then a (d)slr would be the way to go. But then again you did say that you are not familiar with cameras, so be aware that with a slr, there is a rather steep learning curve.
:think: