I have a Nikon Coolpix L18 and hate it for fly photos. Sometimes it takes good photos, but most times not. You have to have good light, it helps if you put a nice background behind it...NOT WHITE...blue seems to work well, it is constantly trying to focus, and rarely do I get a good picture without taking several. I used to have a Nikon FM which is fully manual, and I loved it...but that was not digital...The COOLPIX uses batteries like there is no tomorrow. I think the Canon Powershot is the way I am going to go. I have money from my birthday and the holidays...and I am just about to make my purchase...it is above your price range though. If you want to try the Coolpix, fine. I am just telling you MY EXPERIENCE with it, and I was NOT HAPPY. I have finally learned how to make the camera work better, but it takes forever and uses a heck of a lot of batteries. For a camera to take pics of people, or landscapes...it is a fine camera to have. I do not like it at all for fly photos though.