I love my Kodak DX6490. It takes GREAT pictures, as well as short videos. The reason I bought it was because it had 10x OPTICAL zoom. Optical zoom is the one you want, Digital zoom can make your pictures a little 'pixely'. At high levels of optical zoom Id recommend a tripod, the slightest move of your body while taking a picture at full 10x optical MAY cause the picture to blur, but I've had good luck with that.

It also has a sports mode to help with the blurrs, and a night mode so you can take pictures in the dark without a flash, a black and white mode, and a sepia mode.

This is a 4 Megapixel camera...these pictures are SHARP, but not the best out there.

All in all, a VERY good cameral. Check out the reviews on Amazon.com, you'll like what you read.