Can anyone recommend a good starter camera?

I just got a Canon A590, and although it is basic, I am coming to love it. It might be a good place to start.

Here's a little info about it:

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=183&modelid=16336

Like yourself, I've got fed up with missing photos (of our son) so I've recently got the camera below (Nikon D40), which all the reviews have said is an excellent SLR camera (and is curretly pretty reasonable cost-wise) for a novice to use as it is very user friendly with clear functions and the kind fo standard settings you find on most digital cameras (landscape, twilight, etc) and after using it for a few weeks now it is very easy to use and I'm getting some excellent shots. I've got a book for christmas on how to use it so I can get more into the settings and I'd like to do a course too.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nikon-D40-Digital-SLR-Camera/dp/B000KIX65S/ref=br_lf_m_1000242033_1_1_ttl?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&pf_rd_p=463970253&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_t=1401&pf_rd_i=1000242033&pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_r=0VYG0NJSC19QAXMYMV36

What's HPAD?

I've got a Nikon D60 and that's really good - you can just leave it on auto to start with!

What camera does mr S have (it may be worth considering working on your skills with this camera and seeing if you enjoy it before investing in something new, assuming his camera is reasonable)?

What is your budget for the new camera? Shutter lag can be a bit of an issue with older digital cameras but my point and shoot (canon IXUS 800) is fine in that respect so I wouldn't say you need to go all out and get an SLR just for that purpose. I am a bit of a stickler when it comes to the SLR stuff and although I am a complete amateur I really don't see the point of getting an SLR and just leaving it on auto - you may as well get a nice point and shoot for less money that will more than cover your needs and be much more portable.

There is lots of free photo editing software - I mostly use picnik but picasa and gimp are both free I believe and some HPADers use them. I would post this on the HPAD group for more advice anyway.

Hitched photo a day group: http://www.flickr.com/groups/hpad2009/

Oh I see! Thanks for that, Daisycat!

I have a Canon Ixus 80is which is great.

Wow, thank you everyone, a couple of good ones to look at there.

MrS has a Sony Cybershot T7 (or T9) which is great for room shots, but i really want something that i can zoom in and take more fancy shots (get me, I dont even know the real terminology ?)

The Nikon D40 looks fab, but a bit out of my price range at the moment unfortunately I think. The Cannon looks good, can you zoom in with that one quite well?

I will maybe post on HPAD and ask there as well, was a bit scared to register without having a camera to take the photos with, but if I can get some ideas will register.

Thank you everyone.

Like DaisyCat says, I really wouldn't get a DSLR straight away - I've only just bought one after nearly 2 years of HPADing! It's just a shocking waste to have it set on auto. The Canon Ixus P&S range is fantastic, I've taken some amazing shots (ooh get me ?) with my little IXUS 860IS.

This one is really good if you don't want to spend too much cash, and it comes in pink too ?

Re editing your photos afterwards, The Gimp is very good and similar to Photoshop (except it's free, rather than £700!), and will let you resize, crop, fiddly about with contrast, brightness etc (and more complicated things when you're ready for them!)