Well, I think you can plug the camera straight into a printer and avoid all that. It'll cost you in memory and consumables, though.

DH has a Nikon Coolpix that we both really like.

I highly recommend playing with the sample cameras at your local Best Buy (or wherever) to see which brand's interface suits you best.

[eta that I've never used the file transfer software of any digital camera I've had -- it's always been much easier to let the computer recognize it as a camera and import the pictures for me]

Our camera doesn't have software. It just hooks up to the computer, and the computer treats it like an external drive.

What brand camera is that? All of mine have also worked that way, but I end up using the transfer software since it makes the filing easier.

Or you can just plug it into the computer and let iphoto on your mac deal. I actually want to get a card reader to bypass the iphoto weird foldering, but it's not necessary.

It just hooks up to the computer, and the computer treats it like an external drive.

My 3-year old HP has the option of appearing like an external drive, or of using PC xfer software. But I've used it exclusively on Macs for the last 2 1/2 years, so it doesn't matter if I set it to be an external drive or not - iPhoto still handles it the same.

Or you can just plug it into the computer and let iphoto on your mac deal. I actually want to get a card reader to bypass the iphoto weird foldering, but it's not necessary.

I like this one. This sounds like something I could do.

I used iPhoto to transfer on my Powerbook from my Kodak. I did not like it. Still don't use it.

What brand camera is that?

See, I knew that question was coming. Um, I think it's a Sony. Definitely a Sony. Very close to this one: [link]

We liked the fact that the screen was 2 and a half inches instead of one and a half. Makes it much easier for me to frame pictures, and to review and/or trash them on the spot.

All of mine have also worked that way, but I end up using the transfer software since it makes the filing easier.

I generally take pictures for one trip or event, then I grab them off the camera and put them in a folder, so my filing isn't complicated.

We did a lot of camera research before we bought, and liked this site: [link]

What is it you don't like? The suck everything and the PITA foldering? Those are my main complaints. I think I've finally figured out the logic of the latter for when I want to go digging for originals and I sure as hell wouldn't do it that way, but ... it's a little late now. Had I known, I'd probably have done it differently from the get go, but now I'm too lazy to reorganize.

I just pop out the memory card and use a card reader rather than hooking up the camera.

I actually just used by gift certificates to mostly purchase a tiny, cheap digital camera for when the Canon Rebel XT is just too bulky to carry around.

The new little camera is a Fujifilm A345. It feels a little cheap, but then it is a cheap camera. I don't have a feel for how good the pictures are yet, I took a picture out my window [link] but with the light, the lack of care of holding steady, and the window reflections I can't really say much about picture quality. It is tiny though.

The Canon takes fantastic pictures, but it's definitely not what you're looking for.