Excellent for all skill levels

I must say, it's my favorite camera in the <$150 price range by far. Plenty of zoom, 8 MP (you really don't need more), Optical Image stabilization (instead of that phony software stuff), a very nice movie mode, and manual and novice modes are all features that make this camera a must have for those who aren't looking to spend a lot but want the best quality that their money can buy. I've taken several thousand pictures already, and I'd say only 1-2% of them have not met my high standard (probably the best result I've found in a camera in this price range). You'll be quite pleased. My only negative is that it's a little tricky to disable the camera's autofocus. However, on the whole, it's a fine machine.