CameraHobby has written a list of camera recommendations for different groups of users - Beginners, Advanced Users, Serious Amateurs. He has also highlighted the features to look out for when buying a digital camera:
Resolution is the key specification in this digital world; however, I wouldn’t get too hung up over resolution unless you know that you’ll be pumping out a few 11×14 or bigger prints on a regular basis.
Speed of operation and shutter lag describes how fast a camera handles for changing functions and actually taking photos.
High ISO quality – while most digicams use Sony chips, the implementation of those chips by all the sundry camera brands can differ widely.
Manual control – you may not think you’ll need manual control in the early going as a learning photographer, but as you develop, you will definitely come to appreciate using a camera that offers some manual control of exposure settings.
Battery life – digicams become paperweights when batteries die and no replacements are on hand.
Memory cards – just as you need spare batteries, you may need spare cards, because the cards that come with digicams are uselessly small.