Great overview of the available options, all depending on how and where you use your camera.
WSJ: Good cameras offer more than just superior image quality; they can pull off tricks that the best smartphones can’t. Larger sensors and optics sharpen dim shots. Telescoping lenses let you zoom in on far-off subjects. And the camera’s housing can be reinforced to survive the harshest of conditions (or the most reckless of toddlers).
Cameras, in other words, have become more specialized, with less-expensive choices sometimes trumping pricier models for certain types of uses. Each option shown here represents a different class of camera—and because size matters, we photographed them together to convey their relative bulk. To find the one that best suits your shooting style, use the chart here.
http://online.wsj.com/articles/what-type-of-camera-clicks-for-you-1405100042
Chez Froggie 