right....
one thing i will say is................. its not always the camera that makes the pictures... u can get good pics with a lesser camera IF you know what ur doing.... it is about learning how to get the best from your camera...
i will say, regarding the night pics, both posters are right - u do need a steady hand to get good shots, as u need a longer opening shutter for the light, but, in manual settings, u can fiddle a bit and play with the focal length etc.... i got sum fab shots in june and even a few good ones with my mobile.....
as for cameras - my current camera of choice is a panasonic lumix fz38 - its a bridge camera and it happily comes to disney with me!!
there are alot of cameras now that have various settings for scenes - like fireworks, so maybe have a look around - and also get sumthin that is comfy in ur hand.... i wud avoid a slr, as the lens prices are huge, and its a pain to switch lens....
tbh everybody has diff ideas and choices, but least uve got a selection of makes to start with!! x