Honestly, if all you want to do is e-mail the pictures a 2 mega pixel camera is completely fine. As you get up in megapixels, all you get are larger files, which mean greater resolution, and better prints. Also, if you have a 5 megapixel camera and take pictures, if you lower the resolution, most likely the pictures will look exactly like the 2 mega pixel camera. If you plan on printing the pictures, you need a very high resolution setting, which results in each file being approx 1 mb large. If you try to e-mail those, you'll probably only be able to attach 2 or 3 per e-mail, since most e-mail accounts won't accept such large files. What you have to do is decide what you want the main focus of having a digital camera to be. If it's for primarily e-mailing pictures, you don't need to spend the money or really need a 5 megapixel camera. If you want to primarily print, then the more megapixels the better, but then those files become too large for e-mail. Now, you can always switch between settings, but that can get annoying taking two shots of every picture. It also becomes annoying when trying to remember which is e-mail and which is print. I just use my digital for primarily printing, and occasionally take e-mail quality shots. I have an older 3 megapixel (bought it 3 years ago) and it's on it's way out. When it finally goes, I'll buy a 4 or 5 megapixel, mainly because I print every shot. If I was going to primarily e-mail or set up on-linephotoalbums, I'd only buy a 2 megapixel with a lot of features, since it wouldn't be necessary to spend the extra money.
