The Best Camera ...

... is the one you've got with you all the time, and can use quickly.
For me, that means a pocket-sized camera, rather than extra weight-training to be able to carry a (heavy) high end camera, with a selection of lenses.

Although this picture was shot with a borrowed Pentax Optio Z10 on a walk over the border in Oxfordshire, I've used a Canon PowerShot G12 and found it be a very capable camera with a sharp lens in a handy package. It's aimed at the more serious photographer, and has a fully manual mode (although I suggest using it in program or aperture priority mode) and support for RAW files so that you can squeeze the last drop of goodness out of your images.  I've seen very crisp A3 (11 inch by 16 inch, roughly) prints from files captured with a G12. Highly recommended.

Using the same sharp lens and crisp sensor, the Canon PowerShot S95is smaller, more automated, and aimed at the point and shoot market. Great if you're looking for something that's simple to use, but want high quality results.

I like the Nikon D3100and have advised several people to look at it as a first Digital Single Lens Reflex camera; it usually comes as a camera and lens bundle with a very good, sharp 18-55mm zoom lens ( that's a wide-angle to useful-for-people pictures focal length range); it's the biggest camera in this short selection, but is still light and "baggable". I find DSLRs to be quicker to use than most point and shoots, hence this is a great step up from point and shot cameras, and is another personal recommendation.