I use an Olympus SP-500 UZ. The current model the SP-560 UZ sells for £200 - £250, you may get an older model cheaper.
Why I like it.
Ultra Macro focus: down to 3cm, though with small coins I
work at 5cm, allowing room for the lighting angles, and handling the coin.
My Camera Mode: 4 of them, allow you to programme for specialist
work.
Fully Programmeable: useful features for coin photography include;
manual focus
self timer ~ for shake free shots
set whitebalance ~ gives you white, whatever your lighting
aperture priority mode
exposure compensation
tripod fixing
I also use the camera for travel, and nature photography.
Sizewise, it's not as small as they come, but does not have the
bulk of a SLR. Mine uses AA batteries, a mixed blessing. I must get a transformer.
If I were
buying a new camera, like
PtolemAE, I would go for computer control of the camera, most digital SLR's seem to have it.
I am very pleased with my photos, though I'm
still learning. Please take a look at my
gallery to see what I and the camera have managed so far.
~ john ~