Val, there are a couple of important considerations attached to buying a digital camera that I didn't see addressed in this thread, so I thought I'd mention them.
One is the issue of battery consumption. Some digitals drain batteries much faster than others. For example, my Minolta DiMage 7 is a battery hog. Minolta claims the camera will get approximately 110 minutes per battery set. But even using a programmed "power-off" feature, I can still go through a set of batteries in less than 45 minutes. And I'm using rechargeable 1800mAh NiMH batteries! Other brands of digitals will drain batteries at different rates, depending upon how many "features" are turned on and how long the camera has to write the image to the storage media. The point here is that besides the purchase cost of the camera itself, you should figure in an additional expense for extra batteries and their charger. (Note: Most battery manufacturers use proprietary charging systems, so whatever brand you select, you have to use that brand's charger also or risk burning up the batteries' circuitry.) 4 batteries and a charger typically cost $15 - $100+ Since you plan to do a lot of model/layout photography, you might want to consider an AC adaptor for your camera. Those typically cost $30 - $60 U.S.
The second issue is that of storage media. Not which type, particularly, but how much? Some camera brands/models ship with only a single 16MB storage card, while others ship with 32MB or 64MB cards. This is another cost factor to take into account, because whatever comes with your camera, I can about guarantee you it won't be enough. You'll find yourself needing/wanting more storage for more photos, especially if you start shooting photos at your camera's maximum megapixel rating. For example, if I set my Minolta to shoot at its highest quality and max resolution (5.24 megapixels), I can get only 8 photos on a 128MB Flash Card. Conversely, using the "economy" or "standard" settings, I can fit several hundred photos on the same card.
And yes, I know all about erasing images from the card or transferring them to a computer. But if you're on a vacation trip and have once-in-a-lifetime photos, you may not have those options immediately available. And that becomes one of those times when you need/want an extra card or two.
The whole issue really comes into play when deciding how you want to "use" your photos. If you're shooting strictly for web/onscreen viewing, one storage card will probably take care of your needs. But it you want to make good/high quality prints with a "photo" printer, you need to shoot at high quality/high megapixel settings. There again, you will probably need/want an additional card if you plan to take more than 8-12 pictures per session before off-loading them to your computer.
Additional storage cards, depending upon type (CompactFlash, Smart Media, Memory Stick, etc) and size, typically range in cost from around $30-$250+ U.S.
So the bottom line to this long-winded sermon is just that: the bottom line. You may find that you have to adjust your budget some in order to fit in a few extras that you want/need.
Hope this helps you with your decision. I'm looking forward to seeing some of your photos.