Camera Angst

I want this camera! But! The reasons I want it are because it's cheap and pretty. I'm not sure if I'm ok with that!

I'm having angst over this decision! I absolutely must buy a new digital camera in the near future. I have a Canon Powershot A530 that only takes about 25 pictures before the AA batteries die (I think they may have a contract with Duracell.) And, in the last year, it's developed a dark patch in the lens that I have to account for in all my pictures. I have to center my jewelry to the right of the patch, so I can crop it out later. It's a pain, it's getting worse, and I can't live with it anymore. So there's why.

But what!?

I have heard from two different people that they love coolpix cameras, but then there are so many different models S's and L's and 220's and 610's. I'm heading towards the s220 just because it's the cheapest. And I like the green! I feel like I have to spend a huge amount of time with a camera, and honestly, I'm almost always totally stressed out when I'm using it, so why not have it be visually pleasing? Although I hate playing into the whole marketing electronics towards women by making different colors thing. I've been reading review after review, and nobody mentions a macro lens, either, which is what I'm most interested in. I hate the idea of getting a camera that I'm only somewhat happy with. I had a Sony Cybershot that I ABSOLUTELY LOVED, but I had to give up Sony after their lens broke, then the repair company switched my well-taken-care-of camera with one that had plastic gems glued to it, then they bought me a brand new camera and the lens broke in the same way AGAIN. So I can't do it anymore! And the Canon! A black patch on every exposure? 25 pictures per battery? I can't do that anymore either! It seems I'm being led to Nikon by elimination. I don't want anymore crap. A cheap camera is going to be crap, and I'd like to spend more, but I can't! Augh. I hate the electronics game.