For the first 1.5 years of my blog, I used a Canon PowerShot (a simple point and shoot) and many people were surprised by it. Then in January I upgraded to Canon Rebel digital SLR and really like it, because it lets me to better control light.

Regardless of the camera, I really think that having natural light, ability to compose your photograph and having a steady hand are the most important variables!

I second the importance of light - photography means writing with light. But if you want to be taking close up food photographs, I think you'll ultimately need a macro lens, which means you need an SLR rather than a point-and-shoot. The Smitten Kitchen blog, which has gorgeous food photos, has a handy guide you should check out.

I have this camera - and use it for my food blog photos - it's a great camera
http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMC-ZS3-Digital-Stabilized-Black/dp/B001QFZMCO

http://christines-cuisine.blogspot.com/

If you aren't currently using it, figure out how to enable your camera's macro focus option. Even though it will not be as effective as actually getting a DSLR with a macro lens, it will make a huge difference in the quality of your food shots, and it's much less spendy. I just figured out how to use mine this weekend after a long, long time of being saddened by my lousy close-up shots; I'm still kicking myself over how long it took me to read the manual.

Also, a tripod really helps, especially if your lighting situation is limited.

Look to see if your camera has a macro setting and use that. It makes up close shots look so much better. You should be able to dig up your manual online (GO WEB GO!) and do a search for "macro" and see what you come up with.

If you think you are incapable of holding still (I know I am) a tripod is a lot cheaper than a new camera and may solve the blurry issue.

I use two cameras for my blog - it just depends on what Im doing. In my Baking Class I use my iPhone 3GS and it does remarkably well under good light for close up shots.

When at home I use a Nikon E8400 - its old now but it has scenes set up for close ups etc and manual settings as well. It works great - but it still does not stop me from wishing I had a nice new camera with a macro lens:)

I also use a tripod to shoot at home - it helps a lot and it also has a timer to get mixing shots etc.

I have a Canon S5IS for my blog photos. It's technically a point and shoot but is a good step between basic cameras and DSLRs.

I use macro (or "super macro") heavily. I shoot in natural light whenever possible, but if I absolutely have to shoot at night/low light, I use my Lowel Ego light and reflector. At $100, it's spendy, but worth it to me for the freedom to shoot regardless of the sun's position.

I REALLY need to use my tripod more, but I'm just lazy.

I recommend a Canon SX200 IS for entry level photography for about any situation. I just got one for Christmas unexpectedly and was suprised by it. Just to devpve into it's capabilities a bit, it does simple point-and-shoot, has 13 modes, shoots HD video, a super macro mode, and a plethora of manual controls that DSLRs are know for. I feel that it has many of the same capabilities that a DSLR that everyone uses but on a cheaper device (quality doesn't match the DSLR obviously, but the manual controls can really teach you something if you want to move up.
Aside from the device some things you need to keep in mind. First shoot in the proper mode. If you're using a point-and-shoot make sure you have it in macro mode so it's focus is sharp (usually denoted by a flower icon). If you use a DSLR it's the same but make sure you have the right lens. Next is the importance of lighting. This is probably the most important factor in photography since anything visual depends on the light. Toy around with the lighting, learn what the different white balance modes are on your camera to adjust the lighting. And finally, have fun and don't get frsutrated if it doesn't come out well the first few times. :)

Definitely play around with your camera before considering a new one. Budget-friendly improvisation also helps! A can of tomatoes can make a nice tripod and a hand held mirror can be used to reflect light and brighten up shadowy areas on food.

I used a Canon Powershot for years and loved that little thing, but when it finally died, I had to research a new camera. I was shocked when the reviewers all said that the Fuji Finepix F70EXR was THE camera. The camera snob in me was skeptical, but after a few shots I can honestly agree with the reviews. I'm still testing after only a week of ownership, but so far, when it comes to low light, close up (read inconspicuous in a restaurant) this baby outperforms even the digital SLRs I've used. I'm impressed, but looking forward to seeing how it does in the future.

Nikon (and maybe others, I don't know) actually has a 'Food' mode on its newer point and shoot cameras designed for just such purposes.

I don't know exactly what they are tweaking in their, but I am guessing it is a warmer color temperature and a wide aperture for a shallow depth of field... both of which you can adjust yourself on any camera that has a 'Aperture Priority Setting'

http://www.slashfood.com/2009/07/22/does-your-digital-camera-have-a-food-setting/

When I went looking for a new camera recently, I couldn't afford (nor did I really want all the features of) a DSLR, so I looked at Canon's "in between" SX line of cameras. I eventually settled on the SX120, and it takes great pictures of food for my blog. I'm still learning how to take good pictures, but when I get it right, they look great. They also have a couple of cameras that are a step up from the 120 that are great, but when you start getting into those prices, you might as well go for the DSLR I think.

If you learn to take good photos, the camera you have won't matter. I use my iPhone for a lot of food photography and it turns out fine so long as I pay attention to how far from the food I am, what level I'm on relative to the food and the light.

Light is really, really important. Start by working in daylight, it's much easier to get tastey looking shots that way. If you have to use artificial light, find your camera's white balance settings and fiddle with them until the picture on the screen looks the correct color. Incandecents make things really yellow, for example, and the white balance settings will compensate for it much like our eyes do. Bright daylight may also help with the blurry problem since it'll allow you to take very short exposure shots (less than 1/100 of a second and you almost never get blur). If the photos are still blurry, check your camera's manual; it should have a minimum focal length listed somewhere and that will tell you what's the closest you can be to your subject and still get a sharp photo. When in doubt, start further back. You can always crop the image later.

Try different angles when you're taking pictures. Some of my favorite photos by others are from overhead (try standing on a chair and shooting down) and I've had good luck with that technique as well. Or try putting yourself on level with the dinner table and shooting straight on. The angle from eye-level when seated to the surface of the dining room table isn't the best one so try some others.

Any point-and-shoot digital camera bought within the last few years should be able to take great close up shots. Natural light is free. If your hands are shaky, small tripods are cheap. If your camera lacks a macro mode or even the macro mode isn't close up enough for you, simply crop your photos later using any free online photo editor. You can also adjust color, saturation, white balance, etc.

I echo what others have said - play around with your camera some more before you decide that you need a new one.

I use a Canon SD1100 IS. It can be had on Amazon for 100 bucks and has, like all Canon compact cameras, a pretty extensive selection of easy to use manual light options, ISO speeds and exposures. It also has a very good macro setting that works wonders for food photography and Canons render color much better than similar cameras from other brands. These little consumer cameras can do a lot more than you think if you take the time to know them. A lot of people don't thoroughly read the user manual of their cameras and never quite learn to use them properly, taking mediocre pictures with the same tool that others can do fantastic work with. You can do great work with inexpensive tools and you will develop a better photo technique by practicing with a simple camera and taking advantage of all its potential before you invest in a professional SLR.

One additional investment I'd suggest is a lightweight sturdy folding tripod like this one, also under 100 bucks: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/614702-REG/Slik_611849_Sprint_Pro_II_GM.html#reviews

Those two pieces of equipment are all I used to take the photos for this site for example: http://galipetteparis.com/
All with natural light and very minor adjustments in post-processing.

You wouldn't have seen that much of a difference if I had used a high end SLR but the price difference would have been well over $1000.

yup, powershot's super cheap and sooo versatile! macro and whitepoint balance are key. (semi-related- the underwater housing's pretty cheap too if you want a full scuba rig for under $300!)

One easy thing to do is take a cardboard box, cut out the sides and top and tape thin white paper over the holes. You can use the box outside or place a light source near it. The white paper diffuses the light and makes picture taking easy.

Here are instructions:

http://desktoppub.about.com/od/scanninggraphics/ss/lightbox.htm

a good tip is to place your food on a piece of poster board...makes a huge difference! I have been working really hard at food photography on my blog:
rachelsrecipebox.blogspot.com

Macro macro macro all the way. All digital cameras have it these days so you just have to experiment with whether you take food shots close up with no zoom or further away but zoomed in. Setting up a tripod (or resting your camera on a box) helps if you don't have a very steady hand.

I have two cameras -- an older Canon Powershot SD1000 and a Canon Rebel SLR. The SLR allows me to focus in on low-light situations, particularly with a f1.8/50mm fixed-length lens, and you can see that on some of the posts on my blog (http://www.gravytrainblog.com). The Powershot, however, is great for those situations where I happen to be out at dinner and want to take a quick snap of the food. I put the setting on macro and turn the flash off. Usually that does the trick.

I just purchased a tripod this weekend, and I noticed a HUGE difference in being able to get sharper tight shots. I'm also using my P&S's extensive selections that, especially in tandem with a tripod and using the M setting, my pictures have definitely improved tenfold compared to when I first started taking pictures.

My problem is backgrounds... and some lighting issues on occasion.

I have a Canon Powershot SX120 and it's great, but like others have said, it's really about knowing how to take good photos. I wouldn't spend the money on an DSLR unless you are really into photography, which you say you aren't.

hi guys! Ayumi here. thanks for all the great tips! i will definitely try playing around with the lighting and maybe invest in a tripod. the biggest complaint i have about my camera is its inability to capture natural light. the flash always goes off unless i am outdoors on a bright day, and if i turn the flash off indoors, it's very difficult to get a sharp image. adjusting some of the settings helps, but the image usually ends up looking rather yellowish, or otherwise unnatural. my camera is kinda old (i got it about five years ago) so i may just get a new one. thanks for all the recommendations! :)

I use a Canon PowerShot G10 for my food photography and absolutely love it. It's not as complex as a DSLR, but gives you a lot of control (white balance spot adjust, manual focus, aperture/shutter speed/ISO adjusting, etc.) Since I live in a cave (comfortable, but not nearly light enough), I also have a couple Lowel EGO lights that works wonders. You can check my pix out on my blog at peekandeat.com.

I have a Canon PowerShot (I've had it for nearly 3 years), but I want a Nikon D90 in the worst way. I use my macro setting often and try and use as much daylight as I can, which isn't always easy since most of my baking takes place in the evenings after my kids are in bed. :P

I use the Canon Rebel XTi and am really trying to improve my photo taking abilities. I love my Rebel and have just been reading the "...for Dummies" book actually written for the exact model I have. From all the reading I've done on the web, it seems that having a good external flash is very helpful-- this will be my next investment. And practicing a lot is important, too, I think! It's amazing how much better things have gotten since I've been paying attention and practicing.

http://www.remarkablydomestic.com

I have a Pentax Optio bought in 2006 or so. While I have been generally not satisfied with it as a general use digital camera, its macro settings are probably its strong point. It does have a "Food" mode that is intended to make food look more appetizing, and I think it does a decent job of this, considering that it is otherwise not a fantastic camera. I think others have said this, but go for natural light when you can -- I find that the flash on my camera makes almost anything (or anyone) look terrible.

I'm not the best photographer, but resting the camera on an object to create a tripod effect really helps to make my photos sharper.