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Hi jc,
Good question about price range --How much do you think I would need to pay to get a decent, clear and sharp closeup?? Do you think $200 to $400 would be enough? or more? I see this as an investment and while I'm willing to spend what I need to get a camera that will do what I want (good closeups) I don't want to spend a fortune or more than I need to.
OK, not sure what macro function (flower mode) is.
Another question...that's $200-400
U.S. right? lol. For these boards we REALLY need specifics. Ok, let's just assume that you're from the U.S., total world domination, yadda, yadda...

Ya that much money is definitely enough.
Macro function is basically a mode where you can go super close. Normall greater than 1:1 magnification. Don't worry, most middle range cameras should have it.
Let's see, you got your typical brand name cameras: Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji...
You know what you can try to do? I'm not sure exactly what you're looking for but click on this link:
http://dpreview.com/reviews/compare.asp
It's the site for Digital Photography Review. It's an excellent site, but may be a little overwhelming at first. On this page you can select the features and price you want and they'll list out some cameras that will be suitable for you. Write us back when you have more questions.