Like mentioned above... It all depends what you want to do with it. You're the only one that can sort that part out.
The basic guidlines above, especially quality optics, are all good. If you want Zoom, you want as much optical zoom as you can get. You don't want to use digital zoom much if at all if you can avoid it.
Also... Combined optical and digital is not the same as the whatever amount of true optical zoom.
Digital zoom is the camera doing a software resize much like you'd do on your PC. Depending on what you will be outputting to, digital zoom can seriously degrade the image.
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Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should.
(Jurasic Park)
The Ogre's Fiero Cave (It's also at the top of every forum page...)