If you are used to a certain brand then the dials and controls will be familiar to you, making the learning curve easier. I am partial to Canon, as are many professionals (I am not a pro but an avid enthusiast). I recently bought a Canon S-80 for my point and shoot. It's got full manual controls and takes terrific photos. It works well in no flash situations and is quite compact.
Have you looked at
www.dpreview.com - there is a lot of really good info there.
