When I was making the same decision several years back I did a lot of research ahead of time and since I always had good luck with Canon I focused on that line. At the time the new intro DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) that was getting all the best reviews was the Canon EOS Rebel T2I. It was about half the price of the professional Cannon line and had idiot settings so that the camera could do the work that I didn't understand at the time. I bought one and have never regretted it.
It takes the best pictures I have ever been able to do, and all have been published. But it also is capable of video that can rival just about any non professional video camera. I got some advice from my photographer, who also does videography work, who told me a saying to always remember- "It's all in the glass" in other words the digital camera just needs to record the image that the lens gives it, but it is the lens that determines the real quality.
Fast forward to today- I am still using the T2i but I have also purchased the newer T6i version of the EOS. Still taking the best pictures I have ever done, but I am now producing DVD's, and all my video work, with those two cameras. In many of my videos I will shoot two camera angles using both cameras for B roll material and I have gotten compliments from professionals on the quality of those shots. I have also seen television commercials shot with the EOS Rebels.
These cameras will run around $700, but will take care of all of you photography AND video needs. If you know nothing about photography they have a wide selection of auto settings so the camera will figure it out, as well as the full range of manual setting for when you get confident in your abilities. There is a very good interface software that will allow you to tether the camera to a computer and shoot remotely with your mouse while you compose the shot on a large screen. This, by the way, is the setup that I use, with the camera mounted to my microscope, to do my metallography work.
The Canon point and shoots, or any point and shoot for that matter, are cheaper but limited and nowhere near as future proof as the DSLR cameras.