The Canon Powershot SX130 is a pretty good camera with a whopping 12x optical zoom, as well as manual exposure controls. It costs $194 right now at B&H, which is, by the way, a great place to buy (if you are planning to buy online).
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/729875-REG/Canon_4345B001_PowerShot_SX130_IS_Digital.htmlIf you think your dad wants something more "fashionable" or whatever you'd like to call it, the Canon ELPH 100 is a good camera for the money. It comes in multiple colors and is thinner than the SX130. It costs $170-$180.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=canon+elph+100&N=0&InitialSearch=yes