How To Choose A Photo Camera

Image quality has been mostly maxed out since about 2015 but performance and features still make some progress in the realms of autofocus and the addition of A.I. So what areas do you want to focus in? First I will talk about general purpose cameras which fits for the majority of users before I talk about niche uses.

General purpose. I would define this as medium resolution and medium speed. I'm going to only talk about modern mirrorless cameras not DSLRs which aren't made anymore. Here are some factors why you'd choose one camera over another.

Image quality. I don't think this a big deal in today's time because like I said, general performance has more or less has been maxed out for many years. This includes high ISO noise and dynamic range. If you make a mistake in your exposure, the quality may suffer so it's probably always best to get that correct. Also if you create a great photo, nobody will care about nitpicking the quality.
Autofocus. Some cameras are better than others in this aspect. Most have nailed single focus down but the question is what happens when you and/or the subject is moving and you need to use it in continuous mode. This is where there have been great strides made in the past decade with tracking and subject detection. A shot that's out of focus will ruin the shot so it wouldn't matter if the image quality is "better".
Ergonomics. You must try a camera physically out to see if it's comfortable for you. Can you can reach all buttons and dials? I would consider the menu layout if it's intuitive for you.
Color fidelity. If you shoot RAW and a color chart and do post production, maybe this isn't as relevant. But if you use processed images (JPEGs/HEIFs) straight from the camera then it could matter. Every camera is different when it comes to how it processes images (debayer, sharpening, noise reduction, and compression engine).
Custom profiles. And for those that do use processed images straight from the camera, some brands/models have more flexibility with profiles.
Viewfinder and back screen. For composition and review a sharper and brighter screen and viewfinder could be a thing for some.
General customization. Changing your button and dial layout and saving them in banks could be useful if you change scenarios.
Build quality. Some cameras are more rugged than others meaning they maybe more resistant to water / dust.
Burst mode and buffer. If you take some action shots, faster burst rates and a larger buffer will let you get more keepers.
App control and offloading. For those wanting to share photos on social media faster, some cameras have better apps that others.
Tethering. Not all cameras support tethering and some don't work with Capture One (the industry standard software for professional tethered workflow)

Portability. The smallest cameras don't have interchangeable lenses. And with those that do, the small sensor cameras have naturally smaller bodies and lenses.

Fuji. The X100 has a non interchangeable lens and it's up to version VI now. The other X series bodies are interchangeable and they have some small lenses. The smallest being the X-E which is up to version 5 now.
Panasonic / Lumix or Olympus micro four thirds. They have some of the smallest bodies and lenses. The flagship Lumix cameras are still quite big though e.g. GH7, G9II but they offer great photo AND video hybrid performance. Olympus flagship cameras are smaller and are more photo centric but can take video. If you want to go with a basic but old camera, Lumix make some tiny bodies but they can only be found used now.
Sony. For APS-C they have the ZV-E line if you're a casual user / blogger video use for small takes. For flagship APS-C, there's the A6x00 line (interchangable lens) with the latest being the A6700. For full frame they have the A7C line which is up to version II now.

Highest end autofocus and speed. You should probably choose the flagship cameras from Sony, Canon, or Nikon (in no particular order). These are ideal for the sports genre. Sometimes you can get away with previous models because they're still probably faster than the lower tier models

Canon R1 and slightly older R3.
Nikon Z9 and smaller Z8
Sony A9III and A1II.

Highest resolution. Perhaps you need the highest resolutions and I'm not going to talk about the other feature set.

Any of the medium format digital cameras with backs
Fuji GFX medium format with 50MP (any GFX50) or 100MP (any GFX100)
Sony A7R series with 61MP (version IV and V), A1 with 50MP (version I and II)
Canon R5 with 45MP (Version I or II).
Nikon Z9 or Z9 with 45.7MP.
Panasonic S1RII with 44.3MP. It can do a sensor shift mode for even higher resolution of 177MP. While other cameras do a form of this, LUMIX's IBIS and implementation of multishot has been a bit better. So for those doing static tripod shots, this could be interesting.