Please help newbie to choose camera :)

Hi,

I'm totally a photography newbie and planning to start to take photos as a hobby. I need nice camera. My price range is $400-700. Please feel free to suggest which one you think would be good, maybe one of the rebels (which one?) Should I get the best one I can get with my money or bit cheaper and an extra lens. I want to get a Camera I would be happy years and would not want a better one immediately. Thank you!

If you can find one of the older model Canons - that would be in your price range. I also think the Nikon has an entry level about 5-600. I would go and try them both out and see which one feels right in your hands.

Susan wrote:If you can find one of the older model Canons - that would be in your price range. I also think the Nikon has an entry level about 5-600. I would go and try them both out and see which one feels right in your hands.

Thanks Susan, I think WE (I got DH interested too) will be getting the Rebel XTi without the kit lens. I see you have it too, have you been happy with it? DH found this to be the best deal http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/products/Digital_SLR/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=A0726001
I have been looking if there is something missing in this deal but can't find anything. I'm open to XSi too but I have not found any reason why it would better for me than the XTi, the pixels hardly would make any difference. We'll get the 50mm 1.8f lens and another zoom lens but I don't know which one.

looks like a great deal to me and a great plan. The kit lens is good for basic things and it alone will make your pictures better than a typical point and shoot - but the glass on the newer lens is going to help your pictures excel!

I'm EXTREMEL"Y happy with my XTi!!!!

I am lusting after Susan's XTi. Susan has graciously offered to let me play with it, but I am too afraid I will somehow break it. That's Susan's camera in our forum header, BTW, as shot with my Canon point-and-shoot. LOL!

Thank you both! I think I might get this XSi instead
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16830120262&nm_mc=OTC-Froogle&cm_mmc=OTC-Froogle-_-Digital+Cameras-_-CANON+USA+Inc-_-30120262
it is more expensive but come's with a lens that shouild be fine (according to online reviews) and 8GB Flascard. I think I might be easily spending $200 for a zoom lens. I'm again just worried that if there is some problem with this particular model as it is clearly lower than MRSP, everything seems fine to me thought. After starting I'll get the 50mm 1.8f lens too as it is not too expensive. Oh and when I get my camera I have to come here all the time to get some critique as I have no idea what I'm doing! I'm interested to see Tig what you can do with our baby cam, I should have probably started by practicing with the little canon we have.

A few of my pics are in the critique/fix/show off section, and I will put up a few more soon. If you have the same baby Canon I do, you might be surprised what we can do, LOL! I have had mine since November and have *just* found more functions and settings. I rarely shoot on full auto anymore.

TIG wrote:A few of my pics are in the critique/fix/show off section, and I will put up a few more soon. If you have the same baby Canon I do, you might be surprised what we can do, LOL! I have had mine since November and have *just* found more functions and settings. I rarely shoot on full auto anymore.

Mine is 2-3 years old so I'm sure yours is more cabable. I have not even bothered really to look at that as I'm quite bad in wanting to buy new I'll go and see your pics and try if I could be able to get somethig like those with mine. Anyway even with the Rebel there will be situations when it would be easier to keep the smaller one with us and leave rebel home.

I got the Rebel Xsi with the kit lens. There is so much more I want now, like zoom at least up to 200, the 50mm lens, tripod, photoshop... I'm sure this will never end I do love it , thank you for your inputs!