Good SLR camera recommendations?

I need a little guidance in the camera world. I'm not sure whether I'll go 35mm or digital, but can someone with a little knowledge or experience with cams give me some heads-up on some good choices, preferably within the $500- range? Thanks in advance!

I agree that digital is the way to go these days, especially for someone who is learning photography. You can shoot-shoot-shoot and see your results instantly. If you analyze and experiment, this is the best way to learn.

The cheapest DSLR that is worth owning is probably the Pentax K110D, and this is coming from a Nikon fan.

This is a decent camera.

You can click on individual user comments on this page: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/read_opi...

You can also read this review of the K100D, which is the same camera as the K110D, except that it also has image stabilization in the camera: http://www.steves-digicams.com/2006_revi...

Check out this set-up. You can get the body, the "kit" lens for $395 after a rebate from B&H Photo in New York. (Rebate ends 4-30-07) You can find B&H by going to Yahoo! Shopping, as they are one of the retailers that Yahoo! links to.

"Pentax K110D, 6.1 Megapixel, SLR, Digital Camera Kit with Pentax Zoom Super Wide Angle SMCP-DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL Autofocus Lens." You will still need a memory card, which you can buy for about $30-45, depending on the size you choose.

If you want "shake reduction" built into the body, which is a nice feature, you can get the Pentax K100D for about another hundred dollars.

Thanks. Clavestone - if you see this - are you shocked to see me recommending the Pentax? I've got your back! Report It

Forget about film, go digital, it is cheap, and environmentally friendly, and many other reasons. When deciding on a camera, consider the lens first, Leica is very good, and Panasonic have many reasonably priced cameras with a Leica lens, get as much memory as you can afford, at least one or two gigs, and generally, spend as much as you can afford

I've been into photography for a while, and I think it's best to start with the basics. I have an all-manual 35mm SLR Nikon fm 10. It's a wonderfully easy camera to use, and mine was approximately $200. It doesn't have any diffucult knobs or anything, and you can master it in 1 day. (JUST MAKE SURE TO ALWAYS HAVE A CAMERA STRAP!!! it's only an extra $5-$20) I think you should start manual and THEN go digital, so you get a nice foundation.

Remember, no matter what camera you get, always ALWAYS have a camera strap. You don't want the camera to fall out of your hands and break!

Happy photographing!

With your budget, you will find that a nice used Nikon or Canon 35mm with a wide angle and normal range zoom will get you going. Learning the basics with a 35mm will help you decide if you want to later spend the big dollars on a digital SLR that will compliment the lenses you already have from your film adventure.

I would suggest you look into taking a class at a local community college in photo-art and learn all you can about the other aspects of photography; exposure, composition, design, use of various lenses, subject juxtaposition as well as film development and printing. All these skills will help you toward being successful in making photographs you can be proud of and share with your friends ... and perhaps sell.

Yes it is true, digital photography has gone a long way toward reducing the impact film has on our environment, but if done right, film can be used safely and have a much reduced impact on our earth.

Nikon D40 with lens (retail location, USA) typicaly in the $599 range.
Pentax K100D with lens (retail, USA $649 and until end of April $100 mail in rebate sets it to $549)

Otherwise look for a used Rebel/Rebel XT/Nikon D50/Pentax DL