Professional camera for beginner?

Can someone help me decide on a camera for beginners? I want to take pictures to try to sell on a website. Under $1000, although under $500 would be much better. Thank you so much in advance! The specifications for the site are below.

iStock accepts files 1600 x 1200 pixels or larger. Any file smaller than 1600 x 1200 pixels will be declined. As a rule for image sizes, the bigger the better. iStock will not accept files that have been up-sampled / rezzed up, (increasing the size / dpi to be larger than that of the original file size).

File Formats:

Image: iStock accepts RGB, JPG files only. TIF's, PNG's, PSD's will be declined. CMYK images will also be declined.

Vector / Illustration: When uploading Vector files, one (max) 270x270 preview/thumbnail JPG is required. The source file for Vector/Illustration files must be a zipped EPS or AI file.

Flash: zipped SWF & FLA

"you will not create images that anyone would want to buy."

Thank you, but only I know my can and can't do's. :) I already have people interested in the photos I took with my digital camera. I only need to know which professional camera will best fit the above specifications.

Fuji 9100 a beginners digital camera at a steel of a price. It has 9 mega pixels and a twist zoom style lens that is great. Check it out under 500.00 I believe. And by the way don't ever listen to idiots that tell you what you can't do. Even though they obviously couldn't themselves . What a sad sad comment. Pray for him he needs it. You go for it, You know you can!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Look at some of the digital SLR cameras. The pro-sumer cameras tend to be in your price range. Look for discontinued DSLR's that have come way down in price and still pack a punch.

Don't worry about pixel size when choosing a upper end camera. You can make adjustments (reduce) during editing. Many of the DSLR's can record the images using several formats. Again, you can change (save) the images during editing.

I've been very pleased with Canon. They have the Rebel series and the 20D and 30D that you may be able find for less that $1,000.

I've always found that Nikon cameras have great quality for such a small thing. They can come cheap, but if you're looking for a more sophisticated camera, they have even better ones for a higher price. (Under both prices you named.)

When you call yourself a "beginner" then I think that means you have no experience with photography.

With no experience in photography its irrelevant what camera you buy because you will not create images that anyone would want to buy.

You can buy a $99 "point & shoot" or a $34,000 Hasselblad and if you are inexperienced, untrained and unskilled your results with either will be the same - garbage.

Invest your money in photography classes and learn about f-stops, ISO, shutter speeds, composition and light.

While attending classes, work as an assistant to a professional photographer doing weddings and portraits.

Maybe in 3, 4 years you'll be submitting work that people will want to buy.

EDIT: As I said, you call yourself a "beginner" and you lead one to think you are inexperienced as a photographer. In the future, try being more explicit in your self-description. Tell us what you have been doing and what camera you use.

EDIT II: I've been enjoying and learning about photography for 37 years, Dean W. Obviously you don't associate the term "beginner" as used by the Asker in the same way I do. You, sir, are the idiot.

If you are creating images that people want to buy, then you should know what kind of gear you need.

Edwin gave you a great answer, and you gave him attitude.

Good luck.