What would be a good digital camera to use for professional photography that isn't expensive...under 1,200?

You are talking about a professional camera. You will be taking hundreds of thousands of shots through this camera over the course of its expected life. The camera will have to perform in all kinds of conditions from freezing rain to the Caribbean to the desert. And you will need at least two of them (backup).

The least expensive professional level DSLR (D200) is around $1500. The professional level SLR (F6) is around $1800, so you can see that professional cameras are not inexpensive.

From the sound of your question, I can guess that you haven't attended a school like Art Center or RIT or you would know this. The equipment necessary to attend these schools can cost up to $10,000 (4x5 view camera and a 35mm system and at least one digital body) not to mention the cost of materials used in the lab.

If you are attempting to go pro with out the benefit of schooling, you may be disappointed in your success. If you are seriously interested in going pro but not attending one of the serious photo shcools (Brooks and Cal Arts are the other two good ones), you might find it to your advantage to work as an assistant to a local successful photographer for a while or get hired as a staffer (they supply the cameras) until you have enough skills to jump into the fray

Is there such a camera that is cheap for proffessional use? I would look on EBAY....you can find most anything you want..just type in digital camera, or proffessional digital camera....you can buy the camera, and then search for the extras for it too....Ebay is the bomb! Check it out. you can pay through paypal, instantly, from your bank account, or with a credit card...item is shipped to you fast that way.

Good Luck!

Nikon has a whole line of prosumer DSLRs that I've seen professionals use.

Nikon D70/D70s/D50/D80/D200

All can be found between $500 and $1500.

OK, with a budget of 1200 I would have to suggest the following option to start out with until you build up your income to buy another body:

Go with either a Nikon d80 or Canon XTi body. Use the rest of the money to get a good quality lens. Don't bother with the ones that you can get with a package deal. Get a higher end fast lens, something with some decent zoom range in it and a good size maximum aperture of say at least 2.8. This combination will cover a lot of situations to start off with, like portraits, landscapes, etc. Both cameras are 10 megapixel so you will be just fine with that and combined with a good lens you will be able to capture super fine, super crisp pictures.

Now, that takes care of equipment. Next comes experience. Shoot with all the different modes in your camera, read everything you can get your hands on and study other people's work then let your own imagination have its way.

Learn the basics of photography, exposure using fstops/shutter speeds, composition, rule of thirds, depth of field, and learn how to use photo editing tools for your computer. I am excited for you and your new adventure. Have fun and don't get discouraged.

PS: Buy your equipment from a reputable dealer that will back it up with a warranty and yes, I would go ahead and purchase that extended thingy to cover any problems you may have. It really is worth it when it comes to digitals.

Lots of pros use D70, D80, Canon XTi, etc.