i love photography and i'm interested in buying a good camera
i don't know a lot about them and my budget is of $500.00. 

what is a good camera i can get for that price? thanks.

Much would depend if this was your total outlay and if so go for one of the prosumer compacts.. From Canon Nikon Olympus etc ..  Your Budget would allow for one of the less expensive digital SLR cameras but then you would need to find extra for a lens or two!

can you please give an idea on what to look for in a slr?

what is important? thanks.

Alot of the replies here will probably be personal opinion, of course. I would suggest maybe waiting and saving just a little bit more. I have a Digital Rebel XT and I've been nothing but happy with it. The kits (granted, the kit lens isn't the best, but it's not horrible either) you can find for around $600 if you look hard enough. The newest Digital Rebel is the XTi, but I think you'd be looking around $800 for the kit.

Of course, if you can save up a bit more I'd recommend buying a body (~$499 for the XT body) and then buying a decent lens (such as the Canon EF 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 II USM which I bought used for $199 and has been a great walk-around lens).

Of course, even tho I'm a Canon guy, the Nikons are nice as well, but I'm not really up to the pricing on them. It's probably similar.

-Melen

Here's a few ideas for you..

Ask yourself, what do I want to do with this camera?
What type of photographs do I want to take?
How much xoom do I want?
How close do I want to get to things?

A Digital SLR will give you the most options..but, remember..lens arent cheap..

There are quite a few SLR "like" cameras that are quite nice..

My suggestion is to use the web to see what options you have..

As examples only..

I went to the websites of two major retailers here in the US

Best Buy and Circut City..What great is, they give you options to search by

So I used the under $500 price tag. I'm only suggesting these as references.

This is what I found

Circut City

[ Best Buy

](http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?id=pcat17080&type=page&qp=crootcategoryid%23%23-1%23%23-1~~q70726f63657373696e6774696d653a3e313930302d30312d3031~~cabcat0400000%23%230%23%23dh~~cabcat0401000%23%230%23%233e~~nf408%7C%7C24323530202d20243439392e3939&list=y&nrp=15&sc=abCameraCamcorderSP&sp=%2Bbrand+skuid&usc=abcat0400000)now we have something to start looking at..

You could do the same type of search at oneline retaier sites like "New Egg"

On our Community Center page under "useful external links" you find three good places to find reviews of some of the cameras you turned up in your original search.

[http://www.dpreview.com

](http://www.dpreview.com/)[http://www.steves-digicams.com/default.htm

](http://www.steves-digicams.com/default.htm)http://www.dcresource.com/

So from our intial search.. (Circut City)

Canon PowerShot S5 IS 8-Megapixel Digital Camera - Black (POWERSHOTS5IS)

Nikon CoolPix P5100 12.1-Megapixel Digital Camera – Black (COOLPIXP5100)

Olympus SP-550UZ 7.1-Megapixel Digital Camera - Black (SP-550UZ)

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H7/B 8.1-Megapixel Digital Camera - Black (DSC-H7/B)

Fujifilm FinePix S8000fd 8-Megapixel Digital Camera – Black (FINEPIXS8000)

From best Buy

Sony - Cyber-shot 8.1MP Digital Camera - Black

Canon - PowerShot 12.1MP Digital Camera - Black

Panasonic - Lumix 10.2MP Digital Camera

New! FUJIFILM - FinePix 8.0MP Digital Camera - Black

Now you have some ideas about what you can get in that price range..You can use the resources to find out which comes best rated..

If you want to get into a Digital SLR..remember, once you start, your "married" to that brand..Any lens you buy have to work with that brand.

I did a quick seach of Beach Camera. ( bought my camera body there)

I found  the Rebel XT
http://www.beachcamera.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=CNDRXT1855B

Is it the "newest model? no..is it a good camera? yes !

The Rebel XTI

http://www.beachcamera.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=CNDRXTI1855B

But we are going quite a bit above your price range

How about the Olympus Evolt E-510?

http://www.beachcamera.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=OMEVE510KT

and comes with a free 1GB memory card..

Nikon D40 also with a free memory card
[
http://www.beachcamera.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=NKD401855

](http://www.beachcamera.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=NKD401855)
Thi should give you some ideas...feel free to ask more specific questions about makes and models !!

Thanks a lot for the research. :)

How about this one?

www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp

what is the advantage of an slr camera?

The advantage to an DSLR is the image sensor is usually higher quality,and the ability to change the lens to suit your situation..You also have more control over how your camera works.

From personal experience, digital zoom (on point and shoot models)will result in poor quality pictures.
I have a Olympus point and shoot digital camera..It takes great shot..but if I go into digital zoom, the quality quickly goes down hill..

I took This shot with my 4 MP Point and shoot..

one thing to becareful of is the "megapixel wars"
having more mega pixels doesn't always equate to a better image. To put it simply, many manufactures are cramming more info (pixels) into the same size senors..often they can become more noisy..

In Photography, it's really all about the "glass"  ,  the lens and the image sensor..

If your looking for something really easy to use, the camera you mentioned seems like a nice Point and shoot..

You can find some more info

[HERE

](http://www.steves-digicams.com/2007_reviews/fuji_f50fd.html)or

[ Here

](http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Fujifilm/fuji_finepixf50fd.asp)For a little more money, you could get a LOT more Camera
[ FujiFilm FinePix S8000fd Digital Camera

](http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Fujifilm/fuji_finepixs8000fd.asp)[http://www.ritzcamera.com/product/541245437.htm

](http://www.ritzcamera.com/product/541245437.htm)or something like this

[Olympus SP-560 UZ

](http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Olympus/oly_sp560uz.asp)

**[http://www.dpreview.com/shop/merchants.asp?id=oly_sp560uz

](http://www.dpreview.com/shop/merchants.asp?id=oly_sp560uz)or from Canon
**[Canon PowerShot G9

](http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Canon/canon_g9.asp)[**
**Canon PowerShot SX100 IS

](http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Canon/canon_sx100is.asp)
Nikon

[Nikon Coolpix P5100

](http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Nikon/nikon_cpp5100.asp)
[Nikon Coolpix P5000

](http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Nikon/nikon_cpp5000.asp)The advantage to a "SLR-Like" camera over a "point and shoot" is the features and control.

If your looking for something to take pictures on vacation or of the family, yes a point and shoot will probably serve you well. If you want to play around with "artisitic" photography, then I would go with a SLR-Like or a full blown DSLR. Given your budget, I think a SLR-like would be the best option..It will still allow you to take great casual photos and still allow you to take more control as you learn about photography.

pushinfaders, you are very nice i appreciate the info. 

I want pro photos so now i know i want a dslr.  : )

How about this one?

www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NVXF26/sr=1-1/qid=1195414280/ref=noref

or  this one

www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do

Olympus makes excellent cameras.

[http://www.steves-digicams.com/2007_reviews/e510.html

](http://www.steves-digicams.com/2007_reviews/e510.html)[http://www.steves-digicams.com/2007_reviews/e410.html

](http://www.steves-digicams.com/2007_reviews/e410.html)One thing Oly does, that I like is they have two types of memory card slots..

You would really have to compare the features of the two models.

Look HERE to compare them side by side

From what I can see, there are two differences.

The 510 has Image stabilization, and the 410 does not

however the 410 has  "Live LCD shooting view available" which is a nice feature

The two lens Kits is a good buy, and shop around because you can do better than the price at Walmart

Do you have a Ritz camera near you?

Beach camera has a decent price on the 410 with the 2 lens kit and a free memory card !

[http://www.beachcamera.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=OMEVE410KT2

](http://www.beachcamera.com/shop/product.aspx?sku=OMEVE410KT2)One of our forum and Gallery members uses an Evolt 500

[girsempa

](http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/browse.php?user_id=405950)

Some great research there Bruce one to keep in the community page

I am in the same boat and have narrowed it down to getting a Rebel400D/XTI this week with the kit lens. 
Amazon or newegg has them for 669.00 With the 18mm-55mm lens. :)

I was going to get the Canon A5 IS but decided a DSLR would be best. :)

One great Feature at dpreview is you can compare models side by side..

[http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sidebyside.asp

](http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/sidebyside.asp)

Pushinfaders, thanks for the link
unfortunately i couldn't find the cannon rebel xti to compare to the olympus e410. :(

ok, between these

which is better?  what's the diff?

thanks guys

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-images/B000I1ZWRC/ref=cm_ciu_pdp_images_0?ie=UTF8&index=0

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NVXF26/sr=1-1/qid=1195414280/ref=noref?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1195414280&sr=1-1

You can compare them

HERE

Hyp3rnova please check your site mail

Canon Rebel XTI full review can be found

[HERE

](http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canoneos400d/)Sample images can be seen [HERE

](http://www.dpreview.com/gallery/canoneos400d_samples/)Oly 410 full review can be found [HERE

](http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/olympuse410/)Sample images can be found HERE

which one is better and why?

in plain simple english with out links or reviews. thanks.

I like and prefer the canon because of the choice in lens and the availability of them from so many places.
  I was like you and for last two weeks have been reading all of the reviews and forums all over the Internet and have decided on the Canon. 
   I have used Olympus film SLR cameras and they were the best in their day.  Things have changed a lot now with so many good ones to pick from. :)
 Which ever you pick let us know. :)

I will get mine this friday when I go to Washington, DC for a weekend visit.  Where I live there are no good stores to pick other accesories from.  I want to get a camera bag and maybe another lens. :)

Hyp3rnova, they are all good cameras and will perform well for what you want.

Of the two you propose, I'd say the Olympus E-510 is the best.
The Canon 400D (or Rebel xti) has been surpassed in quality by a number of other brands, not just Olympus. But that hasn't stopped the majority of camera buyers from purchasing one... Some reasons: availability, lens options, upgradeability, the company's widespread fame...

If you look at the user reviews (the appreciation of the users/owners for their camera) on dpreview for the two cameras, you'll see that the Olympus E-510 gets a rating of 4.5 stars, whereas the Canon 400D only gets a 4.25... That should tell you something; but again, that doesn't say everything...

Why I would choose the Olympus: it's better built, better in the hand, it has double in-body Image Stabilization that works really well (so you don't need to buy expensive fast lenses with IS), the kit lenses are the best on the market, and the Olympus lenses are very good and compact, thanks to the four-thirds image standard developed by Olympus, Panasonic and Leica. Other: the image color balance and quality are outstanding, the operation is intuitive and clear, it holds two slots for CF and XD cards, battery life is very decent (better than the E-410), low image noise at high ISO values...

Here's a good and very informative website that covers everything about the whole Olympus E-range:

http://www.wrotniak.net/photo/oly-e/index.html

Good luck!

Quote - The Canon 400D (or Rebel xti) has been surpassed in quality by a number of other brands, not just Olympus. But that hasn't stopped the majority of camera buyers from purchasing one... Some reasons: availability, lens options, upgradeability, the company's widespread fame...

Exactly the reasons I picked it over other brands.
It all comes down to what a person wants,  Kind like shopping for a new car. :)