I think that as an amateur lik eyou said, you should look at Lightwave. Its a very fast learning curve, and have almost all that others have for about 1500 bucks. Cinema 4D is another option but I think its more expansive them Lightwave.

Maya is the top in the list, but its learning curve is very high, so if you are an amateur, I dont think you will like the way it works. But if you still think in Maya here is another option to you: Houdini, its a high end app like Maya with a learning curve a littel high too, but you can render HD resolution without watermark for just 99 bucks. Only thing is that all work done in it cant be used to sell or business, its only for personal use with this price.

At high prices we also have Autodesk Softimage, that is a very cool software too.

My real adivice is: save your money to Maya, BUT take a look into those other options. Download a dmeo from everyone and try for yourself without looking any tutorial, this way you will fell the software, some you will be easy to use. Look at respective communities, read the features list and decide what you want.

Houdini
http://www.sidefx.com/index.php

Softimage
http://usa.autodesk.com/adsk/servlet/pc/index?siteID=123112&id=13571398

Cinema 4D
http://www.maxon.net/

Lightwave
http://www.newtek.com/lightwave.html

 

One more to you is Carrara also. Daz3D is working in some kind of integration between their software and maybe in the future I think that DazStudio, Bryce and Carrara will talk each other. With its low price you can still buy a lot of other plugins and content to use with it too:

http://www.daz3d.com/i/products/carrara? 

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