Good camera wanted

[sledgehammer927]

I currently have a Canon Power shot 1000 and it's great and all, but I want something with good quality. I really don't know anything about photography, but after seeing the pictures people take for their build logs on this forum. I want to get a nice camera and the only nice one iv'e played with would be the Canon XTi Rebel.

I have been looking at cameras in the $600 price range. I was looking at the Nikon D80 and seems like a nice camera.

Here are a few pictures from my Power Shot...

http://i38.tinypic.com/2yyquyt.jpg

http://i33.tinypic.com/j9u7v8.jpg

http://i37.tinypic.com/2ic0dnd.jpg

http://i35.tinypic.com/d6v7a.jpg

Here is one from the Canon XTI Rebel

http://i34.tinypic.com/2r5apvt.jpg

[Soulburner]

You definetely need a DSLR, or at the minimum a superzoom with a hotshoe to bounce flash off the cieling. That would get rid of all the glare from the reflections from the direct flash. The only one I know of is the Canon Powershot S5. It has good close-up capabilities, but can't do a good wide angle.

[Nate P.]

It's a common misconception that the camera takes the picture, and not the photographer. If it's a bad picture, blame the photographer, and not the camera. You said yourself that you don't know much about photography, so how can you expect to take good pictures?

However, I agree with Soulburner that a DSLR and some decent lenses and a flash does make it considerable easier to take decent pictures. If you end up getting a DSLR, such as the D80, you better invest time and effort in learning about the camera and photography in general, or else you will be sorely disappointed.

That said, I would look at the Nikon D40 or the Canon Digital Rebel XTI, with a decent flash (Nikon SB-600 or Canon EX 430).

[Stuey]

I too would recommend the S5. I have an S3, and it taught me a LOT about photography. If it's cheap enough (and it should be given the upcoming winter holiday shopping season), it could make for a decent stepping stone to a dSLR.

I've seen people do things with simple P&S cameras that a beginner with a dSLR would never be capable of.

[sledgehammer927]

Any opinions on a Nikon D40x (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16830113086)?

[Nate P.]

Any opinions on a Nikon D40x (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16830113086)?
Go for the D40 in that case, the D40x is just a straight increase on MP's.