sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

You might consider getting one of the "bridge" cameras. These are digital cameras that have integrated lenses that go from wide angle to super-telephoto. The sensors are a little smaller than in most DSLR's, but unless you want wall-sized enlargements, this won't really matter.

The Canon SX50 is very well-liked in this forum - about $400. Recently several have posted good comments about the Sony H400 - about $260:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00I8BIBAO/ref=s9_simh_gw_p421_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=0PG0SXZRPD188A967J6Y&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1688200382&pf_rd_i=507846

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

Join a club.

Get a good CANON / NIKON 'consumer' model. These are the low end more specifically targeted to the auto functions. You might get a complete 2nd hand package if you are lucky. These cameras will allow you to move on to more controllable features later and by then you'll hopefully know whether you want to move onto something more advanced.

A CANON 450 inc. 18-55 lens will set you back around £200.00 in the UK. Same camera will have different monikers in different locations.

Can't suggest / comment on NIKONS as I've never used one, but I think they're each on a par.

nicksr1125 Loc: Mesa, AZ

As the owner of a Sony H400, I concur with sb. It's a great camera with a looooooong zoom (63x optical). My only concern for someone just getting into digital is the electronic viewfinder. It's not an action camera. The delay from pressing the shutter release to getting the view back can be several seconds. Not good if you're shooting pictures of grandkids.

phil553

go to b and h photo store and click ok used.digital cameras,they are fantastic store and you can get a great camera and lens for 300 or less. Phil

phil553

go to b and h photo store and click ok used.digital cameras,they are fantastic store and you can get a great camera and lens for 300 or less. Phil that's the web site the store is in nyc

ole sarg Loc: south florida

as you can see there are lots of cameras out there. go to a camera store or to a big box store and handle some cameras. which one fits best in your hand and which one has the most transparent menu system. now you have an idea of which brand to buy.

next check out B&H and Adorama for used equipment and for new you may find that some new is priced to compete with used.

Make your purchase. Make sure the camera you buy has a manual!

Next go to camerasim.com and learn about apeture, speed and ISO. In fact, do this at any time even without a camera.

dsmeltz Loc: Philadelphia

You beat me to the refurb option. It is a great place to start.

RKL349 Loc: Connecticut

Capo60, take a look at Cameta Camera on line if you are considering Nikon. They sell refurbished cameras which carry a USA warranty, which is something you definitely want. Refurbished is a great way to go and Nikon stands behind them, they have some great "kit" deals which include a lens and all of the factory Nikon inclusions just like purchasing new, and are well within your budget. Good luck, and let us know what you decide.

frozenhermitphoto

To someone just picking up a DSLR, they may all seem pretty much the same. The differences you notice now may not be the differences you notice once you have used one for a while. Button layout, easy to use menu, live view mode, video capabilities, etc. Most any camera will suit your needs, both now and in the near future. What most of us experience when buying an interchangeable lens camera is "lens fever" - the overwhelming urge to buy more and better lenses.

$400 will buy you a decent used camera, not a great one. Keep in mind that lower price cameras will give you a great starting point, but if you get more serious about photography you will eventually want to upgrade to (more megapixels, more features, faster burst rate, good video) something better.

Here are some things you want to consider when buying your first DSLR:
Ergonomics: Does it fit your hands? is it easy to carry to the places you want to go? Are the controls easy to reach?

Price of accessories: Lenses are expensive. So are flash units. Third party gear is a better value, but I chose a Sony because there are tons of used lenses that survived from the film age.

Suitability: You mentioned sports; if you buy a Canon that has a burst rate of 3fps, you may upgrade to a Sony that can shoot 2-4 times faster. Do you wear glasses when shooting? If so, do you plan on using live view? Sony's SLT line has the best full time live view, both on the screen and in the viewfinder. (my opinion)

If video is something you are considering, most cameras you can afford really suck at that. Most brands are making great strides in video function, but usually in the mid to upper level versions. Once again I have to praise Sony for putting out great performing cameras in this field, at great prices.

If you plan on doing lots of plays and dance recitals, you will need a camera that performs well in low light. Canon takes top honors in this area. But not by much.

If you have a local camera club, show up with a box of donuts at their meeting along with a list of questions. It is a great way to see a variety of gear first hand without a sales person trying to guess how much money you make.

It's ok to buy a used camera, but lots of Canon and Nikon users will only part with their used gear for 75% of what they paid for it, so don't let someone else tell you what is or is not a good deal. You decide.

No matter what brand you buy, you can come back here for advice, whether it is gear related or technique related.

Hope this helped.

RichardSM Loc: Back in Texas

Hello capo60

Take what Swamp Gator has posted and buy that camera from Canon you will get a warranty from Canon which is worth its weight in gold, you can't go wrong with Canon.

skiman Loc: Ventura, CA

For that price range, look at refurb Nikon D5100 with an 18-55mm and 55-200 lens. It can do what you want, however to get serious sports shots (above 6 fps) or under lights at night you will need much more expensive 2.8 lenses and a step up in camera D7100 or D610. I perfer Nikon because I find them easier to use, but Canon has comparable cameras at the same price points.

lhbpe Loc: North Carolina

I also have a Nikon D80 with the same zoom lens. I have had it about 8 years and have never regretted buying it. You can do everything a budding photographer would want, including setting it on automatic and using it like a point-and-shoot, except you would need to zoom the lens. You can also use it on manual or anywhere in between. Good sturdy camera and lens combo. Should be able to find both used at any good camera supplier.

Moles Loc: South Carolina

You might want to check out Sam's Club. They usually have low-end Nikon and Camera DSLR packages for very reasonable money.

chaprick

Here are several choices for new cameras at Sam's Club for under $500.

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/search/searchResults.jsp?refinementParam=Refinement&rootDimension=0&dimGrpitem=1&dimGrpbrand=2&dimGrpmegapixels=3&dimGrpproductrating=4&dimGrpprice=5&searchCategoryId=1176&altQuery=100001_1086_1175_1176&navParam=0&searchTerm=camera&requestType=ajax&interactedWith=customPrice&isRatingSelected=false&selectedFilter=null&minPrice=0&maxPrice=500&currentMinPrice=0&currentMaxPrice=4000&lowerPriceRange=0&upperPriceRange=4000&pageView=list&sortKey=relevance&servDesc=null&keyword=camera&sortOrder=0&noOfRecordsPerPage=12&tireSearch=null

Jackinthebox Loc: travel the world

But that Nikon will not be like having a Canon DSLR. It will always fall a little short.