Photographers, I have a newbie question
 

What camera would you recommend for someone who:

1. Will be shooting 'amateur' content
2. Is a complete newbie to photography but can read and understand a user's manual
3. Will be shooting indoors and without the best lighting
4. Has a limited budget (best 'bang for the buck')

Any help would be appreciated

I have a Canon 20D but I think they are still on the pricey side. I understand that the Rebel is a lot cheaper and produces almost the same quality photos.

Since you're doing amateur only, here's what I would do:

Budget: Nikon D60 and a SB600.
Mid-range: Nikon D90 and a SB900.

Use the diffuser cap that comes with the speedlight and keep it pointed at the ceiling... never point it at the subject. Set the camera on "P" for professional (snicker).

Why Nikon? They are known for having more accurate flash exposure and better color when using flash.

NEVER use the built-in flash... you'll get freaky shadows and red eye almost every time.

Oh yeah, really budget... used Nikon D200 and SB80.

Thanks and another question :)
 

Thank you for the great information...

I was wondering if you had a vendor (website or what-have-you) that you would recommend to purchase the Nikon through?

I did a google search, but most of the vendors I'm seeing I'm not familiar with, so any info on where you would recommend to go would be appreciated.

Beware of the lowball vendors... they'll do things like upsell you on the battery, charger, etc. Go with reputable companies. Here's who I use, in no particular order:

www.durys.com (currently my favorite store in Nashville)
www.bhphotovideo.com (the king of mail order in NYC)
www.calumetphoto.com (keep an eye on their used gear.. main store is Chicago)
www.tallyns.com (they sell just about everything except Nikon)
www.robertsimaging.com (never used but understand they're very reputable)

Now you'll laugh about the best place to go look for quality used gear... www.digitalweddingforum.com .. thousands of wedding photographers who have their reputations to uphold when selling used gear.

Thank you again :)
 

Boudoir, thanks a million. You're advice has been spot-on and very helpful. Lemme know if you need anything...I'm a hardware geek, among other interests, so I might be able to help you out some area.

Jammin. We'll have to connect on ICQ or some such thing. FYI, I hold certs in information security and have managed global networks. I now run Macs.

For new equipment also check Amazon. They usually have lower deals on camera gear and bundles than you'll find at B&H and some of the other photo stores.

The D60 is so easy to use. The D90 does have a live view option (you can use the LCD to frame your images) which is nice when you are just starting out.