Noob here. Best dSLR under $500?

[WhitePhoenix]

I don't know much about cameras so if I say something that sounds stupid that's my excuse. I need a digital camera for photography class and I'm not bringing my crap PowerShot A720 IS. Any good brands, specific cameras you can recommend? I found my mom's old Nikon film camera. I was looking at it and wondering, could I just buy a camera body and use the lens from this older camera? They look similar. The film camera is a Nikon N80 and the lens is a Nikon AF NIKKOR 28-80mm 1:3.3-5.6 G, 58mm. Is the lens even good or should I just buy a camera with a lens.

 

[floatingby]

I've had that lens, did not like it at all. Some, like Ken Rockwell, swear by it, mine was horrible: soft unsaturated images, couldn't mount a polarizer because the front element rotated with focus, and plastic mounting thread which finally broke and spewed shard of plastic in my camera. I wouldn't build a system based on this.
As far as recomendation, I would look for used in your budget. Something like a Nikon D7000, which would offer easier to access manual control for learning photography, rather than entry level type of camera.

 

[WhitePhoenix]

I've had that lens, did not like it at all. Some, like Ken Rockwell, swear by it, mine was horrible: soft unsaturated images, couldn't mount a polarizer because the front element rotated with focus, and plastic mounting thread which finally broke and spewed shard of plastic in my camera. I wouldn't build a system based on this.
As far as recomendation, I would look for used in your budget. Something like a Nikon D7000, which would offer easier to access manual control for learning photography, rather than entry level type of camera.

Ok, well since the camera, used, is already pretty much $500, would I be able to use the old lens on it until I can get a new one? (Wow, lots of commas in there)

 

[waday]

You can probably go used, but you could also do new:
Nikon D3200 Review DSLR Camera with 18-55mm and 55-200mm Lenses 13313

It's a new Nikon D3200, 18-55, and 55-200. All for $497...

 

[floatingby]

Ok, well since the camera, used, is already pretty much $500, would I be able to use the old lens on it until I can get a new one? (Wow, lots of commas in there)

Sure. The D7000 has a focusing motor in it, so even AF would work.
(Oh, and I'm French, so writing in english is sometime difficult. I'm also lazy, it's sometime easier to insert commas than recomposing a whole post...)

 

[rudimaes]

An entry level DSLR, like the Nikon D3200, has all the features you need to learn photography.
In a few years, when you learned to take good pictures, you can look
for a better camera and lenses.
Rudi

 

[goodguy]

Nikon D3200