Entry Level DSLR Suggestions Please!

[EIngerson]

Here's an article that gets the idea across. Basically, the kit lens (the one that comes with the camera) would be fine to start off with. Once you learn the basics of your camera and photography, you'll gravitate towards certain types of photography. That will dictate what lenses are best for your needs. The 18-55 kit lens is an average focal range that fit's the needs of a vast majority of camera owners. This should help a little. Google and youtube are your friends. You can learn anything you want to know from them.

Camera Labs: DSLR Lens Buying Guide

 

[Pocahontas]

Thank you, that article was very very helpful!

 

[djacobox372]

A nikon d90 with a kit lens would be a good start.

 

[DiskoJoe]

Canon - t3i or xsi
nikon - d5100 or d3100
sony - alpha 580 or maybe a nex 5 (4/3 camera)
pentax - yeah they make camera too but i dont know anything about them.
panasonic - lumix dmc-gf3 (4/3 camera)

Any of these are decent alternatives and pretty much in your price range. So you might have room to buy an extra lens and still be in budget and still be in your price range if you bought used. There is a buy/sell section on the forum too. Lots of good deal floating around in there.

 

[iresq]

If you have or can find a broken canon, you can participate in Canon's customer loyalty program. I'm sure if you ask around, you can find somebody that has an old Canon they no longer use. The purchase through the loyalty program is for a refurbished model, so you save twice.