What type of camera

[tpollad81491]

Hey I'm a bit of a beginner with photography. I've been shooting pics for the last couple months with a point and shoot Kodak camera. But I've been messing around with a lot of the settings and started to get some decent (in my opinion) pictures, and was wondering where should I go next
I'm looking to spend no more than $550 and I will definitely be buying books\spending time reading to develop and further skills\knowledge of whatever camera I get. Below are some shots I took with the horrible Kodak V705, any pros can judge and tell me if they're any decent

 

[Big Mike]

The usual path is to step up to an SLR type camera. They have many advantages over most non-SLR digital cameras. One being a much larger sensor and another being interchangeable lenses. A DSLR would give a good tool that will allow you to expand your system as you delve deeper into photography.

 

[stevemunoz]

For $550 you can get yourself a Canon Rebel XSI ($460) and a 50mm 1.8 ($90) from a reputable dealer online. While this won't allow for zooming, it will give you a great camera to use, and a sharp lens to grow with. Don't go with a cheap zoom, most people will eventually not use it once they collect better glass. Even now that I have a set of lenses, I still use my 50mm 1.8.

Hope this helps,

Steve