Which one to buy?

[crankbait]

I am a newb at the art of photography. I would like to get more involved in photography. However, i'm lost with the wide range of options on the market right now. I am hoping to get some advice. This would be strictly for family outings and the kids playing sports. I have a conon simple point and shoot. It works but I want a more qualified camera for my familys memories. I have looked at the canon eos 40d, nikon 40,80, and 300 and the rebel xti. Can someone give me some advice on what to buy? I dont want to spend more than 3k with a couple of lenses included. Any suggestions? I would much rather buy less but receive better quality.

 

[sultan]

You don't need much to get started. You definitely don't need and EOS 40D or Nikon D300, they are big time overkill for you. Does your current Point and Shoot have manual controls? Please describe your current camera.

If you were to buy a DSLR, buy a Pentax K100D right away or a Nikon D40 in a few moths when you are ready. They are both inexpensive and have a variety of quality lenses available.

Please reply with what camera you currently have. Also, are you understand terms like exposure, aperture, f stop, shutter speed, ISO number etc. mean and do?