How to sell photography

Best Ways To Make Money Selling Photography:

What is a good beginner camera for photography under $600?

I'm interested in starting photography, and I want to know what you believe to be the best beginner's camera. I'm looking at the D80's but they seem to run about 800. Since I'm not sure I want to pursue this hobby I want to spend about 600 only. Include lenses, or any other equiptment (I don't know that much) in the cost. I want to have a camera that does not blur easily.. I am a beginner.

Public Comments

1. I'd definitely research the Sony brand. I used one as a beginner.
2. I love my sony cybershoot T100 (although any Sony Cybershot is good). It was only about $500. Here are some of the pictures I have taken with it: http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee7/color_me_bleu/RestingPlace.jpg http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee7/color_me_bleu/NoHunting.jpg http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee7/color_me_bleu/Dragonfly.jpg http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee7/color_me_bleu/Clown.jpg http://i234.photobucket.com/albums/ee7/color_me_bleu/Carnage.jpg
3. You could look into the D60 or even at minimum the D40...The benifit of the D40 is the live view screen. I personally use the D80 right now, and are already jonesning for the next upgrade. Lenses are where you will get insane...start with the beginning lenses that come one the D60 or D40 kits...and move up from there. You can almost clean anything up with a quality photo editor. If you are using a slower SLR and are concerned about blur invest in a good lense with an optical stabilizer. Once you get a good lense you can almost certainly use the lense forever as long as you continue to stay with compatable camera bodies. Oh and invest in a good storeage card (weather it's SD or other forms)...the faster the card can write info to it the faster you'll be able to move on to the next shot...I found this to be extremely useful in action shots... Some shots that I have taken: http://aspcacommunity.ning.com/photo/snowy-face-1?context=user http://aspcacommunity.ning.com/photo/woosh-1?context=user http://aspcacommunity.ning.com/photo/658300:Photo:749190?context=user http://aspcacommunity.ning.com/photo/658300:Photo:643948?context=user http://aspcacommunity.ning.com/photo/658300:Photo:613939?context=user LEM's info isn't entirly correct...the D40, though in basic features as the D80 is "the same" the D80 is faster in apature actuation *shutter speed* and those "moment's notice" shots are captured without blur...so yes cameras, when slow, do infact blur. Compair a "cool pix" to a professional camera and you will see a shocking difference on the same shot. Also, the more expensive the camera is the "cleaner" because the ISO range...the ISO is higher in all lighting expensive vs. cheap camera...there is a HUGE difference between my friends D3 that operates (indoors under average lighting) at 3200 ISO vs my D80 that operates in the same conditions at 120 ISO...also his camera is a 12.3mp vs my 10mp...he can blow his shots up to poster size or greater without any risk of compromising the shot. The D60 was rumored to have Live View, having never used a lesser camera sorry didn't know. Sorry. The D90 then in fact is the cheapest Nikon SLR with Live View..However I find Live View more incumbersome than traditional view finder.
4. Cameras don't blur - photographers do. If you know what you're doing you can control the blur making an artistic tool out of it, rather than an unfortunate image spoiler... So when you talk about dSLR's, they are all on a level field here. A more expensive body will not perform any better than the cheaper one. You may get less accidental motion blur with more expensive faster lenses, but they're out of your budget for now. If you are not sure - don't jump in it with too much money. Get Nikon D40 with a kit 18-55 lens. That will run you about $450-500 range. You can also throw in a UV filter to protect the lens, but hold the rest of your money until you know what direction in photography you are going to take, so that you can get the right stuff for that. Remaining $100 won't buy you another good lens or flash (SB-400 gets close, but again, don't throw the money at it before you know that you need it). Just a word about D40 - don't be confused by words entry level. Yes, it's entry level, but it's got all the good things its more expensive siblings, like D80 have. All that you need to start in photography, or to keep going once you know what you're doing is there. What isn't there are convenience features used by pros. Extra buttons, extra speed, extra displays, etc. Photography-wise D40 will do just as well. And don't be afraid of it being "just" 6 megapixels. It's a plenty. Megapixels don't define camera quality. Lenses and sensors do, and the D40 with basic lens kit has it at a very high level! LEM. -- P.S. Notes regarding answers above: 1. Sony is a good brand, excellent brand, just not a camera brand. I'd keep it confined to Nikon or Canon or Olympus when talking about investing in a camera system. They made their names producing fine optics and mechanics for cameras over years. Sony (which in some, but not all cases are re-branded Minoltas, which is a good start, but not enough in my opinion) would be number 4 pick on my list after those three. 2. D60 does not have live view. D90 is the cheapest Nikon that has it, but it is absolutely not worth it just for that feature. -- RE: Lani - this is not a place to run a discussion forum, but I'm not sure how you connect aperture actuation speed to motion blur, and how shutter speed is connected to them in a first place... Also the rest of advantages you list are those little things pros are willing to pay for, but unnecessary to a beginner. Why would you compare $4,000 D3 with $800 D80 in a first place, they're in different leagues. Why not throw in a $40,000 hasselblad into a mix, it is an amazing camera!!! The asker needs a basic camera to learn photography. Until they are up to chasing a perfect moment in sports photography, getting a glimpse into dim celebrity room as a paparazzi, or having to shoot the events as they happen being a photo journalist in a hot spot - they really don't need all of those. Yes, they are nice, but not for learning. These extra features (and ones you didn't list, like faster framerates, sturdier bodies, and so much more) help a ton in professional work. If these features were useless, nobody would've bought more expensive cameras, they are just something a beginner can easily live without. This is exactly what I said in original reply and I stick to it. Oh, and don't make me laugh about 12.3MP vs. 10MP comparison. If you really think it matters, I'd advice that you read up a bit. Start here: http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/mpmyth.htm
5. I have an Olympus FE240 that I got from costco 3 years ago.. it's digital and very simple to operate. I've taken pics of Christmas lights that came out great.. all kinds of stuff. It was pretty cheap.. no more than $100 at the most back then. The controls are pretty intuitive. Nice zoom function too.
6. I'd say get the Olympus e510 comes with a 14-42 lens, and a 40-150 lens 10 megapix camera for 549-5