Advice on getting a new camera and equipment

[Mad Aussie]

and the cheapest option available to me seemed to be the canon 1000D with 18-55 and 75-300 lenses supplied.

If that's the one that fits your budget then go for it. I've seen great pics from this camera in skilled hands so there's no reason after some learning you won't be taking stunning shots with it.

[Marko]

Just in case you are interested, did a podcast on buying your first DSLR
75 – How to buy your first DSLR | Photography podcast - photography blog - Photography.ca


Her's another thread u may want to look at http://www.photography.ca/Forums/f14...need-8184.html

Hope it helps - Marko

[Odyssey]

Thank you, those were very helpful.

Just a suggestion - if this is a frequently asked question maybe you could create a sticky thread with links to previous advice (such as the podcast, and maybe a rough idea of which lenses are best for which types of shots) to avoid repeating yourself so much. I know if I had seen a thread like that I would have read the advice there before posting my own question.

[Mad Aussie]

It IS a frequently asked question but people's budgets vary, as does their intended photography interests/subjects ... and as time passes ... new models come out and prices change. Therefore it tends to be a subject that needs to be address at the time of asking quite often.

There are some questions that have answers that remain fairly static though and could be put into a sticky.