Recommendations for Newbie

[Namaste13]

I'm looking for a new camera. I'm moving up from a P&S. I'm an artist and want to learn more on photography so that I have better photos to paint from. I want to spend no more than $1,000 CDN. Maybe I don't even have to spend that much on a good camera? I want to be able to shoot animals, landscapes and close up shots for flowers etc. My P&S had a great macro feature for such a small inexpensive camera. Maybe someone can recommend lenses as well. I bought a book for beginners so I'm enjoying that learning process. I've signed up to take a beginners workshop on how to photograph flowers but need a camera now. I've read various threads over the internet on Canon and Nikkon. I think I want to go with Canon. I won't be advancing my photography career but would like all the right equipment for great pictures...your recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks

[AcadieLibre]

Well for a $1000 Canadian and if you want to go with a Canon or even if you decided to go with Nikon for the money you will get basically a Decent Camera Body and Kit Lens. I would suggest going to a Photography store and talk to the sales people and if you can go to two different ones so you will get more info. Not all sales reps are created equal. For your money you might want to look at other brands like Olympus, Sony and others. Look at your needs, then price a lens suited to what you want to photograph, a macro lens does a kit lens make very well.

So look at a body that best fits your hands, the controls on the camera work well for you and is in your price range. Then price out a lens that best does what you want. To give you opinions on line we can all do it, and I see it done everyday but if you can visit a camera store, feel the cameras in your hand and spend time talking to the sales rep it is the best way to go, you seen to have done a lot of research so you have some idea what you want but don't count out other brands if you can see, feel and touch them. If you do not live close to any quality photo stores then I think I would be willing to give you recommendations. All cameras in certain price ranges are compatible in quality and same goes for most lenses in a given price range.

[F8&Bthere]

Agree with AL, see what feels good in the hands. For $1K or less you should be able to get a decent Canon/Nikon body and kit lens, to cover landscapes etc, then have enough left in the budget for a decent 3rd party macro lens (you might have to go used and manual focus depending on how much you blew on the kit- but manual focus for macro is no big compromise really). But animals usually means longer lenses and I doubt you can squeeze that 3rd lens into that budget. Especially since there are so many other little extras digging away at your wallet- like memory cards, filters, monopod/tripod, maybe a bag, etc etc.
If you are willing to venture outside the world of Canikon, there's some pretty great bang for the buck in Pentax equipment- bodies and lenses- if you shop around carefully. Might take a lot of research between the internet and visits to stores, but I wish you luck in whatever you decide.

[Greg_Nuspel]

Go visit The Camera Store, Saneal, and Vistek these three are good shops, just watch you'll get three opinions so you'll have rate the relevance of each one for yourself. Luckly these three are all close together.