I got an email from a reader asking what camera to buy. Here is my response..

I am interested in photography, however, only a beginner at this time and am looking for a digital camera to get me started. I was wondering if you would comment on what type of camera to start off with and if you have any other tips. It will only be a hobby at first.

What camera you get really depends on a couple different factors, your budget being the big one. To really learn the art and science of photography you're going to want an slr camera. An slr allows you to have full manual control over the camera's settings and allows you to change lenses. With today's great technology a digital slr would be a great way to go. Nikon, Canon, Sony and Pentax all offer sub-$1000 models that are really wonderful. If your budget is significantly lower than that you can look to the new Nikon D40 which looks to be a great beginning dslr for about $500 (including one lens).

If you're only looking to spend a few hundred dollars you can either buy a point and shoot digital camera or a film slr. Which is right for you? Well, only you can answer that. The digital point and shoot cameras on the market today can produce some really wonderful results but you're going to be limited in how much control you have over the camera. If that's ok with you, if you're really just interested in producing pretty good shots quickly and easily this may be the route to go. But if you're thinking more long term and want to develop your skills as a photographer, you want to have control over what the camera does and have much more flexibility then a film slr will be a great tool for you. Obviously with a film slr you'll have the expense of film and film processing so in the long run you may be better off saving for a digital slr if you're planning to shoot a great deal.