A Cross between a P&S and DSLR

The main negative to me is that it uses AA batteries instead of usual rechargeable ones. Go to a camera shop that sells used equipment. You might find the first generation Canon Rebel XT for about $300. There are some refurbished ones on www.adorama.com. The way I see it ... is buy a used SLR and maybe the kit lens (18-55mm). This should be pretty good everywhere but at the race track where you will need more zoom. There are couple cheap zoom lenses alsoo you can buy along the way.

 

Good advice. If you have any interest in photography, better start with SLRs. They give you P&S capability and some if not all budget SLRs have manual settings.But you've to think of the 'system' you're going into. My advice is either Canon or Nikon for the upgrading capabilities. You have to choose either however because once you 'accumulate' the assorted lenses & accessories of one make they're not interchangeable among brands.

 

Yes-- a lot of the beginner level SLRs have point and shoot modes, essentially.

 

All of the digital SLRs that I have seen have "Auto" setting which effectively makes it a "point & shoot" camera.
The one thing that the DSLR won't do is give you a preview of the shot on the LCD screen before you take the shot. The LCD screen is only for adjusting settings and viewing the photo after you take it. The p&s cameras have the advantage of being able to hold the camera away from you and see how it's composed on the LCD screen.

Get an Digital SLR, you won't regret it!

 

A few DLSRs have the preview capability now - Nikon D300, D3 and a few more. But they cost an arm and a leg!

 

Interesting! Thanks for the info.

 

Shoot me an email or PM if there is anything you want to know about the Rebel...

 

Although i have a Nikon d50 now, and a Sony H3 p&s, i have always thought that the Fuji FinePix S9000 was an interesting camera.
test shoot that i have seen from the camera are very good quality, and the look and feel is very similar to a dslr.
A friend of mine has one and loves it, I have had 2 digitial p&s fuji's in the past and have always loved them, in fact my son uses my older s6900 as a play camera now and takes great shots.

Worth a look

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/fuji/finepix_s9000-review/

 

I love Canon ... That is the only brand I will buy now .. I have used a Kodak and the quality, I was just not impressed at all .. But that is just my opinion.

Recently I just bought Canon S5 IS to upgrade my old Kodak for only $310

http://www.dealstudio.com/searchdeals.php?deal_id=73519&ru=290

I've used the camera for a couple days now and taken about 400 shots with it. It is pretty good, although I want to share my thoughts on a couple things that other reviews have brought up.

http://www.cameratown.com/news/news.cfm/hurl/id%7C3997

It's also a great camera for taking indoor portraits with flash, as well as outdoor photos.

 

My take is you wait and save for a couple of weeks/months till you can get either used or new DSLR, be it Canon's Rebel or Nikon D40/X whatever.. It's worth the wait. If, however you need one fast, like NOW...maybe you should get the FUJI as mentioned above or some budget P&S (Sony/Olympus/Nikon/Canon..) before getting into it big time. I'm into Nikons since I'm old skool and still on films and have bodies/lenses and accessories for Nikons from waaay back in the '80s... I have but one digital camera and it is a Nikon..but a P&S one..!