No need to waste the investment in good glass that you already own.

Costco has some good deals on Nikon DSLR packages, or hop over to B&H and see what they have. Lots of excellent choices for under $1000. Any of the current crop should work fine for you; most of what's on the market now is probably going to be somewhat advanced from the film cameras you may have owned, so even the lower-end models can be a big upgrade.

Nikon D5200.

http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/productdetail.aspx?c=us&l=en&s=dhs&cs=19&sku=A7001142

I've been using a Kodak Z1015 IS.

Not so sure about those lenses. I haven't taken the time to check reviews on them.

how they rate. Nikon is not in the business of making crappy lenses.


Get the basic kit and use it until your needs demand new lenses. If the old lenses work with the new body, great.

SLR and lenses when I got my digital camera.

going with the kit lens until you are comfortable with the camera.

It is what I use and have no complaints except it's not the latest greatest of the good cameras.
With the balance of the money you could pick up a new Nikon 5.6, 70-300 VR lens.

The great thing about Nikon stuff is it's made to last, so buying used is not that big of a deal. Here's some various models you might be interested in.

The Nikon D3XXX and D5XXX series are geared towards hobbyists and infrequent users. These cameras will take great pictures, but the autofocus speed is lacking and options are primarily selected via a menu system rather than by buttons. You can pick up a used D3100, with an 18-55 lens for around $300.

http://www.adorama.com/US%20%20%20%20594957.html

The D5000 is a bit of a step up from the D3100 and costs a bit more. I have one that I've converted to infrared.

http://www.adorama.com/US%20%20%20%20591655.html

The Nikon D90 has been out for a bit longer, but is a very nice camera. It's geared towards the more serious amateur market. The autofocus speed is better and most of the options are available pretty quickly via various option buttons on the camera. You can get one without the lens for a bit north of $350.

http://www.adorama.com/US%20%20%20%20587417.html

The D300 is similar to the D90, but is geared a bit more towards the serious amateur and professional market.

http://www.adorama.com/US%20%20%20%20586932.html

These models have various degrees of video capabilities, so if that is important you will want to compare the various models.

As far as lenses go, you'll probably want to start out with an 18-55 lens which is actually quite nice optically and provides almost macro level close up ability. You can pick one up used for about $75.
http://www.adorama.com/US%20%20%20%20594222.html

A step up would be something like a 24-120 or a 18-70.

http://www.adorama.com/US%20%20%20%20592764.html

http://www.adorama.com/US%20%20%20%20590427.html

An 18-70 paired with a 70-300 would be a pretty nice lens combination.

http://www.adorama.com/US%20%20%20%20596326.html

You can get the 18-70, 70-300, and a D300 or a D90 and still stay within your budget.

Both sell new and used cameras and lenses.

I've purchased from both, but I have to say that B&H won my heart with the help one of their sales people gave me over the phone with my first serious camera purchase. He saved me hundreds of dollars on a lens by letting me know that they had a display model ready to sell. He could have sold me a new in the box one instead.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/

I used them when I lived there, before B&H moved uptown. B&H was great - you *never* knew who you were going to run into in the store. It was a veritable 'Who's-who' of the NY photographic community and their assistants.

After dropping by some of the Brooklyn and Herald Square ripoff stores I stayed with B&H, unless they happened to be out of something I needed; then I'd walk a few blocks to Adorama. I have had nothing but excellent service from these two companies.

Being stuck in a relatively small market without any good camera sources (Ritz Camera at the mall does NOT count), the last two major camera purchases were from B&H and Adorama. Both gave great service and I have been extremely happy with my cameras.

Maybe someday I'll be able to go to New York and visit their actual stores - but it is not in my list of things to do in the next 5 years at least.

And Adoramapix does a much better than average job with prints at a great price.

But I also shop at Calumet, yet another excellent store in NYC.

Thanks. I probably won't go the used route as Dell has a special where I can purchase and pay off in 12 months interest free.

However, your best bet is to get to a camera store so that you can play with the bodies and see which one feels best in your hand. Check out the size, weight, shape, button layout, etc. Nikon's DX bodies come in three sizes. The size of your hands may push you in one direction over another. For example, I have large hands, the and D3000/D5000 lines are just too small for me to comfortably handle.

All of Nikon's "kit" lenses are good, obviously not pro-quality but good. Ditto for Canon's consumer lenses.

I'll check the cameras out but will probably order from Dell. They have a special where I can pay for it in a year and its interest free. That's what I did to get my Dell XPS 8300 computer.

Me? I'm fine with whatever cameras I find at the thrift stores and I develop my own B&W film.

My digital camera is a $10 six megapixel repaired POS. That, GIMP, and my film cameras can make some fine art.

I always go easy when I've got no money burning a hole in my pocket. Photography is the only reason I've never learned how to draw,

B&W film. When we moved out to the boonies, I couldn't dispose of the chemicals in the septic system and was too far from the college so switched to digital.

good as many of the DSLR's on the market. Advances in the micro 4/3 sensors have put them on par with much of what you see in the DSLR market.

This photo won best of show at the AOP contest. It was shot with a Micro 4/3. Lens choice is great.



You can also go fixed lens fixed focal length with something like the Ricoh GR. It gives you a nice wide angle lens for landscapes. A friend has one and he loves it.

and no, I hadn't considered that. I'll check out the Pentax K5. My first SLR was a Pentax.

Ricoh purchased Pentax, and I see nothing but good coming out of that marriage.