Can someone recommend a digital camera......

I am really into nature photography and want high quality pictures. I have asked around and been told a lot of conflicting advice. Looking to pay around $500-$1000. Any assistance would be appreciated.

that rate various products such as download.com and others? they usually have ratings from users of the products. when you`re laying out up to a thousand you certainly do want the best for the money. from what i`ve read, it`s still a toss-up in this price range between film and digital.

I would go with the top of the line Olympus or Cannon. I can't remember the model numbers though. The Cannon is something like 6 or 7 Megapixel. It's a freakin' monster and the Olympus is at 5 megapixel. Both will allow you to do most of what you can do with a 35mm, setting shutter speeds, aperture settings, detachable lenses, color settings, etc...

4 megapixels, really good color quality, and it retails for about $400-$450. You'd almost certainly want a bigger flash card than the 16 MB one that ships with it, though. The 256 MB card will set you back about another $120 but can hold over 2000 pictures, depending on the settings you use.

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/olympus/c750uz-review/index.shtml

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00008IHU2?v=glance
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00008CQJO/104-4679146-0500737?v=glance

http://www.google.com/search?q=olympus+%22C-750%22

If so, the only one in your price range is the Canon EOS digital. And I disagree with some of the other advice: Sony is okay, but Canon ALWAYS tops the reviewers' lists, followed closely by Nikon.

HOWEVER...I have a Nikon 3.2 mp digital, and I HATE it. Its response time is somewhere in the minus range, and I'm totally unimpressed with the quality of the photos. I'm thinking that the Nikon digital the reviewers like must be the D-100 and up.

Don't get less capacity than 5 mp if you're serious about nature photography. And choose a camera that captures photos on compact flash (when using smaller than a microdrive); it accesses photos faster, is usually less expensive, and has been around long enough to have been thoroughly tested.

Nikon is top rated.

Some Sony models are nice as well.

I use a Sony Mavica CD-500; takes AWESOME pictures and has a top rated lens, but writes to CD - and there's no memory card option. :-(

But from my research in the past, you can't go wrong with Nikon.

Oh, do avoid Kodak... I'm not keen on Fuji either.

And be sure to check f-stop rates. Many digital cameras can't get up to even f8, because of the size of the lens and sensor (typically CCD but some use CMOS technology...)

I have been leaning Nikon, do you suggest a certain one?

they do good comparisons on anything electronic and are not biased one way or the other

http://dpreview.com

the place is absolutely awesome. In depth reviews (and I mean in depth, usually 15 pages or so per camera) and they take a lot of sample photos with each camera they review. They have a pretty good forum too. If you are looking for something real good, probably canon or nikon in that price range. Under 500 bucks, sony would probably be your best bet.

edit: Just a word of advice, go to different camera stores (I mean like real camera stores, not Best Buy or Circuit City) and talk with the guys. Most times, they love to talk shop and welcome people getting into real photography. And when you think you have narrowed down your choices, you might want to see if any of your friends have memory sticks you can borrow of the format of the cameras you are interested in (CF, SD, MS). You can usually get some pictures using the cameras at the stores and if you bring a card, you can look at them at home and see any differences. Also, unless you are doing landscapes, LOOK FOR A GOOD OPICAL ZOOM (not digital but optical). Or if you go for a digital SLR, even better, you can buy good zoom lenses (more $$$ though :( ). Good luck and let us know what you get.

brands 35mm. When my Cannon broke, I looked into Nikons. Before I bought my Nikon, people told me I took good pictures. After I got my Nikon, people told me my camera took good pictures. The difference is unbelievable. The digitals I hear are fantastic. It's like a magic camera. The pictures are stunning. Go for the Nikon!

It's a 6.3 megapixel digital SLR which can use all Canon EOS lenses. Really nice camera, and can be had for around $800

I LOVE mine. Can be had for under $600 now (since the A2 came out) and in my opinion is a superior camera to the A2.

Most of the pics in my gallery below were taken with this camera (a few were taken with my older Olympus C2100, which is also a fantastic camera but only 2 megapixel).