General rule of thumb Carole is go for the best camera you can afford. You can usually find somewhere someone who is selling a lens second hand and it is easy to check out its quality. This is harder to do camera wise and buying a new camera you know how much use it as had.

My first DSLR was a Nikon D70s with a lens kit of 18-70mm. I found that this lens range covers most photos you will initially want to take( I wish I hadnt got rid of mine).

Bazza

Are you going to want to use prime lens?

Just for arguments sake lets say you have lens such as these:

18-55
55-200
50
85

The 18 - 55 zooms from it's closest distance (18) to the furthest (55)
The 55 - 200 basically starts where the one above leaves off, yet zooms all the way to 200

But prime lens, such as the 50 and 85 are 'fixed' at 50 and 85 (these are called prime lens, and are ideal for specifc types of photography, eg portraits).

If you don't think you are going to get Primes then I think you'll be happy with the D40, and another lens. And even if you got a better body at xmas time, you can still use the lens with it (so you lose less money - or you could even sell the body on).

The alternative is to get a D80, or canon 400d.

I would probably do the same as me get the d40 and another lens with the view to upgrade maybe a year or so later, or when you can afford to - that way you can either keep the d40 as a back up body (or for your partner or children) yet still use the lens you have bought with any new nikon body you might get... which by that time they may have bought out even better ones by then

Probably would not use a prime lens at this moment so thats one less thing to think about

What do the Canon people think about this lens?

Canon EF28-105 F/4.0 - 5.6 U Lens

Its ok that lens Carole, its an internal focusing one, so it wont move in and out when zooming. It should produce good background blur too.

The lens I have been using for the Meerkat shots is the 75-300mm USM 111 lens, its about the same price, will give the same blur etc.. but a bigger zoom.

http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Prod...6III/index.asp

If you are thinking of upgrading at a later date, remember Nikons dont hold their price anywhere near as much as a Canon. Bazza was forced to part ex his D70s and with a lens and whole host of extras got considerably less than I got for my 350d with standard lens. We also tried several camera outlets that would take any Canon SLR in part ex but wouldnt take a Nikon. I only mention it in case you wanted a model and then an upgrade fairly soon as you will lose a lot of money.

Go have a play with them all in a shop!
Dawn.

Thanks Dawn

I sold my D50 with just the standard lens (that i've had quite a while now) for £210 a week ago... and some go for more... So unless the D50 was an exception to your statement about nikons not holding value, i'd have to disagree. and considering its a lower spec camera than the canon 350d its not far off when it comes to price.

Bazzas stuff was worth over £1000 and was a year or so old, he got a pittance for it, and the shop that bought it was the only one that would buy a Nikon, the others said they couldnt resell them. Im telling you the truth Ste, its what they said, ALL of the ones we contacted said they would take ANY Canon SLR because they have no problem selling them.

I sold my 350D with standard lens for £350, my 400D body only for £320.

mmm. weird.

In that case I would get the D40 without hesitation!

D40 + Kit lens = £274 minus £30 cashback = £244 !!
Add another lens, 55-200 = £135 so Total = £379 !!!!!!!1

OR get the better 70-300 lens for £300 ish to take the total to £544

You will get better photos from that set-up for that money than any other package in my opinion. You can always get a new camera body next year or the year after and still continue to add to your lens collection which you'll be able to use with any new Nikon camera.

Unless you are printing large prints - 6MP is more than fine.

Don't just take my word for it, check out what pro photographer Ken Rockwell has to say about it: http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/recommended-cameras.htm He owns lots of cameras, from high end canons and nikons to cheaper ones.

Azz's £379 idea sounds good I think thats the way i'd go... assuming you go down the Nikon road... i think you'll really need to go try them oot at the shop.

They let me have a go of the canon and Nikon and printed the photos out i took... they were very helpful... shame i didnt buy the camera from them lol.