Help, I want to but a SLR camera, but not break the bank...

If you are talking about the f/1.8 50mm prime lens (Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II), man I am with you. It cost closer to $100 new than $75, but even so, it is an amazing lens, especially at that price. Apparently 50 mm lenses are not difficult to manufacture, which is why they can do it so well and cheap. That particular lens is the fastest lens I have in my bag (I can shoot indoors with it without a flash, by stopping it all the way down -- comes in handy in places where flash photography isn't allowed) and prime lenses tend to take better photos than zoom lens. Also, because you can stop it down so far, you can do neat things like create the "blurred background" effect on a subject.

It also has taught me a ton about framing shots, because you have to physically move your feet to get the shot right, rather than turning a knob.

Here are some examples of photos I have taken with that 50 mm, just screwing around.

 

93, Nah. I really can't speak for Nikon's cameras, but I am sure the sensors in the camera bodies are similar. 99 percent of what I get with that 50 mm lens is the lens, not the camera body. I'd see if Nikon has a similar lens, if you do end up going Nikon. A good place to read reviews of lenses is www.fredmiranda.com. Click on the button up top that says, "reviews." They have thousands of detailed reviews and ratings from photographers about just about every lens made. I have found it really useful.

Again, only reason I went Canon is it was what I learned about because I work with so many pro photographers who shoot with Canon equipment -- especially the sports shooters. But my camera body (300D) is old and antiquated at this point compared to what they are putting into the newer models, so it isn't anything special. It takes nice pictures, but it has its limits. It's only 6 megapixels and it shoots relatively few frames per second. I would never try to use that camera to shoot action. But for walking around and putting it on a tripod to try to create cool effects, it is a good camera for an amateur.

Here are some photos I have shot with other lenses than that 50 mm. All any of these photos should tell you is that when people look at the picture, they won't be thinking about the camera you used. My camera is actually old and outdated a bit at this point. But all that matters in the end is the actual picture, not how you took it. I'm really pretty amateurish, but I have experimented a little with the same 3 or 4 tricks and gotten down. Like I can blur out backgrounds well and actually get the shot I envisioned. And I play with leaving the lens open a long time to get intense lights at night and a glassy effect when I shoot water. On the Statue of Liberty shot below, I left the lens open a ridiculously long time, and that blur below the statue is actually a boat that was ambling by really slowly. I tried to time it so it would get right past the statue half through the time the lens was open and just missed.

 

Any prime lens--doesn't have to be 50 mm--will accomplish that. But he beauty of that particular Canon 50 mm lens is that it just takes killer pictures and is fast as all hell. It's f/1.8, which is fun to play with for an amateur and as ADodgen said, it costs less than $100. It is easily the best value I have found. I'd see if Nikon has something similar--my educated guess would be that they do have the comparable lens and it takes beautiful photos, too. I didn't just happen on that Canon 50 mm lens. I talked to enough people who said, "It's less than $100 and it takes these amazing photos and it is faster than any other lens you will be able to afford. ..."

 

Thanks ADodgen. I knew that. Not sure why I kept writing stopping down, when I really do understand aperture. I knew larger number-smaller aperture and smaller number-larger aperture. As I said, I am an amateur, which is why I screw things like that up when I talk about them. Even though I have played and figured out a few things that work, sometimes in going from my head to my tongue I turn things around. But I frequently shoot on aperture priority, and of course I knew I am opening up the lens to do what I am talking about, in order to let in more light (i.e. why you can shoot indoors at the small f stop).