Buying a Camera, help me deside

it really depends on how good your lens is. rebel is far superior to any point and shoot. don't listen to people at the store. check dpreview.com.

 

I would definately go with an SLR, like the Rebel or Nikon D50. Both have interchangeable lenses and also capture the image at the instant you press the shutter release, without delay.... that is, after you have already pressed the button half-way to get the subject in focus.

LarryD is correct. I all depends on how good your lens is. The bigger the lens (wider the opening inwhich all the light passes), the faster shutter speed you can use - eliminating camera shake... which can be a problem with a long zoom lens. The more you zoom out, the more shake you will have. Even with a monopod - though it helps substantially.

The Rebel and D50 both have a sports setting which will set your shutter at a higher speed that will best stop action in the available light. You can also set your ISO higher to allow for higher light sensitivity... similar to using a higher speed film (800 Max instead of 200) This is critical in shooting sports. Keep in mind that the higher ISO you set your camera at, you will have more and more "noise" in the image. Again, similar to film with the increase in grain with the higher ISO speeds.

ISO = International Standards Organization
Also sometimes referred to as ASA = American Standards Association
These numbers are all relative to film speed and light sensitivity. The higher the number, the less light you need to take a picture.

I am not sure if you can change the ISO speed on point-and-shoot cameras, but this is one of my favorite features on my digital slr.

Other important features on a digital slr include Shutter Priority - you set the shutter speed as high or as slow as you need and the camera does the rest to compensate to make the best possible exposure.

As with any digital slr, there is a full auto mode. If the shooter does not know how to use any of the advanced features of the slr, just shoot on auto. Go out and buy a basic book on slr photography and have fun experimenting.

Check out dpreview.com for info on any digital camera. It is a great place to compare camera models side by side. That is what I did when I bought my first digital slr.