Starting DIGITAL photography

[Podgie]

I have being doing digital art for about 3 years now and I am sick of using photographs from google or having to find some that are not copy righted. So I am going to start taking my own photo's and manipulating them.

The reason behind the capital digital is because I am not starting solo photography and don't want to spend a huge load on a SLR camera, I have money for a camera under 300 dollars and I was looking at the FujiFilm FinePix S5800 Digital Camera. It is cheap and from the photo's I have seen that have being taken with it look great!

My questions are... Is this the best camera for me to get?
Is there another similar camera for cheaper?
Is it possible to get an SLR camera for under $300?

For an idea of what I do to them, this is something I did real quick with a photo I took. It is a shame I am using a poor camera, but I can just scrape through with some manipulation. I used photoshop cs3.

 

[CrackedButter]

A bridge camera might be the way to go. You were right to look at Fuji, they do a good range and there are some cheap ones to be had.

 

[Podgie]

What do you mean "bridge camera"? Is that just a digital non SLR camera?

 

[osin]

Yes it is possible to get a good digital SLR under $300, but used one. For sure quality of the images would be much better then from P&S camera. Also with the SLR you will be able to use various lenses (different range)

 

[miloblithe]

What do you mean "bridge camera"? Is that just a digital non SLR camera?

"Bridge" cameras span the gap between point ant shoot cameras and SLRs. Usually, they have the controls of an SLR but the small sensor electronic viewfinder (and accordingly shutter lag) of point and shoots.

Here's some examples:

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/fujifilms100fs/

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/specs/Fujifilm/fuji_finepixis1.asp

I'd say those are some of the only true bridge cameras still around. Most manufacturers stopped making them as the prices of DSLRs fell and concentrated instead on high-end point and shoots like the Canon G9 and Panasonic LX-3.