Digital SLR camera experts please advise me!!!!!

[MilaMae]

I'd like to buy a DSLR £1000 or under,love Nikons but open to other suggestions. Amateur but would love to do a course eventually. Which would you buy?

Thanks

On your budget, I'd get a decent semi-pro and spend the rest on a different lens.

I bought a Canon 450D for just under 600 quid and it's great. People rave about the Nikon name but before I bought, I read a review including example photos which compared the 450D to whatever the equivalent Nikon is and I considered the Canon to have far better quality detail.

I don't any use for a macro lens and all close-ups I've taken have come out really well with the stock lens. Would love a longer range lens as I'm just as shy of photographing people too close as they are of me.

DH has a Nikon D70S, it's a lovely camera to use, I think the current version might be in your budget?

Do you already have lenses?

Particularly if you like people photography, I'd recommend the Fuji S5 Pro. It takes Nikon lenses, and takes great shots even under low lighting conditions -- very little noise. If I weren't deeply committed to Canon I'd get one myself.

DP has the D300 and loves it - it's about £1k for the body which would be fine if you already have the lenses.

If you do already have nikon lenses be warned that if they are older lenses make sure they are compatible with the camera you are looking at - I'm not sure which cameras exactly but some of the basic nikon cameras do not have a focus motor built in to the camera and so have to rely on the motor in the lenses, so if your lenses don't have motors you will have problems.

its the d40 which has to have the special lenses. WHich is why I went for the older d50 which is compatible with all the standard nikon lenses.
Thing is the d40 is very competaively priced

If I had £1000 to spend, I would get the Canon EOS 40D here or the 50D here. I got my EOS 350D just before I had Tom and also have 2 SLR film cameras, my favourite being the EOS 55, which is quite like the EOS 40D/50D.

If you got the 40D, you'd have money to buy a memory card or 2 plus a bag, if you didn't have them already.

another Canon vote here

Many thanks all is the Nikon D300 semi pro? How does it compare to the D80?Canons sound good too so more reviews to read