What is a good quality camera??

[reptileexperts]

1) it's not always about the camera, but more about the photography. You can get great pictures with a crap camera as long as you can control the amount of ambient light around you

2) Defining a budget (as has been said) willl help many people guide you into what can be had at best bang for your specific buck. You don't need a $3,500 Canon 5D MK III, but they are wonderful if you have the cash to spend on them. At the same time, if you spent 546 on the Nikon 3200 (it's been out a while now and currently has a 150 usd rebate from nikon instantly www.bhphoto.com) but your budget is 1500, you would've been worlds better going ahead and picking up a D7000 body only plus the Nikkor 105mm Macro lens used which would keep you in that budget pretty easily, and do AMAZING results easier. If you're looking around $200 mark, things will get a little bit pickier . . . but many of the Canon Powershot series will serve you very well - again fairly dependant on available light, and forget about the flash unless you make a homemade diffuser.

3) DSLR are upgradable. When you buy a pointand shoot, you will eventually throw it away. A DSLR, however, gives you the options to continually upgrade your lenses, which the lenses will almost always hold SOME, and many most, of its original value when you buy nice lenses - its an investment, not just a purchase. The DSLR Body, however, will be upgraded constantly. I went from a Nikon D70 to D200 to D7000, then started hitting wildlife photography hard and switched to canon mid game and purhcased a Canon 7D (current back up) and not too far back a Canon 5D MK II (current main body - exceptional quality). But my nikon glass was worth nearly its original value, and all my canon glass (lenses) are worth their original value or higher for stuff like my 500mm F4 IS L for wildlife. So if you can buy quality, its lenses are always an investment, but Bodies are pretty much disposible.

4) Post processing is part of the digital game. You need to get a good program like Lightroom 5 (just released) to master your files. If you get a DSLR shooting in the RAW format will help you conserve shadows and highlites.

Ok thats enough . . . end rant