Recommend me a budget Digital SLR?

Doing a basic photography course, but my compact isn't really up to the job, so I want a digital SLR. Don't really know where to start though.

Like the look of this one:
http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Prod...SLR/EOS_1000D/

...but the suggestions I got on the compact cameras on here were great, so any comments would be really appreciated.

budget?

[Littlepeahead]

Canon 350d or 400d second hand. Loads about. You'll easily get one in good nick for a decent price. And then just keep an eye out for top quality lenses.

Here's an example from London Camera Exchange who have loads of them on their website:

http://www.lcegroup.co.uk/SHdetails.asp?Item=24802

[the_lone_wolf]

Go to your local camera shop and hold some of them

Ain't worth saving £100 if the camera is chronically small, as I found with the EOS 500 Canon

But if you have girl hands then from a compatibility POV Any Nikon or Canon will serve you well and you'll always be able to find lenses that fit from hire places etc

[Viney]

The 1000d is a fine camera for the money, and similarly the Nikno equivilent. As for purchase place, try Camerabox.co.uk. Possible the cheapest place i could find selling UK kit. I have bough my last 2 cameras on there.

However, Jessops are selling the 500d with 18-55mm kit lens for £500 at the moment.

...and from the Nikon corner... Jessops are doing the nikon D5000 with 18-55mm lens kit for £479

[dyzio]

Originally Posted by Littlepeahead

Canon 350d or 400d second hand.

Under £200 for body, and another that for a sigma lens.

d3000(10mp) or d3100 (14mp) d5000 has pointless live view that doesn't focus properly and a pointless flip down screen thats pointless because the live view doesn't work properly

[keith_d]

Being a Nikon user, my first choice would be a used d80, with a secondhand 18-70mm AFS. Both sound pieces of kit that should see you through the course and several years beyond.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond80/
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/1870.htm

I don't know what the Canon equivalents are but I'm sure they are just as good.

Keith.

Originally Posted by keith_d

Being a Nikon user, my first choice would be a used d80, with a secondhand 18-70mm AFS. Both sound pieces of kit that should see you through the course and several years beyond.

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond80/
http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/1870.htm

I don't know what the Canon equivalents are but I'm sure they are just as good.

Keith.

Another nod from here for the D80, I've been using one for a few years now, decent build quality as well. No live view or video on this camera, although I've never felt the need for either in use.