Looking to buy a new camera....

As a professional photographer I would advise you to try any camera you are interested in in the shop - Canon, Nikon, Sony, Panasonic and others make fibne cameras. Canon and Nikon between them account for about 90% of the cameras used by pros with the full frame SLRs being the preferred cameras. That comes down to about 6 cameras - The Canon 1D series, the Nikon 3 series, the Nikon 700 and the Canon 5. Of these, probably the very best is the Nikon D3x, but it costs about the same as a small car. The absolute bargain is the Canon 5D MkII which costs little more than a top range amateur camera but performs superbly. The difference between Very Best and Very Least in this range is not worth talking about for even the pros - everyone has their favourites and the Nikon vs Canon debate is endless. The truth is, there is nothing to choose between the companies, but each camera in the range of both companies have their strengths and weaknesses. If you are new to this level of photography, decide your budget first. Then pick a few representative cameras you can afford, read reviews about them. You will find plenty of on-line comparisons of one against another... When you have a short list, get hold of them, literally. A GREAT CAMERA ON PAPER MIGHT JUST NOT SUIT YOU. The controls might be too big/small for you, or the menu and control systems might not be easy to use (they were designed by someone who doesn't think the way you do). If you want professional results, you need a camera with a large sensor. They only come on cameras with interchangeable lenses, most of which (but not all)are single lens reflex cameras (SLRs). But pro results are more a result of professional skills, so if you expect to get professional pictures from your new camera, you will need to think about learning not just how to use it, but also about the art of photography, about light, composition...

I would personally stick with the Nikon D-SLRs because of the fact that their lenses are backward compatible with their non-digital predecessors and their image processors are generally higher quality (in my opinion). If one was looking to become a professional photographer, then I would suggest that they go Canon, as they are cheaper, but if you already know what you want to do, then Nikon is the brand of choice.

I love taking photos, but only on an amateur basis. I have thought about taking photos to sell professionally online at stock photo sites once I finally upgrade my camera and get a better one. I have my eye on the Kodak EasyShare Z981, which is 14 megapixels, HD photos and HD video. The photos are really amazing. Very comparable to a much more expensive camera. It has a very impressive lens unlike some of the cheaper point and shoot cameras. And, it's just around $250, from Walmart.com, but less if you buy it off amazon.com.