What basic gear do i need to start in photography as a hobby? Any good non-SLR dig. cameras to look for?
I want to get into digital photography as a hobby, mostly taking pictures of nature and small objects to display online (like an ebay picture only much better 
.) I would like suggestions for a digital camera that is at least 7 mp. I’ve seen 10.2 in non-SLR and am willing to pay for it, so any suggestions? I don’t have the money to buy an SLR, although I’d like because I want to do this as a hobby and it seams that all my hobbies end up being outrageously expensive. My career is too. Do I need to worry about changing lenses on non-slr cameras? What are the items that will make my hobby enjoyable, besides the camera of course? any not so expensive, but decent photo editing/storing software around or below $100? thanks
I’m loving my Canon Powershot SD950-IS and Photoshop Elements. The camera is about $350 and the P.E. is under $100. If you want more user control, although it’s via menus and not dials, consider the Canon Powershot A650-IS, which is about $300.
SD950: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/518213-REG/Canon_2083B001_Powershot_SD950_IS_Digital.html
A650: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/518215-REG/Canon_2089B001_PowerShot_A650_IS_Digital.html
Photoshop Elements, $50 after rebate: http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-29230727-Photoshop-Elements-6/dp/B000UKBIEC/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=software&qid=1217396206&sr=8-1
This is a great deal on the software, which is normally $99.
Here are my own samples taken with the SD950-IS and processed with Photoshop Elements 5.0.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/samfeinstein/tags/sd950is/
More from the similar SD900:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/samfeinstein/tags/sd900/
The A650-IS should give similar results, because it has the same sensor and image processor.
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