Semi-Profesional camera suggestions?
So I'm getting a few hundred for my tax return and I'm in college and I want to get a 300-400 maybe 500 dollar camera I could use preferably a nikon or canon or similar that I could use to take great pictures of a few state parks. Obviously if there's something great for less I'm gracious for those answers to.
It seems that you know what you want, but have yet to look on the Nikon and Canon websites to see what semi-pro cameras cost.
$500 will buy you an entry level digital SLR camera which an produce pro quality images, but semi-pro photographers use cameras like the Nikon D7200/D750 or Canon 70D/6D cameras, all of which cost closer to over $1,500 just for the camera, NO lens.
Spend some time looking at the Nikon D3300 and Canon T5. They will fit nicely into your budget and you may be able to upgrade to a Nikon D5300 or Canon T5 if you are willing to buy a refurbished one.
Sorry but your budget can give you a camera that can be used professionally.
Canon, Nikon and Pentax all make DSLRs that are within your budget. Sony, Olympus and Panasonic all make MILCs within your budget.
Canon's 70D or Nikon's D5xxx series of cameras are quite good.
Pentax's K-S2 is even better and wins camera review/comparisons all the time. It's also cheaper and has features not found on any Nikon or Canon. In-body image stabilization is the main reason why Pentax is so good. It uses the sensor to stabilize the image allowing you to use any lens ever made by or for the Pentax K mount. Put on a 50mm f/1.8 lens (cheap around $50 used or $125 new) and you'll have a low light monster of a camera allowing you to make photos that isn't possible with a Canon or Nikon. Pentax is also one of the easiest cameras to use with most reviewers stating that they didn't even need to read the manual to use it.