Starting on Photography as a Hobby
I have been researching a lot lately (3 weeks) on all the entry DSLR cameras. First off, I do not think the Canon T2i would be good for me, because it is way to expensive. And I saw how much those lens cost! Yikes. Okay, so I just want to get into it, not dive into it. I was looking at the Canon XT or Nikon D50. Maybe even the XTi (all through craigslist so between 200 to 400$). I do not feel that the XSi would be a good choice for me because again, it is too new and people want 600 for it. I need something just to get use to see if photography is a venue for me to get my creative juices going. Please let me know what I should do? Canon is great because I do like the feel of it and it does B&W. Nikon because it is cheaper and uses SD cards! Let me know your thoughts on what camera I should get.
Well entry level DSLR's can cost a bit but there are bargains to be found. Here is list of the best deals you can usually find and approximate prices. All the cameras mention are excellent for beginners and will take great pictures.
Canon XS-About $500 new
Nikon D3000- $500
Pentax Kx-$500
Olympus E-420-$350
Sony A-290-$400
If you want to consider a used camera, I would recommend a Nikon D40 or a Canon Xt. Bot can be found for under $400 on Ebay. The Olympus E-420 is a great deal and a very nice camera if you are on a budget.
http://cheapdslrprofessional.blogspot.com/
Since the T2i isn't quite in your price range, why don't you take a look at the Canon T1i? This camera packs most of the features that the T2i does and is still in a good price range. You can also continue checking out Craigslist and Kijiji for a gently used T1i. Also, I would definitely recommend purchasing a kit, since it will include a lens and spares you the trouble and chaos of choosing out a specific lens. The 18-55mm which is included with the T1i body kit is excellent, especially since you're just starting out. As you become more experienced, you'll probably find that you enjoy a more specific type of photography, until then, I don't think you will be needing to purchase any lenses.
A few other good choices:
Nikon D3000
Olympus E-620
Canon Rebel XS
Pentax K-x