I want a camera for Christmas. Is the Nikon 3100 good?

I'm getting a camera, interested in photography, any suggestions as to what kind of camera I should order? Any price between $650 and $900 is alright. I need something that takes close to professional pictures.

The camera doesn't take the pictures

it is you that takes the pictures.

if you have no working knowledge of photography, you shouldn't expect professional looking pictures. The D3100 can definitely be a first step in learning the fundamentals of photography, and can get you some excellent results, but it all depends on your willingness to learn by reading and experimenting.

if you like the D3100, that is what you should get. You can also look at the Nikon D5100 as well as the Canon T2i or T3i

The *D3100 is indeed a good camera. It's capable of producing great photos, as long as you, the photographer, know what you're doing. You can't get professional pictures if you don't read up on exposure and composition at the least. After all, the camera isn't going to do all of the work (unless you're using it on auto mode all the time, but then you might as well have bought a point-and-shoot).

http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/...posure.htm

http://www.digital-photography-school.com/digital-photography-composition-tips

The canon t2i is a very good starter camera. There's no real difference between canon or nikon, they both make great cameras and lenses. But nikon lenses will fit canon cameras but not the other way around.

Nikon's D3100 is the company's latest entry-level DSLR. Announced in August 2010, it's the successor the best-selling D3000 and makes several key upgrades to that model. Most notably the new D3100 now features Live View and video recording facilities - indeed it becomes the first Nikon DSLR (hotly followed by the D7000) to offer 1080p video recording in addition to 720p. To satisfy market demands, the resolution has also received boost from 10 to 14 Megapixels and there's a number of tweaks to the controls and ergonomics.