digital slr recommendations please

hi there, new to the forums i am 17 starting out in photography, hopefully getting a full time job after college.

I am looking for a digital slr, my budget is around the £400 mark. My local camera store recommended the sony alpha 200 with standard lens (18-70mm) as i enquired about the nikon d60.

just wondering what your thoughts are for the best camera i can get around the budget.

thanks :thumbsup:

First off, Welcome to the forum.

Have you handled any of the cameras that you are thinking about getting? I would suggest that if you can get a up close look at different cameras that you are thinking about getting and see how they feel in your hands. I for one liked the feel of the Canon XTI so that was the one that I ended up with, but it was a few months of looking at different stores to see different cameras.
I know we have some people on here from the other side of the pond, I live in the states. Maybe on of them will see this and be able to point you in the right direction as far as stores to purchase from.

Good luck with your search,
James

Like James said, your best bet is going to be handling these camera's yourself. Handle as many as you can that are within your price range. Find the one that feels the best to you. Not only how it feels in hand, but operationally as well. Use them, fiddle with their menu's and such. Some brands have more extensive catalogs of lenses and accessories, but unless you are going pro I think any brand should easily fulfill your needs for a while.