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I am from the old school;- long tubelar lenses, heavy duty camera bodies,
cases full with other supporting equipment, and rolls of film to support.
A Nikon fanatic!. That was 27 years ago. Was dispossesed but a alter ego,
and left it at that.
I have an urge to re-kit though have very little experience in digital. I would prefer my photography to remain somewhat machanical if you know
what I mean not relinquising qaulity. Any suggestions?

Pentax.....

Hi He, well now where do we start?
My experience started with a Nikon D50 and fell in love with it.
Then moved on, for last years KNP trip!, to the D80 and got great results but there was something not well defined that didn't make me totally comfortable with it.
Added a D90 this year, passed the D50 to my wife and son!, and finally found my ideal digital camera.
Found it always top when taking any kind of picture, hand held or on monopod or tripod, or film. In fact the D90 also takes HQ films and it beats both my Hitachi and Sony video recorders.

My advise really depends on what you are looking for new?? or used??
New: go for the D90 or D80 if the price is good
Used: D50, D80, D90 anytime.
Avoid the D60 as you would have a few problems with the lenses.

Hope I am of any help!!

Your'e at me are you!

Thanks M'rutti, just found a handle!

Does not really matter what brand you buy H.E.

I am a Pentax man myself, but I found out that with Pentax you cannot get that much aftermarket lenses etc. and so I bought myself a Nikon too.
Still Pentax fan though as I think they make the best camera's.

I would not buy a new body. Those are disposable. I buy them cheap and second - hand and, up till now, both the Pentax ( I use it for the short lens only) and the Nikon have served me very well
The lens. That is the most expensive part of your equipment and you should put as much money towards that as possible.

Start off second hand. D80s have come down in price a lot! The D50s are slowly starting to disappear 2nd hand. I bought a 2nd hand D70s about 2 weeks ago and am happy with it so far (1 drawback being it takes CF cards and not SD, like the others).

Steer clear of D40/60/3000/5000 as they won't autofocus with the majority of the long wildlife lenses (why I bought a D70s, I already had a D40X).

Other option is to buy Canon. Then you have no AF issues with any lenses, and there appears to be a bigger market for 2nd hand Canon lenses in SA. The Nikons are much easier to use though.

Steer clear of Nikon!

Guys, why don't you tell HE that while Nikon and Canon are the same qualitywise, pricewise Canon is the way to go?
He's (or is that HE is? ) going to the parks, so will want a long lens, at least 400mm. Now compare this:

Nikkor AF-S 400mm f/2.8G VR IF-ED Black Lens R 98,312.00
Canon EF 400 mm f 2.8 L II IS USM Lens R 82,338.00
(That's at a well known shop in SA)

A difference of R16000!

Canon HE, Canon.....

DuQues. the best lens in the world is no good if you can't figure out how to use your camera

Now now... some of us never had a choice of whether we go Nikon or Canon

Yep! That's why Canon is so good and easy to use.

DQ,
You can find more second hand Canon simply because people aren't too happy of it!!!
Who buts Nikon sticks to it for ever!!!!

If you "but" Nikon, ever so slightly it usually breaks.

i own canon but believe nikon camera's are better
Have a friend working at a big wholesaler and the returnshipment of new digital canons are huge, within the warranty period.
They hardly see nikon returns
Seems that canon is pushing its new bodies.

Lenses for canon are somewhat cheaper.

On a serious note, I think Canon, Nikon, even these new Sony things probably are all good. Lenses, Conon probably has the edge there. Dunno.

I prefer the Pentax cause of the allsteel chassis, very strong & durable cause of the situations I find myself sometime it does get a bit of a "but" now and again.

Next camera, Pentax.