It depends on if you want a point and shoot or an slr. If you think you want good quality and are going to get into it, get a dslr. It's crazy how many good deals I see on the local craigslist. However, the best deals and fair prices are at
www.fredmiranda.com in the buy/sell section. You can get used Canon xti's for as low as $350 there. Couple that with a cheaper starter telephoto lens like the 70-300 and you are set to go. Then when you want to spend some real money, you can start buying some white lenses...
Or just get a point and shoot. The panasonic ones are good with a big optical zoom. I would never own a camera or lens again that doesn't have image stabilization...
