With regards to Camera's you got two main choices, it's between Canon vs Nikon. I'd stay away from other brands mainly due to lens availability , 3rd party product availability etc.
I have a Canon and my company has canon camera's and lenses so It helps me to borrow gear from the company.
When it comes to DSLR's it's the lens which matters the most, there is a saying "Cameras are for Christmas, lenses are for life" , so you going to have to consider the cost of lenses in your purchase. There are various types of lenses, I have few and I know bit about lenses and canon camera's so ask away if you have any questions.
$500 is at the lower end of the budget , you might have to settle with a cheaper lens for now and a decent body, you can always buy lenses as you go.
With Canon's they have different ranges aimed at different markets ,
1D
5D
6D
7D
50D
60D
500D
550D
600D
650D
1200D
etc
Generally the way it works lesser the numbers before the D it's the better range, but this is not always true. A lower range can be sometimes better than an older higher range camera. I have 600D at home and I borrow 6D,7D from work, difference is massive , it comes down to the quality of the sensor , higher ISO levels etc. you have to think about these and decide what model you want to buy depending on your shooting patterns.
I have a Canon and my company has canon camera's and lenses so It helps me to borrow gear from the company.
When it comes to DSLR's it's the lens which matters the most, there is a saying "Cameras are for Christmas, lenses are for life" , so you going to have to consider the cost of lenses in your purchase. There are various types of lenses, I have few and I know bit about lenses and canon camera's so ask away if you have any questions.
$500 is at the lower end of the budget , you might have to settle with a cheaper lens for now and a decent body, you can always buy lenses as you go.
With Canon's they have different ranges aimed at different markets ,
1D
5D
6D
7D
50D
60D
500D
550D
600D
650D
1200D
etc
Generally the way it works lesser the numbers before the D it's the better range, but this is not always true. A lower range can be sometimes better than an older higher range camera. I have 600D at home and I borrow 6D,7D from work, difference is massive , it comes down to the quality of the sensor , higher ISO levels etc. you have to think about these and decide what model you want to buy depending on your shooting patterns.