Help in selecting camera

Hi,
I need help for selecting my first camera. May I request your kind
advice for the same?

I have used analog camera borrowed from other people ( rather old,
1980's, don't-know-what-model camera, supposed to be quite advanced in
its time, with manual speed and aperture control - and the photos
came not-too-bad). However comfortable with the maths and physics for
manual controls, I have no clue about the terms used in camera-
websites.

My primary interest is recording interesting moments and expressions
on people's faces. In particular I want to do the exact opposite of
making people stand stiffly and say "Cheese". I am not sure whether
this falls in the category of street photography, but some of the
samples from street photography sites match my interest.
As far as I could gather from those websites (http://www.luminous-
landscape.com/tutorials/street.shtml, http://photo.net/learn/street/intro
), they appear to be talking about film cameras, while the Leica site
(http://www.leica-camera.us/photography/) already has some digital
cameras in similar categories.
I am not sure whether digital camera will give me what I want. Are
they too slow for taking quick snaps? Do they allow enough manual
control? But regarding the film-cameras, I don't know anything about
darkroom techniques, and the shops that used to wash our films seem to
be moving to the business of printing digital photos.

On the other side I feel allured by the possibility of doing some
nature photography. It seems that digital SLR-s are meant for that.
Can there be a compromise between quick snap of people and nature
photo? Or should I go for two different cameras? I heard of "Canon
Digital Rebel XTi" being a small SLR camera. Could that be used for
fast snaps at home?

I can afford at most $1500 and I have to decide it quick. Please
help.

Thanks and regards,
Ray S.

.

Relevant Pages

  • Re: Is there a dslr on the market that does not require looking at it to make adjustments?
    ... FWIW, I do own and use a rangefinder camera, though. ... off-focus shooting. ... And the US$2000 left over will buy you a Cosina Bessa ... I wasn't making a serious suggestion for street photography, ...
    (rec.photo.digital)
  • Re: Help in selecting camera
    ... I need help for selecting my first camera. ... they too slow for taking quick snaps? ... be moving to the business of printing digital photos. ... I second the nomination of the 400D (Rebel XTi). ...
    (alt.photography)
  • Re: Help in selecting camera
    ... I think you will find it is not the camera that makes the difference. ... many poor photos taken with very expensive cameras. ... samples from street photography sites match my interest. ... they too slow for taking quick snaps? ...
    (alt.photography)
  • Re: Ready to graduate to DSLR
    ... >>> appear to have the camera to your eye. ... Street photography was one of the main genres of 20th ... David J. Littleboy ...
    (rec.photo.digital)
  • Re: Is the street photographer an endangered species?
    ... tempted to wrap your camera around your neck twist. ... I daresay a vast majority of street photography rarely exploits the ... common sense and a sense of proportion so difficult to find these days, ...
    (rec.photo.digital.slr-systems)