3 part question on camera's.

1)This may have been discussed before but i cant find it I would like to know what do you think is the best camera to buy? Not the most expensive but the best for the money!;;-))))))

2) If you could afford any camera you wanted what would it be?

3) which do you perfer Digital or film and why?

To anser your questions Debbie----

1) I'd look at some of the entry-level D-slrs from Canon and Nikon which are quite competant cameras for the money; but then agian, at the top end of the digital compacts, there's some very good cameras too.

2) for any camera I'd go for a Nikon D3x for a hi-resolution version of my D3. But, if money wasn't relevant, I'd opt for a Mamiya or Hasselblad medium format camera with a Phase One digital back.

3) I'd choose digital over 35mm film for many reasons; I can take photos I couldn't do with film; you can see the image immediately, you can make corrections that film wouldn't allow, particulalry with mixed lighting sources; you can shoot in colour or black and white; I can take say, 300--400 photos a day without costing a fortune in film and processing; I can take photos in near darkness or very dim conditions with no problem; I can shoot upto 11 frames per second which my film F3 can't begin to approach; the meta data/ EXIF records a useful amount of information about a photo, camera's settings, GPS location info and so forth.

It depends what you want Debbie. I agree with Paul - digital every time especially as i see you like to take lots of photos like me!

I used to have an SLR film camera years ago then swapped to compacts for quite a time then I had in my Nikon D60 last July for my birthday. My business partner has a D80 but it is heavier and less user friendly than my D60. I carry two lenses - an 18 - 55 and a 55 - 200 - this gives me a wide angle up to decent zoom. I carry it everywhere now and use the camera bag as a handbag! Mine cost about £580 with the two lenses, a fast memory card, camera bag, cleaner.

 If you want a compact though there are some great ones about - I have a Pentax compact which has 10 megapixels - it's an Optio A20. It was about £200 3 years ago.

The hybrids are brilliant too with the fixed lenses but SLR quality- I am particularly impressed with some of the Fujis. I am thinking of getting my two eldest boys these for their birthdays.