My First DSLR

Hello,
After posting a few pictures I had taken over the past little while I figured I would share my experience as a new DSLR owner. I recently bought a Sony Alpha 230 DSLR. I did a bit of research and found that this one fit both my budget and my plans for its use. Since I had never owned a DSLR or even an SLR camera before I had no idea how to use one. All I knew was that they took great pictures and my point and shoot just wasn't doing the trick for me. I found that Sony offered the cheapest DSLR on the market at that time ($565 tax incl.) and not wanting to spend $600+ for a camera i had no idea how to use, i chose the A230. Turns out it was a great buy. It has some neat features to help novice DSLR users get usd to all the camera settings, including descriptions of each setting shown on the LCD screen. One of the problems i had deciding between the A230 or one of the next models up (Eg. A380 or A550) was the lack of a feature called "Live View" This enables the photographer to take pictures and arrange shots without having to look through the cameras eyepiece. Although this is handy for taking pictures from a low-to-the-ground position or an overhead position i didn't find it necessary for my first DSLR considering it raised the price by about $100. it also makes frequent use of the LCD screen wich can get warm and can warm up the image sensor causing more noise in your shots. After recieving the camera by post I played around with it just snapping shots of anything in order to get a feel for it. I read a few books on DSLR photography the best of wich was "From click to Print" By Readers Digest. it was up to date and very informative. Your first DSLR is a personal choice and there is no single right answer when it comes to what to buy. Focus on a price that fits your budget, because they can get very expensive, and what you plan on using the camera for. Since buying my camera I've had alot of fun with it and I try and take it with me wherever i go. Some of the best shots are spontaneous and fleeting so im always on the lookout for intersting objects and situations to photograph. More to come!