What is the best Digital SLR camera for a first time user?

For a starting photographer like yourself, i'd look at the Nikon D3000.

It's have 10 mega-pixels which is just perfect. I wouldn't worry too much about lenses

until you get to know your camera better. It also features continuous shooting :)

At Best Buy it's $549. (for body and 1 lens)

At Best Buy it's $729 (for a whole kit and 2 lens) <-- i would recommend.

example of a portrait: http://www.flickr.com/photos/eeasaarela/4482675276...

example of a landscape: http://www.flickr.com/photos/arclithe/4234128373/

Hope i could be helpful :)

If you know nothing about photography, typically use the screen instead of the viewfinder and are planning on just shooting on auto, it's not worth the money for an SLR. In fact, most SLRs won't even let you shoot with the screen.

If you need the zoom (which you shouldn't for pictures of a kid and scenery), get a hybrid (a camera with SLR and like 10-20x zoom, but without interchangeable lenses). If you'd be fine with 4x zoom, have a look at the Canon Powershot A1000. Canon is known for making cameras with higher speeds (which seems to be your only problem) and this is probably the best compact camera they make at the moment and when you're chasing after a kid, it's so much easier to be able to stick your camera in your pocket.

They also have more pre-sets that will help you. Instead of just shooting on auto all the time, you can shoot on "Indoors" or "kids and pets" or "beach", all of which will come in handy.

Best? Whichever one you have in your hands. With your budget, you can get a 2 lens kit from Canon, Nikon, or Sony at Best Buy. Which one? Up to you. Go to the store, handle all three brands, buy the one that feels best. A two lens kit will give you a wide angel to short telephoto lens (18-55mm from all three makers) and a telephoto zoom of 55-200mm for Nikon and Sony, and 55-250 for Canon.

All three brands are very good in image quality, I prefer Nikon and Sony for handling. The Canon Rebel models take very good pictures as well, but I don't like their grips.

All brands of DSLR on the market generally are good cameras. Sony certainly is good. For babies and scenic shots you probably won't need another lens, because the 'kit' zoom lens gives medium wide-angle to modest tele, ok for portraits. Later you could get a tele zoom if you need the extra length for sports or wildlife.

Get the Canon 1000D.Best ever DSLR camera for amateurs/beginners. That is what i used for my first camera. Pretty easy to use, and has enough functions to keep you busy, but the results are magnificent. They come with standard 18-55mm lens. You can buy other ones, but i'd wait till you improve your skills, or at least get used to the camera.

I would recommend you Nikon D3000 Digital SLR Camera 

10.2megapixel CCD sensor,11-point autofocus system, Fast response,Guide mode,3-inch TFT, 3 fps continuous shooting allows you to capture fast-moving action at 3 frames per second

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002JCSV5I?ie=UTF...