I have been taking photos for many years... in fact most of my life.  But I didn't always have the equipment I wanted.  You may hear that you can take a good photo with anything, including a box with a pin hole.  In theory, that is true.  The equipment doesn't make the photo just like expensive dishes don't make the wonderful meals that are cooked.  But I will say this, it is more fun to have a camera that you can do different things with.  With that being said, what is the best camera to buy?  Well... it depends upon what you want it for and what features you want.  

I bought my Nikon DSLR a few years ago.  And it was alot of money for me.  But it has lasted and still provides value.  However, there are more features available now that I wish I could get.  Maybe with my next camera.  If you are in the market for a new camera consider these things when purchasing one:

Price

We all have to stick to a budget right?  No fun, but you really do have to consider what you can and are willing to spend on your camera.  Do keep in mind that the equipment you buy, if you take care of it, will last a long time.  The DSLR cameras that I would recommend for a beginner DSLR user start at about $400 and go up.  You can probably get a really nice one for under $1000.

Brand

Consider which brand you want to buy.  The two front runners that you will see in the market place these days are Canon and Nikon.  I have Nikon only because I have always heard what wonderful "glass" they have. (If you don't know, "glass" means lenses).  Putting a Nikon lens on a Canon body is not easy to do and not really recommended.  It is possible, but best to keep the lens and body the same manufacturer.  I am very happy with my Nikon, but I would still recommend the Canon line of cameras.  They take wonderful, clear pictures and both manufacturers provide similar features in their products.

Comfort

This may not occur to you when buying a camera, but it is always good to hold one in your hands.  Is it comfortable?  What about the weight?  Is it too heavy?  Too light?  Just right?  If you have small hands like I do, you won't want a huge camera; and vice-versa.  You want to be able to enjoy taking photos with your camera. I suggest that you go to a store and actually hold the model of the camera in your hands before you buy it.  You can also try it out by going to borrowlenses.com and trying it out for a few days or a week.

Features

The features of the camera are the fun part.  Do you shoot in automatic?  Do you want to shoot in manual mode?  Will you want video for your kids or action shots?  What about a flip screen that is also a touch screen?  And how about a feature that allows you to move your photos seamlessly from your camera to a shareable website?  These features are available on many cameras these days.

Where to Buy

There are many places to buy a camera.  You can buy one online or in a store.  You can try it out, and then buy it.  You can also save money by buying an Open-Box camera or a Refurbished one.  I love to buy at the following stores: B&H, Best Buy and borrowlenses.com.  B&H is totally online, but the quality has always been excellent.  They run deals so check out their website at various times.  Best Buy allows you to go to the store and buy a camera that you are looking at, and handling, in person.  Borrowlenses.com lets you try out the camera and then you also have the ability to buy equipment from them.  

Conclusion

There may be other features or considerations that you have for buying a camera and the subsequent equipment, but the items discussed in this post is a good starting point, especially if you are a beginner DSLR user.

Have fun!  And keep on shooting!