"Invest" is the wrong word to use for a DSLR. Technology changes so fast that whatever they buy today will seem ancient/obsolete by the time they graduate. You are basically investing in the lens system. I'd recommend spending the money on good glass and getting a body with whatever is left. There's nothing wrong with "entry" level DSLRs like the D50, RebelXT, and the like. They've got full manual control, which is all you need for any school. I know plenty of students creating excellent imagery with those cameras.
If I were going to spend $1000 on a camera and lens, I'd look at a D50, D70 or one of the Rebel flavors with a kit lens (18-55mm or similar). In the $2000 range, I'd probably look at the same bodies, but look at a few prime lenses, a constant-aperture zoom, or some combination. It would depend on what I was looking to concentrate on, school-wise.
-Chip
__________________
People who do stupid things with dangerous substances often die! -me
|