Ive been starting to get into photography a lot lately.
I only have a digital camera but I'm looking for ones with f stops and shutter speed settings.
I don't know much about these cameras but I want to start working with one and learning.
I'm gonna be spending anywhere from 100$-500$ (300$ Is ideal) on a new camera.

looking for some good advice from some good photographers

Thanks in advance

I don't know a lot about camera models too much past the ones I've used.
Buuut, I started out with a camera a lot like what you're looking for, for around $300. It was a Canon, and it wasn't SLR but it was completely manual!
http://www.canon.ca/inetCA/subCategoryHome?msegid=2&catid=17&scatid=18
Look through that page and look up reviews and prices for what catches your eye. That's what I did, anyways!
Here is the Nikon site too! http://www.nikon.ca/en/Coolpix.aspx
I have a Nikon D90 now and wouldn't go back to Canon, but I'm really happy that I used a Canon first (:

Thanks for your advice, ill be looking into that canon. I am looking for a slr because thats what i used in my photography class and i loved it.

Looking for more inputs.

I don't know much on SLR makes past the Nikon D90, but each of those sites has some of the information you are looking for (:

Why are you so against Canon?

I really enjoy my Nikon. I might consider going back to Canon one day, but the reviews for Nikon I like more and I like the feeling of the Nikon SLRs a lot more than the Canons that I have tried out. Neither is bad though, I may have sounded a little too biased by mistake!

Nikon glass is over-priced, has ugly orange/red tones, and the bodies' IQ is sub-par. People compare the D7000 with the 7D, not realizing that the D7000 is new while the 7D has had its years out already. 5d II > D700 by ALOT.

in the lower models nikon > canon
D90 is better than anything canon has to offer for the same price
D7000 is the same, canon has nothing to compare to it
5D is better than the D700 and better value, although the D700 does have some good points
then when you go to higher models it all changes again

7d is as good as the d7000

and im a nikon fanboy

its also yrs older.