I am getting $1,000 for my graduation from high school as a gift and I really want to go into sports photography and I am really looking to just get a beginner stage camera that takes awesome shots with amazing clarity while a person is traveling at any given speed.

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in my opinion nikon d60 plus 18-200mm lens is the best in nikon brand.also canon 450d+kit lens and 55-200mm lens in canon brand.it depends on you.but a golden rule"the cheaper body plus an expensive lens is much better than opposite form"

you NEED a digital SLR for sure. Perhaps a nikon d60, or a canon xsi with a decent zoom lens. A digital point and shoot camera...ANY model will just have too much shutter lag to take high speed action shots.

'Awesome shots with amazing clarity....', and I'm not going to assume here, for a beginner? A lot of factors going on. First of all you need a SLR or DSLR for the its wider range of optical abilities. You need to have some nice lenses and need to learn how they use them in different situations. For a $1,000 or less it is possible , if you know what you're doing and know what to look for, to find such a deal. Search out an independent photo-print shop in your area, they may have or know of someone that may have some nice equipment to sell and hopefully steer you in a good direction. None the less, you need to learn all of the lessons to get to 'awesome shots with amazing clarity....'. Good luck!

Definitely a Canon 450D/ XSi. Since you don't have much budget, get a XSi with a high speed lens and u are on your way. The EF 70-200 f/2.8 L USM would be a fine addition to a XSi Body.

There are TWO primary factors to consider: 1. How much money do you have to spend???? ($1,000??) 2. What level of photography do you aspire to "progress to" in the coming years ? (i.e. basic beginner, intermediate, or professional/business use). For most beginners to intermediates I usually suggest one of these two manufacturers: 1. Canon EOS Rebel model XSi. (Also known as the Canon 450D in Britain) The "kit" package comes with an 18-55mm zoom lens. The camera has pop-up flash, 12.2 Megapixels, and shutter speeds up to 1/4000th, 100-1,600 ISO sensitivity, 7 autoexposure Scene modes, PLUS Shutter Priority, Aperature Priority and Programmed Exposure Modes and Manual. It also has a 3 inch LCD screen, 3.5 frames continous per second max., 9 point AF system, Live View Functioning and the ability to record photos in 3, 6 or 12 Megapixels PLUS numerous other great features found only on more expensive cameras. Wal-Mart is also selling them now for about $799. Sam's Club also has them for $729. I'm pretty sure you could buy a 70-300mm telephoto zoom for a Canon for around $300. I bought one of these 6 months ago and use it as my "back up" camera. I absolutely love it. I have gotten some fantastic photos with it and cannot praise it enough. I routinely enlarge my photos to make 8x10's and 11x14 size enlargements with no noticeable distortion or loss of detail in the pictures. 2. Nikon D-90: If you prefer to use Nikon equipment I strongly recommend the Nikon D-90 which has 12.3 Megapixels, 3 inch monitor with Live View, 200-3,200 ISO sensitivity, 11 point AF system with Face Priority, 4.5 frames per second in continous mode, 5 advanced Scene modes for auto exposure plus Shutter Priority, Aperature Priority, Programmed Auto plus Manual. I belive it also has 1/4000th max shutter speed. The D-90 sells for around $900-950. (Body ONLY. The 18-55mm lens cost an additional $150.-175.) I would probably purchase a good telephoto zoom for it too, probably a 70-300mm. Typically, Nikon equipment is slightly more expensive than Canon equipment, but (having owned both Nikon and Canon cameras), I have seldom noticed BETTER quality results using Nikon equipment. You might also consider the Nikon D-40 ($499) kit that comes with the 18-55mm lens. Another great choice is the Nikon D-60 kit ($649) which also come with the 18-55mm lens. These selections are probably the best choices for any beginner to intermediate skill level, offering the most lenses and other accessories, dealers and places to purchase. I strongly recommend that ALL beginners buy a good book on digital photography AND take a class or two from a Vocational school or Community Education Center in your area. You can learn more about the technical specifications of each of these two cameras at these websites: www.usa.canon.com www.nikonusa.com Good Luck