- Take Nikon or Canon; that way you can build your range of lenses without having to switch brands at some point when you want higher quality. 

- The most important thing about the body is that it's comfortable for you (i.e. the grip is comfortable and the buttons/dials are easy to use). For example, I have really big hands so I have a Canon 50D which is relatively big and has large dials. So go to a place where you can hold them..

- Start off with a standard zoom lens, the type that you get with the camera for a reasonable price. You can always buy better once you improve your skill. 

- If there's one accessory I would recomment it's a decent tripod, though it depends a lot on the type of photos that you'l take.

- Take a camera bag that can comfortably fit your camera, 2-3 lenses and (if you travel a lot) a guidebook/tablet and a water bottle. 

- An extra battery can be extremely useful. 

Hi Durgesh

I am myself looking for a decent DSLR Camera for personal use. May I ask, which one did you finalised and are you happy with the choice. Thanks!

Best

Ekta

You can't go wrong with Nikon or Canon, as Edward says.  Nikon has the best lenses (which makes a huge difference) and Canons have the advantage that you can hack the firmware for extra features.

I'm a kind of crap and lazy photographer, so I have an Olympus E421 which, at the time, was a good combination of price, automation and ease of handling.  I'm not sure they still sell it, but their PEN range is always very well reviewed and has the advantage of looking very cool.

The main choice is between Canon and Nikon, find a camera that fits you and you feel comfortable with first. Then the lenses are a choice between canon, nikon or sigma, and maybe a few others dependant on yoru budget. Nikon are known for the sharpness, which is not really an issue unless your going to do pro work for an agency. Canon lenses are just as good but maybe not as pin sharp as the nikons can be, but they do tend to have better colour rendition.

 Its all very subjective, and there are plenty of comparison sites to advise you, and lots to choose from. The main thing is to enjoy what you have when you make the choice. Its all down to budget , and what you like. Enjoy. 

Hey,

I'm a beginner as well and I bought a Canon EOS 600D. I'm pretty happy with it even though I still have a lot to learn. Good thing about it is that you can find a lot of materials on the web and in the libraries about this camera. Very handy !

Cheers,
Yannick