I would suggest the Fujifilm x100S as a first camera. Then upgrade to a Fujifilm x-e2 or a Fujifilm t1.

Why Fujifilm? Because they make stunning pictures. I just uploaded those examples of x100 shots for you to see:

http://www.kuto.ch/fujifilm-x100-x-e1/

Note that I've used Nikon D3X and Canon 5Dmk2 camera before (worked in a photo studio) and I still prefer Fujifilm output, it just feels more natural.

As an on again off again enthusiast for sometime the biggest barrier to creating consistently good images is actually just getting out there and talking lots of photos regardless of the camera you have. A lot of good photography rests on very basic principles that you could pick up very quickly.

That being said a good place to start is by reading reviews on the popular cameras out there. Some sources I rely on are: the verge, the wirecutter, digital rev.

I would suggest the Nikon D5100/D5200, a perfect beginner camera with enough settings so you wont get lost in them. That said, it's not always the camera that makes the good picture, it is the lenses and the quality of them. Buy a D5100/D5200 second-hand and buy a high-quality lens with a small f-stop

A camera is one thing, great lenses another thing, and don't forget about post production.

I would suggest buying a second hand full frame reflex camera (for example a Canon 5D). That will give you the most bang for your buck. In terms of lenses, avoid buying a package deal where you get a camera + kit lens. These lenses are often lower quality. Instead buy your body and lenses separately. Determine what kind of photography you're thinking of doing before you buy lenses. That allows you to pick lenses that fits best with what you are trying to do.

Finally, always shoot RAW and use Adobe Lightroom to post-produce your photos for the best results.

It's not cheap, but… The Sony RX1r has been my first, for the same reasons as yourself and it has been absolutely magic. I'm the kind of person that the size of the investment motivates me to dedicate more time to it, and the small physical size means I always have it with me. I'm by no means an experienced photographer, but in the 8 weeks I've had it I think I've snapped some decent shots.

+1 on the OM-D's and +1 on shooting RAW and doing your post-production.

I have an Olympus OM-D EM5. I have been using it for about 1.5 years now and highly recommend it.

What I like about it:

• Not a huge investment. I got my EM5 body for about $650, and my first lens (14mm) for about $140.
• Inexpensive, quality lenses. Just look at reviews of the 12mm, 14mm, 20mm, 25mm, 45mm micro 4/3 lenses. They are great quality lenses for relatively cheap.
• Small form factor. The whole system, including the camera and some of the pancake lenses are lightweight and easy to take around without feeling like you are lugging hardware around with you.
• Picture quality. It completely suits my needs in terms of detail. I don't do any printing, but it's high enough resolution for medium sized applications. -Micro 4/3 lenses work on many different cameras. If I ever have the need to shoot video, I can always buy or rent a video camera that accepts micro 4/3 lenses (Black Magic, Panasonic GH4, etc..)

Here's a link to flickr photos tagged EM5.

Invest in lenses - for Canon, the "enthusiast" lenses - the L lenses are professional, and perhaps overkill if you're just beginning, and the kit lenses are cheap.

Camera bodies evolve, glass doesn't (or at least is much more slow to do).

Important: remember, some of the most iconic images of our time were shot with a camera that you could buy at Goodwill for $10.

Digital will let you practice a whole lot more. Seek out books and help on composition.

Lightroom is excellent. But try to get things as right as possible in camera.

Personally - I use a 5D Mk III with a 50mm f/1.4, 24-70 f/2.8, and 70-200 f/2.8.

Also, invest in a good flash, not onboard.

Thought I'd chime in since I recently decided to get a better camera than my iPhone, and ended up buying a Canon 700d/T5i. You might find my blog post about my decision process interesting: http://techinch.com/blog/the-camera-you-should-buy.

At any rate, the main reason I bought a DSLR over the mirrorless options is that the bodies themselves are cheaper (at least locally, for me) and the accessories and lenses are also cheaper simply because they're a larger market. You can easily get a high quality setup with a kit and a prime lens for $500-800, and even less if you go for a used or older model body. And you can't go wrong with any semi-recent DSLR; they're all great, and have the power you'd need for almost anything. There's also the advantage of an honest-to-goodness optical viewfinder, something I love, along with the incredible battery life of most DSLRs.

The best tip I was given is to buy a similar camera to what others you know have; that way you can share experience and tips, and possibly share accessories and lenses. That's invaluable.

I'm using a Canon 6D. You can probably start with and entry-level DSLR and a prime lens. A 50mm f1.8 lens is very cheap and fantastic if you are looking for the "shallow depth of field" look.

Otherwise, any recent camera should be able to take decent pictures nowadays. Creating good images is more about composition, lighting and practice. Go out and take pictures :)

Start by shooting a thousand photos with the camera you have. Spending a lot on a camera before you know what you're doing and what you need is a waste of money. https://www.ippawards.com/gallery.html

I'll suggest you to look at Canon 70D or 7D both are APS-C ( at september Canon will announce the 7D Mark II then now you can buy a Canon 7D at convenient price ), a great full frame camera is the Canon 6D, but what really makes important is the lens . Depend on which kind of photo you want to do. One of the most useful is the Canon 24-105 f4 .

I'm a Canon user and I have a 1Ds Mark II with a 24-105 f4 ( and other lenses, I love photography )

I suggest this site Juza Photo here you can find good suggestion and detailed reviews of cameras and lenses .

For film it's gotta be the Canon AE-1 Program — solid as a brick, and never fails me!

For digital I shoot with a Canon 5D Mark II, though I wouldn't say that's necessary for just getting some good "stock" images. Try out one of the Canon Rebel series if Canon's your flavor, or the equivalent Nikon, or whatever really!

good reviews here: http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/recommended-cameras.htm

Remember to avoid buying into the megapixel race - you can probably get a second-hand or superseded DSLR for substantially cheaper than a new camera.

http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/mpmyth.htm