wes_allen wrote:
stymingersfink, You can get a full frame canon 5d for around 1600 or so now (new with rebates), or a little bit less used. That is full frame. You can also get a used 1ds Mark II for around $3500, and the original 1DS for the 1500 range.
And, as for the crop factors, as was mentioned, it isn't a magnifying effect, so much as a limiting what you can see effect. Can be nice for telephoto, but sucks for wide angles.
For the OP, if you are just looking to get into dslr mostly for fun, then I think an xti, xsi, or used 30d would be a great place to start. Or, a 5d as well, if you don't mind spending a little bit extra. One thing to note about mp, is that the file sizes go up, big time! So, from 8 to 12 might make a big deal on hard drive space, card space, etc.