MSNBC.com recently listed 20 free programs that are available online for photographers to download and use. The programs are:
GIMP (photo editing)
Photo Pos Pro (photo editing)
Picasa 3 (photo editing, management and sharing)
XnView (photo editing and converts file formats)
FastStone Image Viewer (photo viewing and editing, slide show
creation, convert images to other formats)
PhotoScape (photo editing, slide show creation, combine multiple
photos, convert RAW images)
Pictomio (organize photos, create slide shows)
Image Resizer Powertoy Clone for Windows (resize one photo
or a group of photos)
36-Image Converter (covert photos into other file formats,
photo editing)
VisiPics (sort photos and get rid of duplicates)
Each of these programs has different capabilities. Some have more photo-editing options, while others have better tools for organizing photos, resizing photos and creating slide shows. Some of these programs may not work with Vista or Windows 7.
Source: 10 digital photography downloads (MSNBC.com, 2/15/10).
MSNBC.com also featured an article that reviewed some current cameras. Here are a few of their recommendations, along with approximate retail costs:
Nikon D3000, $550
Nikon D5000, $750
Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSI, $650
Pentax K2000, $560