OP: "I'd like advice about what handgun to buy."
Response: "Use a rifle instead!"
The title of the thread says SLR camera. SLR cameras have been around about 4 decades before digital came along. Also, it was specifically mentioned that
I'm a bit put off by the prices on some of the SLR's....I don't want to do the photographic equivalent of shelling out for a 1/4 moa sniper rifle for someone just learning to shoot who won't be able to take advantage of the gear.
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other than the fact that you don't like digital and the cheap bodies, what advantage does film have for a beginner?
Well, if you want to make (real) photographs, you are going to need film. Digital doesn't help with that at all. Digital image capture is not the same thing as real photography. If you think digital is a substitute for film, and you are happy with that, that's great. Shoot it then. It's not the same thing though. And regardless, it is drastically cheaper to get into shooting film with nice cameras, which benefits the beginner. Digital makes sense if:
-you never need to take very long exposures
-you don't mind being tied to a workflow that is dependent on computers, charged batteries, and inkjet printers
-you don't mind the drastically higher startup costs in the form of disposable consumer electronic 'cameras'
-you only work in color (because digital B&W is a joke, please, just say no)
-you don't care about traditional photographic process/having tangible negatives/physical media
-you actually like using modern digital cameras, compared to far nicer, quality built, better looking, and more satisfying to use film cameras that can be had at 1/10th the price
-you have no soul, and don't understand the emotional appeal of slides or silver prints
None of these points apply to me. Different strokes for different folks.