I will also recommend that you must save some more and get a DSLR camera.
Everybody like some camera of some sort. I use a Nikon camera and I am very happy with it. I also got a small Nikon camera but I hate that thing. The better cameras is more friendly usable.

I hate cameras where everything is automatic settings, mainly that the camera is telling what it is going to do and you must accept it. You need to be in charge of the camera and you must be able to tell the camera what you want. I just use manual setting to get the photo I want.

I use a Panasonic FZ-50 with a Raynox DCR-250 macro converter. The converter fits on many other cameras as it has a clipping mechanism instead of a threaded one.

The benefits of this camera for me is that it is 10MP, decent low-light performance, a 35-420mm optical zoom (12X), excellent macro function, fully manual, F-stop ranging from 2.8 to 11 and a shutter speed of 1/2000 to 60 seconds. It has a built-in optical stabilizer.
I have used to to take photos from tiny macro, landscapes, portraits, everything. It supports SD HC cards, so an 8GB card gives you 1100+ shots. It does widescreen video shooting as well, but is not very good.
Excellent colour saturation as well. 200+ shots on a charge (with flash), charges in less than 2 hours.
It does support RAW shooting, but doesn't make much of a difference.

If you can pick up one of these 2nd had as they are not available new anymore, you will have an excellent camera that will last many years.
Next weekend I will have had mine for 4 years.

Here is one on BoB: www.bidorbuy.co.za/item/25065534/Panason...l_Camera_Silver.html
But look around, I have seen a few for sale over the years.

I use to have a FZ50, I gave my one away for free. I was happy with it for 6months and then it went out the door.

It give you almost everything you will find in a DSLR camera, but the quality will never come close to an entry level DSLR camera. the menus on that FZ50 is easy to use and to setup.

In the day the FZ50 was a good camera, in low light it gives bad noise on photos if you don't use the flash. If I compare the photos taken by the FZ50 to my Nikon you cannot even compare the quality.

My camera shutter speed is 1/4000 to unlimited. The shutter speed can go to 1/6400 if I put some other settings on my camera on. Aperture is pending on the lens I use. ISO is an unbelievable 6400, but with the program my camera use it prevents noise at such high ISO settings. I can also upgrade my camera software and drivers.

I don't say spend R20000 on a camera, but make sure whatever you are going to buy that you must enjoy working with it and you are going to be happy with the quality.

I agree with you stalker. any DSLR will be any point-and-shoot. But they also come with a premium on the price tag. even second, or should I say, more so second hand.

But looking at the budget of R1500, it is closer to something like the Canon IS range or FZ50 (FZ20 / 35) second hand. which is better than any brand new camera costing R1500. Especially feature wise.

Decent macro photography without full manual settings are impossible in my opinion.

For the budget he wont get much. The best will be to save more and get an entry level DSLR. You can get new ones from R3500. The problem with entry level DSLR cameras is that they are not friendly usable.

Cameras over the last year became cheaper. If I want to buy the camera I want, I must sell all my tarantulas, my car and a few other things. It will cost me R86000 for the body only.

I only use manual setting on my camera. As I do extreme close-up macro photograthy I use extra things to go to that close-up.

You don't need al the macro things when you start. The best is to first get the camera and then start getting the extra things.

When I do macro photograthy I use a studio and when I do photos of tarantulas.

Save the money and get a good camera

I will try to save up a bit more but thanks for the help guys and yea that camera from BoB looks very nice!