If you can find one, you could do a lot worse than a secondhand EOS 50E
(that's the European designation - don't know what it's called in the US,
but it's the predecessor to the EOS 30, or EOS Elan7 in the US). Should be
able to pick one up for not too much.

The EOS 300 and 500 (I think these are called Rebels in the US) are
ubiqutous and cheap secondhand, but a bit basic compared to the 50/30/Elan
line.

Depends how much exactly you would like to spend.
If you can afford it, try to find an used Elan 7N or 7NE. They sell for
500 CAN and 550 CAN respectively new. This camera is light and silent.
It has semi-pro features. I'm planning on getting one myself.
Now, if you don't want to spend that much, you can get a Rebel. My wife
wanted a "less-complicated" than the Elan and I bought her an used EOS
300 (Rebel 2000). I saw one with the kit lens selling for 250 or 300 CAN
in Montreal. It has the DOF preview and 5 or 7 AF points. Very nice
camera for the price.
Also, Canon makes the cheapest DSLR at the moment. So, if you start with
 Canon system, you'll be able to buy a used Digital Rebel pretty cheap
if you eventually decide to buy a DSLR. I used to be with Nikon but for
amateur level gear, I find Canon cheaper. I have an SLR, a DSLR and 3
lenses. I spent 2000 CAN in total.

You say that like it's a bad thing.

Depends what you get.

An Elan 7 would be nice, there are a few on the used market.

Henry's prices seem too high to me, at least on new equipment.  On used
it's harder to guage.  Compare prices there against several prioces for
the same item sold on ebay for the best idea.

Cheers,
Alan

Canon has some excellent equipment.  Do you have many Minolta lenses
for the SRT?  If you do, why don't just upgrade to a leter model
Minolta non-AF camera, such as the XD/XD-11, which has manual,
aperture-priority, and shutter-priority (only manual focus Minolta
camera with this feature), or a X-700 which has manual,
aperture-priority and program modes?  Both of these series cameras are
lighter, smaller, and better cameras.  The XD-11 was the Minolta
version of the Leica R4 (cooperative development), and the X-700 has a
huge system built around it with remote controllers, flashes,
auto-bellows, etc., and will work with its flashes and Pocket Wizards
for flash metering and shutter triggering.  Minolta made excellent
lenses for their entire series of SRT and X-series cameras.

Just some thoughts.  Good luck.

--Scott--

I would recommend an older but higher  model over a Rebel.  Some
suggestions that have been made that I agree with are the Elan 7, a very
good camera that is relatively small, light, quiet and capable.  Also an
EOS 5 / A2E, with a caveat.  The command dial is prone to failure, but
once it's been repaired it rarely fails again.  The repair is around
$100.  Apart from that, it's an excellent and very capable camera.  It
has, IMHO, the best built in flash of any Canon SLR, in part because
it's a zooming flash.

All Rebels lack the rear control dial, which is very useful, and
virtually essential for convenient operation in manual mode.

Lisa

... big snip ...

I'm sorry this is a bit off the mark, but I've been continually
re-evaluating my SLR systems in the glow of the digital onslaught. I'm
very partial to fully manual cameras and have several. I also have
been using a new 45mm f2.8 AI-P manual focus Nikkor lens. For the kind
of street, family and event photography I do, I don't know if I have a
lens that meets my needs better than this one. I like it so much for
travel that I based my most recent evaluation of my system about this
lens (and a couple of others).

In the evaluation, I included the following cameras that I own (F3,
F100, F5, Leica M6, Contax T3 and others) plus something from the
Nikon FM/FE/FM3a lineup. I used to own a FM2n and it's the only camera
that I wish I had never sold.

Looking at everything I want in a basic camera and putting weight on
viewfinder quality, low light usage, ergonomics, weight and
portability (for travel), focus indication (lots of low light work
with no strobe), easy of use and strobe integration for when available
light becomes light-available, the Nikon F100 won hands down. It beat
my F5 and the FM3a by a considerable margin. I like all these cameras
a lot, but for one camera that can do a bangup job in basic
photography, give very good viewfinder indication of manual focus,
work well in existing or low light and do a brainless job of
integrating a strobe when absolutely necessary, the F100 won. I was a
bit surprised at the paper result, but in the usage result, it has
been the camera that I have been carrying on a daily basis.

The prices are crashing on film cameras. These near pro models offer
amazing control over the process and are of course very useable
cameras. I've given up on nostalgia lately and gone for utility. The
F100 comes out on top for me.

I share this, not to make a convert, only to indicate that when it
comes to seriously taking pictures, my views have recently changed
from my venerable (model T) Nikon F3HP to the F100.

FWIW:

Regards,
Roger

Friend:

If you want a cheap solution, just get a Minolta QTSI with its base lens.
It can be found on E-Bay.  Get a refurbished one, rather than a new one, if
you really want to watch the price. Complete outfits, including the lens
can be found for under $100.00.  Also, do not get rid of the older Minolta.
The SRT series was a wonderful one. :)  Good Luck!