Good Camera for Amateur Photographer?

You won't find a DSLR for under $300. I have a DSLR, I've owned many in fact going back to an SLR, circa 1982 nikon FE2 that took film and had to be focused and advanced manually. But even my twenty-something year old nikon wasn't, or isn't now under $300. So the first thing you need to realize is photography isn't a cheap hobby to get into. Even for amateurs. I'm an amateur and over the years I must have sunk thousands of dollars into its pursuit. Now I shoot with a canon 60D, I got it from canon direct, refurbished, for $780 body only. And that was after it had already been out for a year, and doesn't include what I've spent in lenses and other equipment like filters (which I don't really use much), tripod, monopod, photoshop, flashes, and a bigass bag to put it all in. Believe me, sticker shock is a normal reaction to what photography WILL cost you. But if you really want to do it, you'll soon accept that as the cost of doing what you will come to love. And like anything else that costs a lot, you just have to plan and save. Even now, already having a good camera and good lenses and all that other stuff I mentioned, I'm want another camera, a smaller one that I can take on trips and not lug around all the crap I've accumulated. It's pretty cool actually, and not yet available (but soon), it's the olympus om-d e-m5, freaking $1300. But hey, that's the cost of being a an amateur. It's even higher for professionals. But make no mistake, you'll be making an investment. The cameras I've mentioned make good cameras for amateurs, by the way. ....lol, under $300. I wish.

Unfortunately there aren't any DSLRs under $300 except for maybe on Ebay. Just get a compact camera. Lots of those do 1080p video nowadays. Or save more money and get a DSLR.

I think you'd be very happy with a Powershot 320HS. Its nowhere close to a DSLR, but its still a great camera...