I think older DSLR models are excellent choices for beginner photographers on a budget, and Nikon certainly has some of the best, especially as it practically dominated the entry-level end of the market for years.
In fact, the Nikon D600, with its 24MP sensor, continuous shooting of up to 5.5 frames per second and Full HD (1080p) recording is seemingly a solid choice, even more so now that you can find the 2012 camera for as low as around $300 /£275 (approximately AU$430) on sites like MPB.
