I agree with AR Bowhunter that a good quality camera is better in the long run but using all it's functions come with practice. Some lower end cameras can also do the trick for you if you use it enough. No doubt a tri-pod will help you however sometimes you do not have enough time to try and set one up. You may need to take a thousand pics to get out 1 good one sometimes. Here is a pic of a moose in the spring just growing his antlers. Taken with my Kodak camera free hand..