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G'day Muddy,
I would think that it might be a touch difficult to get a fully manual digital camera for around the $700 mark. You will probably be able to get a good digital with some manual control but not full manual control - eg. the bulb setting.
If it is at all possible for you to afford the extra money then I would suggest the Canon 350D. I simply cannot rate this camera any higher than what I have done previously - ease of use, great all rounder the list goes on.
Below is one of the first astrophotography images I have ever taken. Shutter Speed 30" ... Aperture 3.5 ... ISO 800 ... Focal Length 18.0mm. I just set the camera on the tripod, put it on the longest exposure I could (I didn't have a cable release then) and pointed the camera in the general direction of Scorpius. Getting the foucs was a bit hard because of the cloud but all in all I was impressed with how easy the thing is to use. The other shot is to give you an example of a day time image which was taken on full automatic mode. Camera on tripod...point and shoot.
As I said, it is expensive but oh so well worth it.
Peter.
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