I've had one of these since 1975 - you'll love this, thought my college boyfriend was going to give me a diamond for my birthday that year and instead he bought me the sewing machine. Kept the machine all these years, lost the boyfriend!!! I've put MANY hours on that machine, mostly making clothes. It's a little tired now and will not start sewing without a little push on the hand wheel, but I think a good session with a repair man can take care of that. I didn't use the cams much, was happy just to have the straight and zigzag stitches. Don't know what to tell you about price, but I would consider it a good starting out machine.