Digital SLR cameras...where to start?

[dunl]

I'm looking at purchasing one of these....could someone pls give me some pointers on where to start with them? I don't want to go and buy one, only to turn around and want something better in a few months.  Then again, I'm not planning to start a photo studio either.

Thanks in advance. 

[corsjeep]

My wife bought a high end nikkon called a d-300,which was called a semi pro camera,she found it very hard to use,it had lots of manual settings and crazy complicated menus,it was a awesome camera none the less,just a bit to complex for the average user.She ended up selling it and bought a Canon 40d which she finds very easy to use and seems to take just as good pictures as the Nikkon.It realy is like compairing apples to apples,but i found the budget slr's had full plastic bodies and the next level up only a few hundred more with the steel bodies.

[dac]

http://www.dpreview.com/

this place has some really good testing and info on cameras.

[esi]

Cannon XSi or something similar, a decent zoom, sun shade, and maybe a polorized lense.  A set up like that should last you quite a while

[yyc_tbird_sc]

Go over to the Camera Store downtown, and explain what you're looking to do with the camera and what your future pictures wants/needs are and they will help set you up with something that will work best. Try out as many cameras as you can, and see what's available for accessories too. Find something that you're comfortable with, and feels right when you're holding it. Try the menus, and see what you think. Personally I'd stick with Canon as they're my personal choice when it comes to cameras, but Nikon is on par and it really just depends on what you like.

When it comes to Megapixel....don't worry about it. There are cameras out there that have well over 20mp, and while this is impressive....my Canon Rebel has only 6.3mp and I rarely ever actually use the size of picture it takes at full resolution. This is due to the physical size of the sensor. Most point and shoot sensors are lucky to be 3/8"x1/2", while DSLR's usually have sensors in/around 7/8"x1 1/4" so the size and quality of the image is already much better.

Personally...I'll be going with a Canon 5D MkII for my next camera, but at over $3000 for the body alone, I doubt that it will be what you're looking for.

[DGenR8]

Blacks Photography currently have both a Canon and a Nikon DSLR on sale for about $500 ea.
Both are 10+mp, unless your goin pro either of these would be plenty of camera.
Here is the link to all the DSLR's sorted by price;
http://www.blackphoto.com/blacks/catalog.jsp?catalogId=cat40008&navId=cat80010&sort=price

[Spinalguy]

http://www.dpreview.com/

this place has some really good testing and info on cameras.

That is an excellent site that has helped me many times