SLR digital cameras?

I would also suggest sticking with either Canon or Nikon. There is a great range of accessories and lenses made for these cameras. My Nikon D50 and D80 are both excellent units. In Canon 400D or 30D would be excellent choices depending on the budget. If in doubt spend more on the lens and less on the camera. All Canon and Nikon DSLRs these days are that good that you are unlikely to cry over minor differences in features. Prior to your purchase go the camera store and hold both a Nikon and a Canon in your hands to see which you prefer holding. If you are going to spend long days bird watching, on the nature trail or at sporting events, the ergonomics of the camera is quite important.

If you check out forums etc, one point I see with interest is that it is rare for a Nikon or Canon DSLR owner to rubbish the other brand.

Of course, it depends on how much money you want to spend, but I am a Nikon fan. I'd kind of steer clear of the D40 if you want to have a full-featured camera, but the D50 is nice and the D80 is simply awesome, especially for the money. If you want a camera built like a tank, get the D200.

If you are spending enough to get into the Canon EOS 30D area ($1,200 area), then this is an excellent choice as a real photographer's camera. I think the Rebel's (XT or XTi) are more directed towards someone who wants the comfort of a point and shoot with the advantages of the SLR body. The Rebel's don't even have a spot meter. They feel kind of small in the hands.

So - Go to your local shop and pick up a Nikon D80 (D200 if you have the cash) and compare it to a Canon EOS 30D. See which one feels right to you. See which one has controls that speak your language. If you like the D80 but can't quite swing the money, check out the D50, which is a very good camera.

Guys you have to consider other cameras. I do personally use the Canon XTi and I am extremely please with it. There are also the Nikon D80, D70, D50, D40. Aviod the D40 if you feel that you want every Nikon lens because D40 does not work with all Nikon lens. With Nikon I'd be safe with the D80 great camera. Cheap Affordable. But if you have an extra 300 to spare get the new 30D from Canon. Excellent camera over the 20D. But if you are not advance in SLRs get a Canon XTi or a Nikon D80 (Nikon is a bit more expensive however).

Pentax does fall short of Canons or Nikons JPEG processing. WIRE review seems more biased and does not give a good range of details of the other cameras it test. dpreviews.com has a great selection of camera reviews.

I am a huge fan of the Nikon's. I am currently shooting a D70, which is a nice camera. I have taken the D70 from kids birthday parties to Rio de Janeiro and have never been disappointed. There are some other good options, depending on the size of camera you are looking for and how much you want to spend. Check out some web sites and photography forums, or some of the photography magazines for comparisons.

I dislike the Canon Rebel...

So I will suggest the Canon EOS systems

Pentax k100d

Nikons (ALL of them, i don't know the numbers)

Check out the photo site, and a review site and it will tell you everything good/bad about the camera and it even has user comments on the camera.

Canon Rebel XTI. It's the best, and you can use lenses from manual canons interchangably. The screen is fabulously large, the quality is amazing, and it's easy to use in both manual and automatic mode. I haven't had any problems with it at all. It also has a very fast recovery time so you can take picture after picture without pause.

I would stick with Nikon or Canon. They both have a large selection of very good lenses, flashes, and other accessories that are compatible when you are ready to expand your "toys". Remember, photography can be a business or a very expensive hobby. But a nice addiction to have!

The Pentax K100D DSLR, it's cheaper than most SLR's and it doesn't suffer because of it. It was voted best SLR on the market by WIRED magazine.

Canon Rebel XTi + Canon Lens EF 17-85mm IS USM it is a very nice camera. I did some test shots: http://picasaweb.google.com/dand370/CanonXTiDSLR

ISO 1600 is excellent !!

Get the CanonRebel XTI. It was handed to me at work (a museum) and its a pure joy to use.