HD_Dude

Oh, fuck off.

Wow...touchy!

Her animal rights attitude makes me want to listen to hear while eating steak.

I'm Nikon fan...lots of lenses and the D3. Also had the D70, the D80, the D200, the D300, the D700...kept trading up. As you can tell, I love Nikon. But Canons are great, too. Don't let anyone tell you one 'sucks' while the other is the only way to go. The real investment is going to be the lenses. They'll last 20 years, while you'll probably replace the body several times. So, whether you go Canon or Nikon - both are excellent - you'll probably stay with that brand a long time. I'd go to a camera shop and bring your own CF or SD card, and just try 'em out. Shoot, shoot, shoot. Then go home and look at your results. If you like one over the other, go for it! If it's a draw, shop price.