I'm in the same boat, Belarki - i'm tossing up between a Canon 550D and a Nikon D5000. I posted the question on fb and got about 30 replies - divided almost down the middle (15/15) with Nikon and Canon recommendations! So confusing.
If you didn't see in one of the photo contest threads (which I feel as though I remember you commenting on it so I think you did), I shoot with the Nikon D5000. I absolutely love it. Would I like to have a nicer camera? Sure. Is the 5000 a good camera? Fuck yeah it is.
When I was in the DSLR market, I was brand new to em. I like to think I have an artists eye... and in the few years preceding my purchase, I'd somewhat developed an eye for photography (in my own opinion). I'd been taking my Nikon point and shoot to baseball games and big cities across the east coast US for a while taking what I felt were some pretty damn good pictures. In each session of reviewing them, however, I'd noticed a few common themes... dull coloration and the occasion slight graininess. So I felt what I needed to do was look into a nicer camera. I was to the point where I thought my composition had reached it's peak with my point and shoot and wanted something that offered me more manual control. When I first was looking into DSLRs, I knew I wanted something in the middle. Not the lowest grade because I knew I'd be getting into photography pretty deeply, but not the most expensive (or complicated) because I wanted something more user friendly to ease me into the DSLR world.
Hence, my choice to go with the Nikon D5000. It's been such an incredible camera for me. Like I said... there are times where I wish I'd spent the extra money, but realistically... I'm still learning to use my 5000 and probably will be for some time. There's plenty of options to keep me busy. BELEEEEEEEEE DAT!
The main reasons, however, that I went with the 5000 instead of the 3000 was because the 5000 offers HD video and has an articulating screen. The articulating screen has been invaluable. It's absolutely beyond convenient for the low angled shots. I can just angle my screen to lay flat on the ground, flip on the live view (LCD shows what you'd see through the viewfinder) and still have the option to manually move your focal point and all that jazz.
So yeah... I could have gone with a better camera if I wanted to spend the money, but MAN have I been in love with my D5000 since I got it. It's seriously such a great camera.
:D 
Have to have a serious think about what lens would be appropriate (and conveneint) to start with too.![:\](https://bluelight.org/xf/BL_Images/Orig_Emoji/wrygrin.gif "wry grin :\")
)
