I'm also interested in a DSLR, so I'll be following this thread as well......

I'm curious if anybody here keeps up with KenRockwell.com?? He recommends the Nikon D40 as the BEST all-around SLR. Despite the fact it's only a 6MP, he claims the pixel count doesn't make a great picture (makes sense to some extent, but....). Other problem is, doesn't take HD video (which I'm looking for).

His site is pretty interesting, you might find some helpful info there.