Since it seems like you got your question answered, can I go ahead and ask – where’s everybody’s links? Homepages? I’d love to see your photography!
I have a D40 and I love it. The one disadvantage is that the autofocus motor is in the lens, not the body, so you have to buy autofocus lenses if you want AF. But if you don’t, then it’s a great camera and very aggressively priced. Depending on what kind of shooting you do, you won’t use AF all the time anyway. You can get the kit for under $500 and the kit with an additional 55-200mm VR lens for less than $700. Don’t get the non-VR 55-200; it’s not worth saving the extra $75 bucks. Use that money on other glass and learn how to manual focus and/or meter; you can get some real lens bargains if you don’t need autofocus & metering.
fessie: here’s my self-pimpage: maryelle st. clare | Flickr
I’m on Flickr at OZinOH | Flickr
Both of your web pages are really beautiful – I loved how each of you captured images in challenging conditions. Concert lighting is neat, that’s a great way of showing it missbunny. Gorgeous aquarium shots especially, Giles.
Thanks for sharing!
Gee thanks, that’s nice of you to say! I wish they had come out better. (I couldn’t use my Nikon for those.)
Well, I went to two Big Box stores at lunch and handled cameras (one store had no power to the Nikons.) Damned if I’m buying from *both * of 'em. :dubious: Anyway, I got NO help in either store, which is pretty much what I expect from a Big Box. One store, I didn’t even get anyone asking if they could help, and the other store, I ended up educating him a bit, in the way of casual chit-chat. 
This paragraph could easily become a pit thread on customer service if I were so inclined, but I’m not much of a ranter.
Anyway, I handled most of the cameras mentioned in this thread–but neither store had Pentax that I could see. I didn’t like the way the Nikons fit my hands. (Which are on the small side.)
I could get this one, whic felt good, seemed decent, and has two lenses. Would this be a good starter set?
Oh, and I’m online at Rhonda | Flickr and most of those photos were taken with either the Olympus C700 or the Kodak EasyShare 763.
One thing to be aware of with Olympus is that they use the four thirds system, basicly they have a smaller sensor than the “normal” APS-C dslr sensors. I have never tried an Olympus, but I’d guess that makes them have a less shallow DOF than regular ones and possibly be more prone to noise. Smaller sensor size with the same amount of pixels means smaller pixels and that usually leads to more noise. I’d check some images taken in low light with a high ISO setting, before deciding on a four thirds dslr.
Not really, they’re a bit behind on a lot of camera reviews.
They do have great forums though. And their user reviews are pretty good.
So…maybe this is better? CNET: Product reviews, advice, how-tos and the latest news
I know I missed out on contributing to this thread, but I can’t resist a bit of shameless self-promotion:
I prefer http://www.dcresource.com, but again, for the very latest and greatest the forums are ahead of the reviews. Still, at either site you’ll find people who use the cameras and various lenses and will offer excellent advice.
Oh, my gosh! Cutest. Puppy. EVAR.
And no, you haven’t missed out on contributing! What’s your opinion?
I really especially like Whirlwind! Neat effects and composition, Hodge!
Shoot, I almost nearly missed those (I’ve been skipping past all of y’alls technospeak) – how gorgeous! Love the beaches and your flowers.
Here are a few of my photos: http://unixspasser.dk/
Wow, those are amazing svrider! The clarity and saturation is gorgeous. Like buttah.
Can I ask you photographers something — what training do you have? Did you take art classes, drawing classes, photography classes?
That’s the E-510 I recommended in my last post. 
Given your interest in telephoto, I’d try to find it with just the 14-42, and pick up Oly’s 70-300 as the 40-150 is going to be a bit short for your purposes. The Sony kit looks like a pretty decent deal too, but I know absolutely nothing about that 75-300.
This feature of Canon cameras seems like it might be worth looking that direction for your new camera.
It’s the Canon Hacker’s Development Kit, open source software to make your Canon camera a monster-killer.
Here’s some of the cool things you can do:
I’m not even in the market for a camera, and this thing makes me want to run out and buy a Canon!
Well, most things I’d have wanted to say have already been said, so I’ll just jump onto the shameless self-promotion bandwagon.
You can see some of my photographs here (desperately in need of a proper clean-up and re-organisation):
I don’t think so. Really. They don’t go into the depth that DPReview does, however they do have more reviews. I usually go to several sites and don’t restrict myself to just one of the review type sites. Sometimes the reviewer will really foul up the review of an otherwise decent item and you’ll have 6 other sites praising the same item.