Help deciding which deal I should make!

[John Mc]

To be honest,you need to think what your shooting,and what you want to shoot.
The forget the factor of the camera,be it nikon or canon,it doesent mater,both will do the same thing,go into the store,and play about with the camera's,how they feel,and how easy it is to use them.

Focus on your lenses,like,if your shooting portraits,you'll want a good prime,aswell as a zoom.
Your equipment really is down to what your going to shoot

 

[Darkpath]

Because opinions are free - and because I too am in the market for a new camera... I wanted to touch back to the OPs original question and answer in the following way because you sound very much like me. I began sometime ago with a Canon AE 1P and now have a list of point and shoots in the stable, finally ready to take the Digi-SLR plunge. Because of my overall inexperience with DSLRs but my huge experience in research - I feel the best entry level DSLR BODY I can afford will suit - knowing that the real investment will be in the lens. They are singing real praises out there right now for the Canon T2i and it comes in a variety of bundles that include various lens.

I would say this tho - from my research - that the T2i and likely all High Res DSLRs require Vibration Reduction lens for 9 out 10 photographers to operate the camera with any success. These VR Lens are what the one poster referred to as Buy Once Cry Once... If you by a bundle that includes one lens with VR and one without - You'll likely defer often to the one with VR and even more likely later replace the one without VR with the exact same specs to a lens that has it. Especially if the lens zooms above 250mm.

In the end - buy the body with the functional capability and the "feels right in your hand" feel... But never never buy a lens because it's cheap thinking you'll make due. You'll end up buying twice, after crying more than once.

 

[Dao]

I will pick up the "D7000 kit with 18-105 lens".

And than start learning how to use the camera, photography and go from there. Once you know more, you will know what to get next (i.e. lenses, flashes etc)