Which Nikon Dslr is right for me?

I'll try and make this brief, I normally ramble when it comes to things like this:
I'm getting my first DSLR soon for graduation/birthday present. Price range is about $1200
My aunt has an old Nikon N55 with an 18-55 quantaray (sigma) lens, I think, and a 70-200 tamron, i think?
So basically, I'll already have two lenses, Might be cheapo lenses, but lenses nonetheless.
SO, My question is:
What body to get.. Or what body/additional lenses to get?
I was thinking D7000 but that would blow all the money and I was kinda hoping to pick up a new lens as well..
So then I thought D90 and a new lens.. Or maybe Used D90 and a new lens + extras (e.g. better strap, Stereo mic, flashes, etc.)
Side notes: Video is a must, Auto-focusing video isn't necessarily that important to me because I heard it doesn't work too well on Dslr's anyway..
I'm currently using a P&S casio so anything will be an improvement..

 

D7000 I just picked it up and I love it so far! Good camera for the price

 

D90 is good but if you want video the d7000 is the choice.

 

Okay so d7000 with those two, potentially poor quality lenses, is better than a D90 with a new lens?

 

Trust me when it comes to buying things for a camera it's worth the wait to save. Don't jump into something because it's cheaper or saves
Money. Youll regret it in the long run. If you're shooting video you'll want a new lens anyways. Those are both bad fstops which is huge when shooting videos. Get a 50mm 1.8 for 100 and you'll be super. D7000 used on amazon from reputable dealers is 1000.00 leaving you 200 for lens.

But in all honesty save up for something you really want/need. It's worth the wait trust me. I've jumped into lens or bodies only to turn around and sell them.

Save up 700 and buy a tokina 11-16 f2.8 and you'll love dslr video. Look up videos on YouTube with dslr/lens combos for video shooting.

 

I'd get a new lens and "whatever" body. To be honest with you, the body technology changes at such a rapid pace, but lens tech doesn't really so your best investment is probably your lenses. I bought a D50 when it was first hot, then a D90 when it came out... if I were to keep doing this I'd be broke! However, since I've had my 17-55 f2.8 there hasn't been any critical need to get a different lens to replace it. A beginner should begin with a beginner body... you'll beat the snot out of it: when I look back at my D50, I don't even think I could resell it at this point. Get the cheaper body with less bells and whistles and when you feel comfortable, there will be NEWER bodies for you to buy. That's my 2 cents.

 

Yes, definitely! Those lenses aren't that bad.
For video, the D7000 will shine way above the D90. The auto focus on it, when doing video, isn't perfect, but it's one of the better ones out there.

 

So used d7000 and a 50mm? What 50mm can I get for 100? The lowest i've seen is like 250-300 for what I guess is a decent one. I haven't really been looking though..
Edit: Nm, I was looking at 50 f/1.4. I found a whole bunch of 50 f/1.8's for around 100.
But that leads me to my next question, Wouldn't 50mm be a little too narrow of an angle for video? I film skateboarding and in general, Up close, so i'm gonna need something wide... D7000 is a crop sensor too so wouldn't that make it even narrower?

 

You can always pick up Nikon's 35mm 1.8 DX lens, which is about equal to a 50mm on a FX camera

 

used D7000 plus a new 50mm 1.8G will be roughly your budget. Great combination..

 

The D90 has an awesome quality/price ratio, probably the best in the market. Its weak point is the AF system. If you plan on shooting a lot of sports or flying birds (where fast AF is a must), the D7000 is the better choice. If you're looking at landscapes, portraits, travel photography, etc... the D90 could be a very smart way to save money for good glass, without losing much of what the D7000 gives you.

 

The D90 was the first DSLR ever offered that could do video. The video it can do is pretty limited.