Ditto all above - hold it in your hands. Tech specs may look great, but the second you hold it you might have doubts or even hate the feel.

My only advice as far as brand is stick with a major camera manufacturer. Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Olympus. Steer clear of the Samsungs, Sharps, Fischers, etc. Even Fuji or Kodak - they're good for fun, but not if you want to take your photography seriously.

A little sideways question... Are you specifically intent on buying "new"? You can get many a good SLR used at KEH.com or "like" places.

This is something I keep forgetting to mention in previous threads, but there are plenty of "only slightly used" professional or prosumer cameras out there. You could get a used Oly E-20 for $400 (of course, I AM talking about a 5MP camera, but MANY a magazine covershot have been taken with 5-6MP cams).

Just something to keep in mind. Good luck-
-Lew ;-)