Nikon D90 (with 18-105mm lens)

Pros: 1. great image quality and crop image sensor
2. high ISO sensitivity
3. reasonably fast burst speeds (4.5 fps)
4. sturdy construction
5. great large & bright LCD screen
6. easy to use interface
7. top mount info LCD display
8. price

Cons: 1. inability to save RAW files at various sizes
2. HD movie recording mode overrated and riddled with limitations
3. packed VR kit lens is mediocre
4. can't think of anything else offhand

Summary: This successor to the Nikon D80 looks nearly identical at a glance but it superior in so many ways, mostly because it receives much of its trickle down technology from the D300, one of the best crop sensor dSLRs on the market with its amazing high quality image sensor (12 bit vs 14 bit processing tho). This is my 2nd dSLR, coming from a starter D40, and take it from me, when it comes to non full-frame cameras, the D90 will do nearly everything you would need for your photographic needs. Unlike many of the newer low-mid range Nikons being released (D40, 3000, 5000) the D90 still uses a built-in body AF motor letting you use a wide range of lens from the latest AF-S mount lenses to older full frame digital lenses that lack built in AF capability. As I mentioned before, the D90 has nearly the same IS sensor found in the much more expensive D300 save lower bitrate processing (12 vs 14 bit) but it still produces great quality RAW images and decent JPG images. Also from the D300,700, D3 models is the 3in 920K pixel LCD which is bright and vibrant allowing for a full info display as well as reliable preview of images shot. The LCD doesn't swivel but I've yet to meet any serious enthusiasts who consider this a downside. Compared to my D40, the fps burst rate speeds and ISO blow the lower-end camera out of the water, almost enough to compete with professional bodies. I'm able to shoot at nighttime with ISOs up to 2000 comfortably without suffering too much image noise.

Overall size and shape strikes a good balance between feeling substantial in the hands vs being too heavy and cumbersome like Nikon's pro-grade cameras. This is noticeable especially when mounting larger telephoto lenses that would dwarf lower end cameras and throw the whole weight balance off in the photographer's hands. I especially like that it retains the top LCD info display thats useful when I dont want to light up the rear LCD display, esp in dark settings. Like most midrange dSLRs it uses SD cards and has a single slot that's easy to access, and shooting modes are controlled with the familiar mode dial as opposed to the control scheme of the higher end Nikons. One can purchase the camera package with the 18-105mm VR kit lens for about $1100 or save yourself $200 and buy the body alone for about $900, which is what I chose to do since I had lenses from my older camera. The kit lens is decent, but much better third party lenses can be had for a little more money and this is the route I'd recommend if you are a serious enthusiast. If you're not then honestly the D90 is likely more camera than you need.

Don't be fooled with the cheaper and 'almost the same' D5000 which reflects its cost savings with many missing features that make the D90 so great (fast burst speeds, top mount and rear LCD, in body AF motor). Oh and last but not least the video. I've only dabbled with it a little but don't be fooled into thinking you have an HD ready video camera. This is purely an afterthought feature as videos shot in HD max out at 5 min, 24 fps only, mono audio recording, and you lose the ability to AF while shooting, while suffering the 'rolling shutter' problem which is apparent during video playback. It's a fun novelty but the video shooting capabilities are outclassed by equivalent Canon models (T2i, 7D) so I would consider this a bonus feature rather than a reason to buy the camera. This doesn't matter much to me anyways as the camera alone is well worth the price and I intend to use this even after I upgrade to full frame bodies.