When I want DSLR shopping, I did NOT focus on the brand. I tested this:
1. How comfortable does it feel in my hand? Could I hold it for long periods of time without my hand aching?
2. How intuitive do I find the controls? How quickly can i set the settings I want to change?
3. How does it feel/focus/handle when shooting?
I took a look at the 350D, the 400D, the D40, D80, D200 and Sony A100.
350D: The 350D felt ok, but the grip was a bit small for my hand and it just felt "plasticky". I was definitely not impressed by the focusing speed of the kit lens, though higher-end lenses focus very fast.
400D: The 400D's grip was awful! Smaller and narrower than the 350D, I had to "claw" my fingers just to hold it. Focusing was better than the 350D.
D40: At first i thought they handed me a fake plastic mock-up. It just feels like a toy! The kit lens build quality is poor... But the grip was much better than the canon, and the focusing was crisp. However, you need to buy the expensive AF-S lenses to get autofocus.
D80: Comfortable grip, good performance, though I wasn't quite happy about a lot of the buttons being up behind the shutter release.
D200: A lot like the D80, though the grip was a *little* less comfy. Still miles ahead of Canon, which feels like it was designed for a 10-year-old. Felt quite nice, and the features are rock-solid!
Sony A100: Grip feels like it was made for my hand. Perfect. It has a decent weight, build quality is good, and the mode-dial is very handy. Best part: Vibration reduction is built into the body. No need to pay extra for high-end VR/IS lenses.
So I got the Sony in the end, mainly because it feels soooooo comfy to use. I like the Canon ISO sensitivity, but what good is that if I'm not happy when I pick up the cam?
The D80 would have been my purchase if I hadn't walked into the Sony shop to test the A100.
I'm not trying to sway you one way or another, honestly. I'm just trying to show you that you should not rely on reviews or opinions online for a DSLR investment; I illustrated to you how I bought my DSLR.