When you jump on the digital photography curve and you're looking for your first digital single lens reflex camera (DSLR), there are a lot of great manufacturers out there making great cameras for amateurs and professionals alike. A low-end DSLR with a wide angle or telephoto lens, or maybe even both can be obtained for less than $1,000 and some very high-end DSLRs cost in the 10s of thousands of dollars. More money means more functionality and probably more pixels, but any camera can perform well in the hands of a photographer who knows the equipment. (Gee you've never heard me say that before.)
Back in the days of film, just out of college I bought my first "real" camera, a Nikkormat FT2 and thus my "marriage" to Nikon began. It is true that once you choose a particular manufacturer for a camera, you're very likely to upgrade to other products in their line as you grow. It's very simple, you learn their language, their terminology, their general product engineering, e.g. where the dials are and how you turn the camera on.
Many a photographer will promote the features of his/her camera as better than another and Peter and I are no different. Peter has been shooting Canon cameras for a long time as I have with Nikon and neither of us is inclined to change, although I've made a concerted effort to move him to Nikon in the last couple of years. He just doesn't think Nikon. It's easier for him to pick up his Canon and shoot right away without thinking because he knows innately where everything is and how to operate it on the fly. Trust me this will happen to you too.
Starting out? Choose a manufacturer you trust, that you've researched and the products of which you find comfortable, suit your needs and fit your budget. If you master an entry level DSLR, understand all of its bells and whistles, and how to get results from them, you will be able to truly make an informed decision about what camera you want to get next.
Our DSLR equipment today?
2006 - : Canon 30D, 8.2 megapixels.
2008 - : Nikon D60, 10.2 megapixels.
2010 - : Nikon D90, 12.9 megapixels.
2013 - : Nikon D7000, 16.2 megapixels.