Dueling DSLRs: Canon and Nikon go head-to-head, but which is best?

It's high noon in the world of digital cameras, and Canon and Nikon are back at it all over again. And I can't wait.

In the world of gadgets and gizmos, the digital SLR is one noble citizen. The ultimate smile-prompter, you could say. So when I read Lori Grunin's hotly-anticipated review of the Canon EOS Rebel XSi -- posted just last week -- I got excited. After all, Nikon's competing D60 has only been on the market a month. Who will be consumer SLR king once more?

Just this past year, I was assigned a huge project that required a lot of original photography. I needed a DSLR stat, but I had no alliance to any one company. After hours and hours of reading the most minute reviews online -- as well as some hands-on in the store -- I still couldn't decide. My better half ended up making the decision for me, and I came home with a shiny new Nikon D40X. I've been happy ever since.

Lately, however, many of my friends have expressed serious SLR envy. But the market has changed -- and as we all know, blow-by-blow statistics aren't everything with a handheld gadget. So I don't know what to recommend to them. I always knew the next model would be just around the corner, and now I'm curious to see which company is playing catch-up with the other. Will the new Rebel best Nikon's latest offering, or will the Nikon stand its ground?

That's where you come in, ToyBox readers.

Instead of the opinion of one person, I defer to the opinions of many: for my friends in the market for an entry-level SLR, what camera would you choose? Are the new features worth the price for the Rebel XSi? Or shall they ignore it all and opt for the Olympus?

I, of course, don't know. I could barely choose my own camera. But I'm sure you could agree, this whole thing is better than catching a rerun of Face/Off on television -- so leave your comments (and experiences!) in TalkBack.