[wavemachine]

I would go to a camera shop and try various cameras and see which one you get on with, try and find comparible cameras in other makes such as the Canon 650D, see which one feels more comfortable and how you get on with the controls etc.

I say that because I went to buy a Nikon 40D as my first camera but tried the Canon 350D in the shop, in my case I preferred the Canon as it felt more comfortable in my hands.

Also do your homework on prices from reputable dealers on the Web (not grey imports) and see if a camera shop can match it or get close (I did that with my 7D and got it a few quid cheaper than online).