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I use a Canon Rebel T1i. I think it’s excellent, especially since its endured my less than gentle treatment for almost a year now. The difference in Canon vs. Nikon really depends on what you plan to be doing with your camera, as in, what lenses you plan on buying. I’ve heard from a few people that SOME of Canon’s lenses’ autofocus has a tendency to die after a while, which is what I am experiencing with the generic lens it came with right now. Both Canon and Nikon have great cameras and lenses though, I consider Canon’s cameras to be a little more user-friendly for beginners though, you can tweak things more easily until you learn how to do it the more complex, but certainly more powerful way. 

I hope this helped a little, good luck in your camera endeavors!