Canon XTi/350D - What other cameras are in its class?

I'm aware that it is a older camera but I was looking for something simple, cheap, and easy to use for my father, whom would like to start photography as a hobby and venture away from the P&S world.

Before sealing the deal on the Canon, are there any other cameras from other makers that are (well, were… ) in its class when it was a current model and have similar specs and features?

Considering looking at Pentax, Nikon, Sony, etc…

The Nikon D40, D60

For about $300, you can buy a great Nikon D100, usually with a battery grip

Here are some samples of images shot with that camera

As you can see, even older dSLR's can shoot commercially viable photos. What may not be as clear is what it will take for you to gain the skills necessary to produce such images