Canon EOS Rebel T1i. Nikon D3100

I'm new to photography beyond the point and shoot of, well, a point and shoot camera or a cell phone, but I'm looking for DSLR that'll last-one that I can use for a long period of time (years) without feeling limited.

Of the two listed in the title (Canon EOS Rebel T1i and Nikon D3100) which do you feel is the better camera (better suited) including video, quality, weight, etc? Are there others that are worth investigating? My budget is $800 for now.

Out of those two, i recommend the Nikon. However, this is just personal preference. I recommend going to the store and finding out the details from a knowledgeable employee before you make your final decision.

D3100 is lighter and slightly smaller. It has less noise and better image quality and video too, with AF while recording them. T1i simply can't compare to it (But that's because it's almost 2 years old).

Here's a post called 'Buying a DSLR, what's important, megapixels, features, brand, price, quality and which one to buy - http://www.the-dslr-photographer.com/2009/03/which-dslr-to-buy.html

Good luck! The site has many more tutorials, tips, reviews and guides!