Nikon vs Canon vs pentax (slr camera)?

I'm wanting to buy a slr camera and i'm stuck between a few Nikon and Canons to choose from
I definitely want hd video, af, and high resolution, and under $1000 if possible…
any ones i should look at? The nIkon d3100, 3000, 5000, 7 and canon eos and pentax k-7

No auto focus motor in entry level Nikon dSLRs so I'd skip that. Go with Nikon D90 or D7000 they've got the motor, not all lenses have an autofocus motor so there's the problem.

Canon is fine, but not the best low light/high ISO when talking about the entry and mid level bodies. Other than that, they make a fine dSLR.

Check out the brand new Sony alphas. The A33 and A55 can do things Canon and Nikon can't do.

http://www.sonystyle.com/...4294951742

Drop Pentax, then do Ini, mini, myne, mow, for Canon and Nikon. I'm going with Canon EOS 7D

It depends upon your goals. All dSLR's can certainly produce professional quality images, if the user is competant.

Nikon has entry level cameras (notably the D3100) that provides a lot of bang for the buck and as an entry level camera all use the new Nikkor lenses (AF-S) They (AF-S lenses) can be used, since it is assumed that people buying their first dSLR will be starting a new cameras system and do not have any legacy lenses (AF Nikkor lenses have to be manually focused on entry level Nikon camera bodies)

Canon on the other hand have Rebel, XXD and 7D bodies which can use both EF and EF-S lenses as long as you don't later decide to buy a full frame 1D or 5D camera. If you do that NONE of the EF-S lenses you may have purchased to use on your cropped Canon cameras can be used. They will damage the mirror on the 1D or 5D camera bodies (as well as scratch the rear element of the lenses EF-S lenses)

Pentax seems to have a good system since all the K-mount lenses work on both 35 mm and cropped sensor dSLR's. The drawback to the Pentax system is that it uses "green unfriendly" AA batteries only (Nikon and Canon have AA adapters for their cameras with battery grips) and at present, Pentax does not have nearly the number of available lenses like the Nikon and Canon systems with over sixty)

Spend some time researching Pentax, Nikon and Canon and see which system is the one you really, really want to marry for the next three decades or so.

Do your through research to be sure that you are happy with all your ultimate choices.

Skip the D3000, it's bad when compared to others, lacks lots of stuff.

Canon EOS what? There are like 20 Canon EOS Digital SLR models, they have names too.

I wouldn't get the D5000, not now that the D3100 is here - it's great, has less noise, higher ISO range, better video features and is lighter.

D7000 is also good but only if you need the speed and even higher ISO range.

From Canon I recommend Canon EOS T2i, 60D and 7D.

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

Here's a review of the T2i: http://www.the-dslr-photographer.com/2010/06/canon-eos-550dt2i-dslr-review.html

Here's a review of the 60D: http://www.the-dslr-photographer.com/2010/11/canon-eos-60d-dslr-review.html

Here's a review of the 7D: http://www.the-dslr-photographer.com/2010/01/canon-eos-7d-review.html

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