Which DSLR camera brand is best?

Ok so I'm a beginner in photography, and I have a Fujifilm finepixs s2950 and soon I'm gonna work and get at least $1, 000 and was hopping to buy a Nikon D5100 but someone told me that Nikon wasn't a very good brand. I was also looking at canon's camera but can't see one I like and know much about. Also looked at Sony's but don't know if there good. Can you tell which camera brand is better? Which camera under $1, 000 is best?

Canon has the highest sales. Determining which brand is best is all relative and it really depends on what functions you really need. As so many lenses are interchangeable and adapters are widely available, any brand is fine, but you can't go wrong with Canon or Nikon.

I'm not a Nikon fan. I have one and my other cameras are sharper. I think my Canon DSLR is the best.

I shoot Canon and Nikon and don't think either is better than the other. Both have their strengths. Anyone who tells you one is better than the other is what is commonly known as a fanboy/fangirl. Maybe to an extent they're equipment snobs.

All three brands you're looking at are great cameras in my opinion (two of my friends shoot Sony and have had no problems).To determine which one is right for you go to a camera store and play with them. Find out which fits best for you. Ask questions. Don't let negative opinions from over-zealous brand lovers tell you a particular brand sucks. Make that decision for yourself.

If you are a beginner, then the brand won't make much difference. More important are the price and the features.

Please don't spend $1, 000 on a camera. You can get an excellent camera that does everything you need for a lot less than $1, 000. If you spend $1, 000 on a camera, you are wasting at least $500 on features you will never ever use.

The person that told you Nikon is not a good brand has absolutely no idea what they are talking about. In your price range, you are most likely going to end up with a Canon or Nikon and they are both great brands. Each camera has it's strong and weak points regardless of the brand. At this moment in time I would say that Nikon has the edge in performance and low light capabilities. Canon is more widely used for motion. The D5100 is an excellent camera. You won't go wrong with it. I have owned both systems professionally and could easily make my living with either brand. I currently use the Nikon D4 because of it's ability shoot fast, it's low light performance and I also like the Nikon lenses a bit more though I always loved the Canon 85mm f1.2 which I heard is being replaced. In the end, what matters is the person taking the picture. Don't listen to people that speak in absolutes about one brand or the other. When you are talking about brands that are at the professional level and are widely used around the world, they have to be good.