WHiCH SLR CAMERA SHOULD i PiCK AND WHY?

I'm debating between:

Nikon D3000- $343
Nikon D3100- $549
Canon Rebel T3- $499

It would be my first DSLR camera. Any suggestions?

The nikon D90 is a superb camera, The dogs under carriage in entry level professional SLR digital cameras. But outside of your budget,. (About £650 with a decent lens)

Find a dealer, handle them and work it out for yourself.

The D3000 has neither Live View nor video capability - I see this as a plus but others wouldn't. The other two are too close to call until you get your hands on them.

Go to a local camera shop and try out the T3, the 3100 and the Pentax K-X.

Buy whichever one feels more comfortable to use. For now, just get the 18-55 kit lens.

Regardless of which model you choose, you'lll need a spare battery, 2 or 3 8GB Class 10 SDHC card, an sd card reader, a case and several basic photography books.

There should be some good deals on the D3100, seeing as the D3200 is now out and they'll be wanting to shift old stock.

Out of those three, the Nikon D3100 is the best one. A little more money will get you the D3200, which is even better.

You should buy Canon Rebel T3 because it gains the 9-point AF sensor previously used in more expensive models.

Skip the D3000, it would be better to get the Canon EOS XS.

D3100 is better than the T3 in almost every aspect, but of course it costs more. However, $50 isn't that much of a difference for such a better product!

Here's a DSLR Buying Guide - http://www.the-dslr-photographer.com/2009/11/which-dslr-to-buy/