Rodolfo Paiz
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 p.1 #7 · May not be the proper place but.. | |
Another vote for the ergonomics above all, here. I used to shoot Canons, loved 'em. Had to borrow a Nikon for two weeks, everything felt more comfortable to me, switched to Nikons, love 'em. And I've seen the opposite too: so I believe that one brand's design philosophy will fit you better than the other, and you will definitely prefer one over the other. But the only way to know that is by playing with both.
Of course, you can learn to use any gear at all very well indeed, and pros do that all the time. So the comments suggesting you look at the lens line-up are appropriate as well. All I'm saying is that you'll find it easier and quicker to get started, with little experience, with either N or C. Best to pick whichever one you like now. 
If budgets are not very tight, definitely the D80 or 30D. Skip the two "starter" cameras, as they are both smaller and feature-limited. Designed for people who cannot afford more, don't want to learn any more, or both. Does not sound like you are their target customer.
Lenses, I'd definitely get the 50 f/1.4 for around $275. Cheap, gorgeous images, and will work well in less lighting. So very appropriate for baby shots. Maybe the 85/1.8 as well, a little more flattering for portraits but you have to be a little farther away and it needs more light.
Macro, both N and C make fantastic 100mm-or-so macros. If budget not a problem, get one of those. If budget is a problem, there are lots of great solutions that are cheaper. Tamron 90, Tokina 100, Sigma 60, and so on. Longer lenses will let you get the same magnification at a longer working distance, so choose a short lens (~60mm) for stuff that holds still and a longer lens (~150-200mm) for stuff that runs away, or bites. The 90-105mm range is a good compromise.
Telephoto, you need to think more about budget and desires. Nikon has a new consumer 70-300 VR that's reputed to be quite good, and I'm sure Canon has the same... so at a low-cost ($400 or so?) level you're easily covered. For the sharpest, best possible images, both companies are justifiably proud of their image-stabilized 70-200 f/2.8 lenses, among the best glass in both line-ups.
Get at least one good flash. Nikon does have a strong edge here, since the wireless control it provides is simply phenomenal. But get used to using "fill flash" to eliminate shadows and harsh contrast in faces, even when shooting in broad daylight. You'll wonder how you ever shot without it before.
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