What do you want? DSLR or point and shoot? There are some nice, manual control PnS ones out there but they approach DSLR price points.

The only real problem with DSLR's is when you look into lenses. That's where the cost goes up and fast.

No real need for the latest and greatest DSLR body; you can take great pics with a Nikon D40 or Canon low end Rebel/Elos(sorry, don't know Canon that well).

Go handle them all, Nikon/Canon/Sony/Olympus, and see which ones fit you. Go to a real camera store, not Best Buy/Wally World/Ritz, tell them what you want to do, and see what you come out with.