OK, after my other thread I have decided on a 40D, as long as I don't have to spend too much on a lens(still trying to stay around $1000 if I can do it). Looking at listings here, on ebay and on a couple other sites, bodies that look to be in nice shape have shutter actuation counts all across the board. Two in particular I am watching, one has 16,000 count, the other is at 81,000 in the same price range. Obviously less use is better(in most cases, less use is less wear right?) but how high would you let a shutter count go before no longer considering a body? With the L&D 14 threads here and elsewere I'm getting anxious to get out-especially since the famous Decorah IA eagles are only 45 minutes from my house, and another nest with very cooperative birds is 15 minutes from my work.
