The beginning is the toughest part, because that's when you need to decide....do I just get the good stuff now, or buy what I can afford and upgrade later?
What is your budget?
What will you be shooting the most?
Do you 'really' need video capabilities from your camera? A lot of people say they want it, and then never use it. Don't pay for something you won't use, invest that money elsewhere....like a flash.
Not all cameras are created equal. There are some entry level cameras that will meet the needs of most people. This would be the Canon Rebel Series. All of these camera bodies are considered entry level.
Then, you have the XXD bodies. Now, some say these aren't true pro bodies but I know plenty of true pros that use them. This group would be the 20D, 30D, 40D, 50D, and 60D. Oh yeah...and the 10D.
Next, you have the 5D bodies. These bodies have features that the xxD bodies don't have and quite a few people consider these to be pro bodies. They are common amongst pros because of the body size, not too small, not to big.
Finally, the no argument pro body 1D series. There are two types of 1D bodies, the 1D and 1Ds. These bodies are larger than the other bodies. The 1D is a 1.3x crop sensor. It is not a true full frame sensor but it does work with all Canon EF lenses. The 1Ds bodies are a full frame sensors and may or may not work with certain lenses. The 1D and 1Ds bodies are by far the most expensive. They offer features that the other bodies don't offer, like more focus points, dual memory cards, superb weather sealing...to name a few. But, these bodies aren't for everyone. They are heavy and their features aren't needed by the majority. I bought a 1D Mark ii primarily for two features, faster frames per second and the ability to capture 7 frames in AEB. If that last sentence is foreign to you, you probably don't need to bother with these bodies....for now.
And then....there is the 7D. I'm not sure where to really put this one. I would say it is superior to the xxD bodies, it has some features that are superior to the 5D bodies but I would not say that it is superior to the 5D bodies. I guess if you look at the price, it is somewhere between the xxD and 5D bodies. I have never shot with this body so I will let someone else chime in about where it ranks.
As a beginner, I would suggest that you start with one of the higher end Rebel bodies. Invest your money into the glass, or lenses. The images you can get from a Rebel body with Cannon L series glass are very, very good. As your needs begin to exceed the capability of your camera, you can upgrade to a better one later and already have the L glass for it.
There's my two cents...
