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Wow...more info than I know what to do with! haha! Thank you!

I plan on initially taking family pictures. Action shots of the little ones at the park, hiking, etc. I'd also like to take pics in and around the hill country. Old cemeteries, nature, water, animals, etc. Eventually, as the girls get older, school activities and sports.

With the recent thread that had the awesome close-up pics, and having met a few people that have them, my interest in DSLR camera's has increased. The features and picture quality is too great to ignore, and it'll give me a chance to give "real photography" a whirl. With my new cell phone likely to have a 5 to 8 megapixel camera, I'm thinking that can take the role of my point and click. I can't stand the shutter delay between clicking to auto focus, waiting, and taking the picture. You don't get the "the moment it happened" shots. DSLR can!

Here is my dilemma...I have NO idea what to look for. I know Nikon vs Cannon is much like the Glock vs. 1911 debate, so I've pretty much narrowed it down to those two brands. lol

What do I look for in a "lens"? Do I need to add a flash kit? I want to be able to take pictures quickly and rotate the lens to focus (I've come to find I can do it a lot quicker than my point and click camera can).

I don't know what F-Stop is, or any other "camera term" for that matter.

Any "newbie" info you can provide will be much appreciated. I'm not looking to break the bank, but want a solid, long lasting camera.