Hey all, this is a mirror post with respect to
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1036&thread=33314982

I'm doing this because the advices from the Pentax forum largely favored the K-X, so I wanted to get the Canon community advices as well.

Hey all, I am planning to purchase my first DSLR camera, and after a few rounds of research I am strongly leaning toward the Canon XSi (450d).
However, after examining the spec sheet for the K-X, there are a few features that seems very attractive to me:

-On camera HDR
-takes AA batteries
-11 pt evaluative metering
-better ISO and shutter speeds

I understand that purchasing the camera is a commitment that will dictate all subsequent lens purchases, so basically if I decide to go with a Pentax, I want to make sure Pentax lenses are on par with Canon / Nikon, and are as widely available as well. I personally think this is where Canon stands out, because I know that I'll be able to upgrade the camera body and still be able to use the other equipments.

I know I am a noob so I'm very open to suggestions and comments. My ideal budget is to not exceed 700 USD for the body and kit lens, so I have already excluded T1i, K-7 for this purchase.

Thanks all! Much appreciated.