[Chomp]

I hear alot of talk about the new Rebel XT and D70 and *st D and DS but not much about Olympus or Minolta ones. IMHO they're not too expensive have some interesting features, especially Anti Shake.

What everyone thinks about them?

[slejhamer]

I think Toad uses a Konica-Minolta AS. It's definitely one to consider.

The XT is probably the frontrunner right now for best overall value, but that doesn't mean the others are weak. Also Canon probably has the edge in lens selection, but the others produce some good glass too.

The K-M's anti-shake feature makes it a real contender, IMHO. Reportedly there were some early softness issues but a firmware update took care of that.

Oly is pushing the 4:3 aspect ratio and, while there's nothing inherently wrong with that, I'd guess it might rub some former film shooters the wrong way.

If you are concerned with resale or used goods, the biggest after-markets are definitely for Canon and Nikon gear - just check out the buy/sell forum on Fred Miranda's site as an indicator.

[shuttertalk]

Those cameras you mentioned are targeted at a slightly higher market segment than the Rebel XT, although the price difference isn't too much (about 500-600 AUD). The K-M anti-shake does look good. I haven't heard much about the EVOLT, but totally hate the look of it -- looks like something out of the 80's

I'd consider lens choice as well...