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Anonymous
Pentax K10D body is $630 on Amazon with free S&H and $100 mail-in rebate (so it'd be $530). You can easily pick up a used 50mm prime for under $100 (usually around $50). Heck, you can usually pick up a "free" K1000 film SLR when you buy lenses through CraigsList.
The controls, etc are worth the extra money if you go for the Pentax. Of course, I'd take ANY Nikon DSLR over the D40/D40x. I'd go with the D80 (body only), but it's likely out of your budget. You can sometimes find D80s out there from people who are upgrading to a D200 (now D300).
As for Canon, go for the XT until you can afford a 20D/30D/40D. Keep in mind, though, that some of the lenses won't work with the full-frame DSLRS. Of course, Nikons have the same problem, but even more so since the inception of the D40.
I bought a K10D a few months back because it was the only sub-$1,000 DSLR that didn't feel like a toy in my hands. The D80 was a second choice, but I don't look back. I like the D80 and it felt similar in my hands, but the K10D just felt a bit better and I liked the in-camera shake reduction (though I prefer to use a tripod when I can... the in-lens shake-reduction is superior, I know, but I wanted something that would work on ALL lenses) and the weather sealing. The battery/vertical grip is awesome, too. The K10D is really built like a tank, which makes me feel more comfortable taking shots I wouldn't have otherwise risked (awkward angle for my body, shooting in the rain, etc... though I do try to protect the lens).
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