I have been out of Photography for probabbly 10 years. Back when I was into it, at the time I was mainly into nature photography, but did take portraits of friends and family. I used to use a Canon A1 with some Canon FD lenses. As everything was manual, I have never used a "modern" AF SLR of any kind, nor can I use my lenses on modern Canon cameras.

Anyway, for the past few years I have been using a Nikon Coolpix point and shoot digital, and I now want to get a digital SLR so I can get back into more serious photography. The point and shoot has mainly been used to take pictures of my son who is now 3, as well as snapshots when I have traveled.

I am really torn between Nikon and Canon systems. Both have lots of lenses, flashes, and other accessories. Both have models that are quite close to each other in terms of features, in similar price points. It really seems that the choice between them comes down to personal preference. I am really interested in buying a camera that will serve me well for many years to come. I am not interested in buying a top of the line camera with all the features, but I want enough to give me lots of control. I guess durability and quality are real concerns, as well as brand longevity. I think at this point, either brand is not going anywhere.

Now my question. Is there a compelling reason to buy one system over the other? I seem to remember people telling me long ago that Nikon made better cameras, but Canon made better lenses. Is this true, and is the difference even noticeable?

Thanks in advance. All comments are appreciated.