Canon 450D or Nikon D3100? - Help my newbie self please.

[volks]

My 2 cents worth. Both brands are very good, so you really can't go wrong with either. Both brands have lenses that you want now and in the future.
Check out the shutter count on the Canon. You don't want to buy a camera that is close to it's shutter count life.
A 12 to 16 mp camera will serve you well. 24 mp is nice but not necessary for great quality photos. Quality lenses will play a far more important role.
If within my budget, I would opt for newer camera, like the d3100 or d3200 or Canon equivalent.

[Don Schaeffer]

Brand loyalty is a powerful thing when it comes to cameras. Once you chose you will defend your choice to the death. There is a big brand loyalty war between Canon and Nikon, has been for years. Frankly, in spite of my strong personal and irrational bias, it probably makes very little difference. These are the two major DSLR brands. Other upstart brands (curse them) are also available.