If you want to make a one time purchase with that budget, you may want to look into the Sony DSC-R1. Its not an SLR, but it has an APS sized CMOS sensor and a spectacular lens, so you have the image quality benefit of SLR. If you are making the one time purchase with that budget, you wont match the quality of the R1 with any DSLR. If you plan on spending some more money in the future on good lens, you may want to stick with SLR though. Its at the top of your budget, about $500+.