Also think about how you want to use it. I like my cameras relatively compact, sturdy, and sealed. Those three traits plus being inexpensive are pretty nice if you are planning on taking the camera out into the elements (hiking, climbing, skiing, mountain biking, etc).
That combination is what got me into the Pentax system and I'm very happy with it. I also like having shake reduction in the body instead of the lenses so you only need to buy it once and it works for any lens. Sony, Olympus, and Pentax all have in-body stabilization. Nikon and Canon do it in the lens so if you don't get stabilized lenses (for more $ of course) then you don't get stabilization.
I use a few lenses that are 30 years old and it's pretty nice to have the addition of shake reduction on a classic lens!

I know you said you weren't considering Pentax but I just thought I'd throw a little more info out there to help you make an informed decision.