I know a few people in the market for their first DSLR, so here’s my take on where to start. It’s easy to spend a lot of money and still not get the photos you want, so here are two sayings to consider:
- It’s not the camera, it’s the lens.
- It’s not the lens, it’s the light.
Really, it takes all three to get a good photo, so you want to allocate your resources. Entry-level DSLR camera bodies have gotten quite good and offer a fine starting point. The kit lenses, though basic, are also a inexpensive way to figure out what you like to shoot and how your future lens dollars are best spent. (Warning: Buying lenses is completely addictive, though it does help if you can plan your overall system first.)
Lighting is something I’m still learning; though I’ve found that ambient light can only take you so far - even with a “fast lens” (f-numbers and the nonlinear reason that f2.8 costs twice as much as the f4). Indoors, at night, or if you want more interesting lighting effects, you’ll need a flash. Again, entry-level DSLRs give you a decent starting point with a built-in flash. Add or hack a diffuser to it and you’re off and running, at least until you discover the Strobist.
Then there are the accessories; bags, tripod, and various little gizmos. Much of it depends on what you shoot, so it’s easiest - and cheapest - to start with just a camera and add things as you need them. A few books are worthwhile right off the bat, though: a good camera-specific book and a basic photography book if you’ve never been out of automatic mode.
Time to go shopping! The DSLR market is essentially Canon, Nikon, and “the third parties”. Canon has the greatest market share and catalog, Nikon fields a solid lineup, and the third parties can offer higher value per dollar with less expandability. I’m a Canon guy with a Rebel XTi, so I’ll stick with Canon. The XSi, XTi, and XT are the descending entry-level lineup. All are good starting points depending on your budget and feature needs, though I’d lean towards the more recent first two models.
The kit lenses are a good place to start, and now feature image stabilization for low light. This lets you shoot slower without a tripod, but won’t help for action or sports. Other options are a better medium zoom or a non-zoom prime lens. The prime lens is faster, sharper and better for portraits, but you sacrifice some flexibility. If you get one, bear in mind that the classic 50mm prime becomes an 80 with the sensors on these cameras; a 28mm is closer to a normal perspective.
For more research, photo.net, Amazon, and DP Review are good sources of information and reviews. Forums like Digital Photography School also have lots of discussion about what to buy, or you can always ask someone who’s already obsessed with DSLRs 
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