Let the hive mind of Engadget get that for you.
"I'm pretty much a complete noob when it comes to camera stuff. My wife loves to take pictures, though. So much so that she literally wore out her first point and shoot camera, and the Kodak Z712 I bought for her less than two years ago is starting to act up as well. To compound the matter, we are expecting our first born sometime next year. I fear the Kodak just isn't going to cut it any longer. What would be the best starter DSLR to get? She hates missing photo opportunities due to camera 'lag' so speed would definitely be at the top of the list. Photo quality and features would be next. Price should be no more than $800. I'm not interested in video capabilities."
All you have to look at is the DVD-Audio vs. SACD format wars. Even though they came out with dual format players, the formats were already dead due to consumers not knowing what to buy or which one to buy.
VHS/Betamax was a new technology for consumers. VHS/DVD was new technology. DVD-A/SACD was an upgrade of technology. HD-DVD/Bluray is an upgrade of technology.
Most consumers will wait for a dominant format and by then we will either be onto another format or still watching DVD on 480i/480p or upconversions to 1080i/p.
Let the manufacturers kill each other and lose money. These formats will go the way of the laserdisc, SACD,DVD-A,VHS,Betamax.
I for one will not buy into all the hype. The picture on Blu-ray and HD-DVD is fantastic but not at the cost of renewing a library of DVDs. The players that upconvert to 1080i/p are close enough for most people and you DO NOT have to renew your complete library.
vhs/
betamax