Hi All,
I ventured in to the beginner DLSR about two years ago, and put some serious research in to purchasing my first and subsequent DSLR...
Camera No 1 was the EOS 450D, fantastic starter, 3.5 frames per second, and an ISO speed of 1600, which gives generally good results with the stock lens (18-55 mm)
I upgraded about a year ago to a second hand EOS 50D, which had significant improvements, especially at the shutter speed end (ca. 7 fps), high ISO (but caused graininess). This is by far the best camera I have used, or tried out over the past year, and produces razor sharp pictures at lower ISOs (up to 1600)
The best pictures I have taken so far with wither camera, is with a 50mm prime canon lens, it's the f1.8 aperture, and you can pick one up for about 100 euro, so shop around...
Another excellent website that you can cross compare features is Digital Cameras: Digital Photography Review, News, Reviews, Forums, FAQ, and select the compare cameras side by side feature...