How to choose the best digital SLR camera

I went to a photo studio today to get some pictures for a new project and I was kinda surprised how much they charged. I looked at the equipment and what they were doing, it didn't really look all that hard.

By the end of the session, I was charged about $470 for 11 shots (full 8x11 prints). The lady at the counter asked me if I wanted to buy a "pearl" version of the prints, meaning a different photo paper for an extra $10 per sheet. Wow. "Pearl" paper aka glossy is about .14 cents per sheet. She's trying to sell it to me for $10. No wonder these guys stay in business. They even showed me how they could smooth out edges with PhotoShop using a filter. While I nodded my head, pretending to be impressed, in the back of my mind, I was asking myself: why am I paying these guys so much?

Thought process...
Everytime I have to do a marketing shot, whether it be myself, clients, or products, I don't want to keep shelling out $40+/per picture. But I also want to avoid non-professional shots that come from point and shoot cameras. While point and shoot cameras are fine, they don't have the same resolution or image clarity as these professional cameras have.

The inquiry
I started asking the photographer what type of camera she was using. I also poke my head at the software she was using, lenses, etc. The equipment all in all was pretty standard.

What I bought tonight
After some careful review online, getting info from the photographer, and calling up some experts at Ritz Camera, I have decided to buy a semi-professional digital SLR for my business. Not only will it save money, but it'll sure be a lot of fun playing with a new toy.

My choice? Canon Digital Rebel XT 8MP Digital SLR Camera. It seems Amazon has the best price on it compared to any other retailer.

I'll follow-up with subsequent posts on how this new adventure will plan out.