EDITED TO ADD: The difference between 8 and 10 MP is negligible
+1
I've printed 30x20 posters from my 8 megapixel 1D2N and they look as good or better than pics shots with higher-res cameras. There is
so much more to a camera than resolution. If you're jut going to be taking pictures for the internet, a 4MP camera will do more than you'll ever need.
(on a technical aside, all else being equal you'll actually get better pictures from a lower-megapixel camera because the individual pixels/sensors are larger, meaning less overall noise in the image ... there is a
lot more to it than just that but the point is, don't be scared of a 6MP or 8MP camera as opposed to 10MP or higher)
Nikor (Nikon) and Canon lenses are generally the best for picture quality, speed, accurate focus, etc. Personally, unless there was some overwhelming reason to look elsewhere, I'd buy a Nikon or Canon.
Someone suggested buying a cheap film SLR to practice with. I'd suggest, instead, that you find a good press-quality photo shop in your area and rent the camera/lens(es) you want for a day or two. Will they do what you want? Are they too heavy? Are they comfortable? Can you understand how to make them work? Did you get pictures you're happy with?
Don't over-buy. It's very easy to buy a camera with features you'll never use. "17 metering modes and 43 built-in picture presets!" sounds great until you realize you'll only use two or three ... the ones that come with all the lower end cameras. High shutter speeds and burst speeds and buffer sizes only matter if you're doing a lot of fast action; there is very little you can do with a 1/4000 top shutter speed that you couldn't also do with a 1/2000 top shutter speed. Completely ignore any statistics regarding the built-in flash; it's garbage no matter how powerful it is. Be more mindful of size & weight -- this applies both to the camera itself and the lenses you'll buy -- because it's a lot easier to buy a boat anchor than you realize. Spending a day with six pounds of camera on your neck vs. three is a
very big difference.
Finally, don't stay up late at night worrying about your purchase. If you don't know enough about photography to understand all the little nuances you can compare, then you aren't going to benefit from the differences. You're almost certainly better off buying the less expensive option and learning how to take really good pictures. In the end, it's the CPU behind the camera, not the CPU in the camera, that takes the picture.
