Canon has a really good forum too. I think, it is all about what your short/long term plans are on what you want to shoot. In my case, since I shoot a lot of weddings, my cameras and lenses need to be strong. I need cameras that can handle low light and shallow DOF.

For you, if you have no plans to do things like weddings or low light photography, then the next consideration is budget and the amount of time you use the camera. Is it a hobby where the camera sits for weeks at a time, or do you get a lot of use of your camera? I agree with mbrager about buying the best you can afford. The 7D is a wonderful camera that has great potential. The Mark 5DII is a lot of power packed into a black box. User friendly and very intuitive for both. Lenses. You get what you pay for. period. Photography can be what ever it is you want it to be. The main point is, where do you want to go with your photography? and then plan accordingly. :-)