I don't have any specific recommendations, but the canon sounds great, as does the Nikon D-100. I have a Canon PowerShot A20, 2.1 mega pixels, but it's not like using my old Nikon SLR - the older digitals are much more comparable to the old point-and-shoot cameras. Artists need more control over light than it provides.
Check out the link William Whitaker provides under the digital camera area of this forum. The new 5+ megapixels rely on a new chip. I've read that they are truly the first digital camera to make 35mm film obsolete. Your SLR lenses work, which is much more practical than what I'm used to in the "disposable" electronics market.
Of course realist painters deal primarily with light on form, and I haven't had the pleasure of working with one of these wonder cameras first hand. I'll wait for the price to come down, or for the demand (commissions) to warrant the expense. Keep me posted on your research!
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