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Have bought Nikon bodies, lenses and speedlights second hand without any problems. Just be careful.

HE, so Nikon D90 it is!!
I have one, plus a D80, and can tell you its a fantastic camera and you'll def be happy with it.
Now for the lenses; you either go for Nikon, and the top notch f/2.8 ones are expensive, or you start off with ones that are less luminous but still give excellent results.
My first one was a Nikon 80-400 f/4.5 and have used it extensively in KNP and gave me excellent results. Just yesterday I had a go with a new Sigma 150-500 and really impressed with the results, a bit on the biiiig size but excellent all rounder.
I also have a fixed Sigma 300 mm f/2.8 and already love it, not to heavy, pretty compact and excellent results. Add a 2X to it and you have a good 600 mm f/4 in your hands.

On the Macro/Micro front Sigma hav some excellent ones and I use a Nikon Micro 105mm f/2.8, a little on the expensive side but really one of the best you can get on the market today.

Hope this helps a little.
Tell me when you find the bottomless pit!!!!

Are you going to show us some results Andy?

For me the choice between Nikon and Canon is a personal one. 10 months out of the year I shoot with Nikon equipment on the cruise ships and I hate every moment of it. When I'm not working I shoot with my Canon kit. Going out in Ports, it's a no brainer and I take the Canon kit with me. Shooting wildlife it's also a no brainer for me and it's Canon kit all the way. I'm quicker with it and changing settings is much smoother and quicker.
I've used the Nikon D70, D200, D300. The D300 being the best one I've used. I can't get used to the menu interface, because it's just not laid out the way my logic works. It'll take me forever to find something on the Nikon menu's where with the Canon I'll find it within seconds. Not that the Nikon's are bad, I just dont like them. They do however make the company millions of dollars every month and we'll typically take about 25 000 to 30 000 pics per cruise, so they do the job.

On the Canon side I've used: 350D, 400D, 30D, 40D, 7D, 5D Mk II. The Canon 5D Mk II being the best of them and the 7D coming in Second.

But as I said... It's a personal choice. Both will get the job done, but the Canon will get it done cheaper with more lens options in SA

Sprocky, give me a few minutes and I'll post a few!

Here are a couple taken with the Sigma 300 mm




and taken with my the Micro 105 mm




Considering we had a cloudy morning light was disgusting and so I'm pretty happy with the results.

Have you got any with the 500mm?

Still have to download them but will post soonest.

NightOwl, I feel exactly the same as you with regards to the menu layout, except my opinion is the opposite! I think the Nikon is great, while the Canon menus I've used have been terrible! The Nikon menu especially from the D40 on is excellent

Some I forgot to mention: weight!
while the 150-500 is looooong its weight is still manageable and can be hand held, the 300 mm on the other hand is shorter but weighs a ton and def needs a mino-tripod or been bag.

joshilewis: thank goodness there's Nikon, Canon, Sony, Pentax, etc. etc. etc. otherwise those of us that think differently with their brains would all have to struggle on with menus we battle with.
I'm so gratefull the Canon R&D department think the same way I do
I bought my Canon kit before really experimenting with either brand, so I was very lucky that it was the brand that I'm more comfortable with.

My advice to any new buyer would be to actually walk into a shop and ask for the physical cameras... switch them on. Page through the menus and take a couple of test shots with each model. That way you can see which one you're more comfortable with.

Image quality of Pro lenses on the long end between Nikon and Canon are pretty much on par with each other, except that the Nikon ones are more expensive

Thank you Josh, I am from the mechanical
heyday where little curtains in your camera
represent shutters. Thin blades of super steel
folding together gave F stop and depth of field.
Levering for a new frame of film your camera
became charged and ready for the next shot.

My first camera(SLR) was a Mirinda. It felt
good in the palm. Others were cranking film
with little levers similar to starting a straight
six Dodge with a lever, though I must say I
went to wildlife photo exhibits where Linhoff
cameras produced really top pictures.

Josh, today all is electronic can you advise or
give pointers as to what to look out for when
going second hand.

He, I always look at the picture count first, then the sensor and end up checking the lens mount. Found a good sometime back, count was good and so was the sensor. On looking at the mount found that it had been dropped and damaged.

M'rutti, N'Owl. First experiences at something
become lasting memories. Nikon was around for
some time already giving Leica stick, Canon too
obviously and maybe they swallowed up Mirinda.
Thank gawd. Grrrrrr..click,clack however a new
era was born with plenty competition. My first
experience was to come in contact with a Nikon.

Nikkormat to be precise., and that was it for me.
Canon entered the market place offering a more
robust camera, and yes indeed they did!

Technology somehow still seems to be with Nikon
though I agree somewhat overated at times.