Looking through all that I don't really need to add anything. Most stuff is covered nicely.
I will confirm that all the top brands have good products so I agree that choosing by brand isn't the right way to go.
Being comfortable with the camera is important especially for women because of they tend to have smaller hands. I love my Canon 40D but some women find it a bit large to hold. And my daughter often out shoots me with my old 400D (Canon XT or similar) setup so it's not all about the camera.
You are liking HDR so auto bracketing of 3 frames is a must for you.
I'd say go narrow down your choices after visiting and holding a few cameras that fit your needs and then maybe ask again which we consider the better choice.
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