Clarity, easy to use, moderately priced,

I've owned both the D3100 and the D7000, the D7000 is my current camera and It's miles above the D3100.

The D3100 is a very entry level camera, which is evident from the price. They cut a lot out of that camera in order to acomodate the low price tag.

Do yourself a favor and if you do get the 7000 - get it body only and buy a lens seperate. The 18-105mm lens it's usually kitted with isn't that great. If you're looking for a good, cheap "kit-lens" to go with it, just spend $100 and get the 18-55mm

Hello,

If your budget is $2000 including a lens, I would definitely recommend the D7000.  At about $1100, it is a real value.  I am a semi-professional photographer (it is a side business and hobby, but not my primary source of income), and I've owned a D70, D200 and D300 (my current camera body).  I would recommend the D7000 over the D3100 primarily because it will be much easier to use, with dedicated adjustment buttons rather than having to scroll through menus to change ISO, etc..., and also because the D7000 is weather-sealed (mostly) and built considerably tougher than the D3100.  At the end of the day, though, a camera body is a 'disposable' item, which you will continuously replace multiple times.  I would concentrate more on acquiring good lenses, which if taken care of, will last much longer than any individual camera body.  I would suggest looking at the Nikon 18-55VR (generally sold for about $120), and beyond that, it depends on your needs.  The Nikon 50mm 1.8G lens is cheap but very good, as is the 35mm 1.8DX (about $199, but a slightly sharper and more useful lens in my opinion, as it is considerably 'wider' than the 50mm.  Best of luck!