What is the better camera? Canon or Nikon?

If you friend owns Nikon then buy Nikon, if Canon buy Canon. That way you can call him/her for questions regarding camera settings etc, and relay to each other better. Also you can go to the local camera store, hold both cameras in your hand, play with menues and see which one is more comfortable and better operates to your liking. Also consider other brands like Sony, Pentax, Olympus they are as good as Canon/Nikon, in some aspects even better. Sony and Pentax has internal image stabilizing features that Canon/Nikon doesn't have. Olympus has fastest auto focusing abilities, its usfull if you like photograph fast moving objects like kids and animals.