If your on a budget, get a D3000. It's only 70 dollars more. I was gonna get the D5000 but it was sold out everywhere in the Bronx and online it was still $700+. I've tested out Sony's cheap cameras (a230, a380) and the way they handle contrast, it's looks like it came out of a phone. The color on the other hand is sup-par with Nikon.
Someone's A380
My D3000