I think you're - sort of - answering you own question Jonathan, and that's the way it should be. Choosing a camera is very subjective, and no-one else can really tell you which one to pick.
Just to give you some background. I used Nikon (F2 and FM) in the film days, and still have them, and I was living in South Africa when I decided to buy a DSLR. All photographic gear is expensive in SA - and Nikon is even more overpriced than the competition - but the D200 was about to come out and I fancied one. I couldn't really afford it, but thought I could "make a plan" (SA expression), and justify it on the grounds that my lenses would fit and meter on it. Anyway, my dealer told me he was expecting 10 bodies, and thought they would go quickly, but he promised to keep me one if I was interested. The cameras arrived, he called me, and I went to look at one but he wouldn't even open the box. "No, there's a waiting list and you buy unseen, or not at all". I told him to forget it, waited a while and bought a 30D after it was discontinued, with the 17-85mm kit lens, for less than 50% of what the D200 body cost. I'm still using it, and it's a great camera.
Do I regret that I didn't buy the D200, no, and it was quite funny to see most of the stock still sitting on the dealer's shelves months later, so I assume a few other people felt the same way about things. A lot of other dealers got stuck too, because the cameras were so overpriced. Would I buy a Nikon DSLR now, maybe. I still have a fondness for the brand, but it's emotional, not logical. Would I take better photographs with a Nikon, definitely not. I imagine the results I'd get with a D300 would be as good, or as bad - depending on how well I do my part - as I get from my 30D, even though the Nikon may be a "better" camera in some ways.
