When I first picked up a SLR, Nikon was the brand everyone sought after, it was what the pro would use. Canon introduce the then technologically advanced T90 in 1982 with body design from Luigi Colani. the curvy/rounded look realy stand out of the dull boxy body of other brands. but it was MF only, with the introduction of Minolta 7000, the world was shifting to AF. later Canon introuded the first AF camera--EOS 620/650...looks ugly, especially the pyramid like viewfinder/pentaprism; EOS750/850 were toy with only idiot-proof AE mode and nothing else; then out the EOS-1 in 1989, it had everything, from sexy body and every features one can expect from the 1989. but it was expensive and...I'm not pro! like most consumer, I waited for the cheaper prosumer and finally bought the
EOS-10QD, a more rounded body that may pass as DSLR if I didn't look carefully.
since I am using Canon SLR and Canon still dominate digital camera like what they did in film, naturally, I bought a digital Canon.