[Leica] The slippery slope - "digital"?

[vick.ko at sympatico.ca (Vick Ko)]

All, please bear with me.

I don't want to be going here, and I feel those who have gone ahead of me
are more along my line of thinking that others.

The question - what is the better choice for jumping into digital?

Canon DSLR vs Nikon DLSR?

1.  for Canon - can use Leica lenses, but is the sensor inherently better
(i.e. usage of IR filter in front of sensor)?
2.  for Nikon - if I disregard using Leica glass, better sensor?

3.  Leica DMR - too expensive, and I don't own an R9.  

4.  M8 - too expensive

5.  RD-1 - good enough, but high probability of "out of box" defect (30% as
far as I can tell)

I think I won't be going the Leica digital route.

Can anyone speak to Nikon D200 vs D80?  

Thanks all for any information that you care to post.


regards
Vick