I can't answer your entire question. I have a Canon camera and printer and all I can tell is that I am real happy with that choice. I get excellent quality, great color, and affordability. The printer is a few years old now, but because of the quality of the prints and the fact that I can buy seperate cartridges by color rather than having to buy one expensive cart when the blue runs out I will keep it despite it's age. I get the carts for as little as $6 each when I buy more than ten at once, and since I print a lot of photos I always buy in bulk.
When I was shopping around a camera freak told me not to be too concerned with the megapixel count. He said that unless you are planning on making poster sized prints that 5 or 12 megapixels meant nothing. For standard photography that power doesn't really factor in.
You didn't say what level of photography you are getting into so I assume it will be point and shoot versus SLR or DSLR. One of the things I looked for when going for a point and shoot camera was whether I would be able to buy additional lenses for macro, wide angle, or telephoto. With the camera I chose, Powershot S2 IS, I was able to get them. I also wanted something that I could use for occasional video recording and the truth is, it takes sharper video than my camcorder does. Battery life is also another factor to consider. This camera has good battery life. I always carry spares, but knowing that I can take a few hundred shots without needing to change is important.
So I'm sure you'll hear from fanboys in both camps. I hope my experience can help you choose one way or another.