I figured I'd add Lightwave 3D into the mix as well. I've been using it for many years and find it to have a very pro UI compared to the other packages and is very easy for beginners to learn. It is fantastic for creating high and low poly models and produces realistic renders.
A new community
http://www.liberty3d.com/ was recently created for not only lightwave 3d, but other app's you may or may not have heard of.
