Friends, family, and general associates often approach me when they are looking to purchase a new camera. The want to know which one they should buy. My response is always the same....don't know but I am thinking of purchasing a car.....which one should I buy. Both questions make as much sense as the other at face value. It depends! Cameras are nothing more than tools and I wouldn't buy a DSLR if I was going to make pictures of my kids on bdays and holidays. Seems like overkill. Then again, I wouldn't show up to the next wedding with only a point and shoot. You have to purchase the tool that YOU NEED.
If you are getting serious about your photography and you know what EVERY button and menu item on your P&S does, then maybe it is time to move up to a DSLR. It is important to know what the buttons and menu items do on any camera that you have. If you don't know, then how do you know the camera you currently have won't do what you want the new camera to do.
I guess the next most often question is Nikon or Canon. First, if you ask me, there is nothing finer than a Nikon. Just kidding. You should buy whichever brand your photographer buddy has so you can borrow his expensive lenses. Actually, buying which brand your buddy has isn't a bad idea. Forget about his lenses for a minute. If you get the brand that he has, then you have someone to go to when you can't figure out why the camera refuses to fire or throws another curve ball to you.
Most important is the last nugget of knowledge. DON'T buy a top of the line camera of any brand and then skimp on the glass you need to go in front of it. If you have to choose between camera and glass, ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS opt for the glass. You are much better off buying a lower end camera with great lens as opposed to buying a great camera and putting cheap glass on it.
Hope this helps...J
