[Poll] Is your next digital camera purchase an SLR or a point-and-shoot camera?

I currently have the Olympus C8080, a great camera by the way for the last two years, which is a bridge camera between the point-and-shoot and SLR. I haven't decided yet on which route to go to. I know that by going smaller I will use it much more, while if I get an SLR it will have less use due to size, but for those uses it will give me the most flexibility. I probably won't be upgrading (or downgrading) anytime soon at least for another year, but I'd like to know from people buying a new camera soon, what there next purchase will be.

I was right there with you, and favored the Minolta A2, a similar bridge camera as the 8080. (better EVF, bigger zoom, but admittedly not quite as sharp on IQ as the Oly)

Got a Canon 20D with a great lens. $2K. Great camera. Excellent image quality. Rarely use it. It's just not as much fun to use as the A2. Great for high ISO work or high speed shooting.

My most recent toy is the Fuji F31fd. Its IQ is remarkably good. With a pretty clean ISO800 and a usable ISO1600 it takes the place of a DSLR (nearly) for indoor, low light work and is so much more portable.

At low ISO, there is essentially no difference in IQ between a high quality DSLR with good lens, and a high quality compact digicam (let's say the Fuji F40fd). I've looked carefully at enough comparison shots to know.

So, it's a features vs. portability game at this point. Frankly- I carry my new little compact with me everywhere, and therefor it gets the most use. If perfect bokeh is important to you, and you need to look like a 'pro' when you shoot- then by all means, there's nothing like a DSLR. But, for most people who buy them, it's overkill. The IQ on the better digicams is remarkably good.

I think I'm kind of set with cameras for a while, but my LAST purchase was the Canon SD900 so I could have a pocket camera for those times (many) when I just wanted to have a camera with me "in case" I saw something to photograph.

So I know where you are coming from. If you think your Olympus has a few years left in it, shop for a good pocket camera like the SD900 or SD850-IS, which might even be a better choice. By next year, though, who KNOWS what will be available???

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