The quick version: I am happy with the camera, a Nikon Cookpix 8800, which is a consumer-end SLR. It performs exactly as advertised. I like being able to shoot and manipulate RAW. The greater size and weight of the camera is a lot more of an issue than I anticipated, though. I used to carry my smaller Coolpix 4300 in my purse and was therefore ready to shoot anything anytime. I only carry my 8800 when I anticipate shooting, so of course I don’t use it nearly as much. Bottom line, I wish I had looked harder at the upper-end of the more compact cameras rather than insisting on the larger.