LEICA... any thoughts?

[Logan9]

well, hello...

i'm new to this side of the forum, and i need your help.

i've been pondering about purchasing a "digital" camera for some time now. initially, i just thought about getting a compact-user friendly-value priced camera for leisure purpose (group shots, etc.). now my thought has changed.

i got tired of using stock photos (costly & can't get exactly what you need) for stuff i do. i also feel the need to stock up on "memory bank" area - places i've been to; events i've witnessed; i want to capture beautiful moments like the sunset over Pacific ocean; etc & etc. no, i'm not gonna start shoot porn. i want these in "project quality" photos.

my experience in photography? none. yes, i'm a newbie. i've never owned any camera; i've always borrowed my bro's Pentax & Nikon (he didn't really let me borrow this one) when needed. they used films - yes, it was a long time ago. anyhow, i do work with digital photos (tiff, jpeg, psd, png, eps,...) & quite proficient w/ Adobe CS2 along w/ other graphic softwares - i work in Print Media industry. so, i do know about good quality materials.

i guess i want a SLR. no, i'm not gonna spend $3k for my first camera especially when i have no clue about photography. and i read enough threads in this forum. i thought the thread about "Nikon D80 vs. Canon Rebel XTi" was very informative. However, one of my friends mentioned about Leica on a passing thought before i read all these thread. i've thought about Leica V-Lux 1 since it's a point-and-shoot camera w/ high megapixel capability.

now please keep in mind that this is gonna be my first camera...ever. but i do want great quality photos for various purposes. should i get this Leica, or should i get either Nikon or Canon & start investing on lenses?

HELP & thanks

[pliny_2001]

I really can't speak intelligently when it comes to high-end cameras (I'm using a Canon sd 700is point-and-shoot), but I think that the V-Lux is mostly a rebadged Panasonic DMC-FZ50. It may still be a great camera, though - I have no idea how good either of them are. Though the Leica certainly looks nicer than the Panasonic.

Didn't find one under the tree?

[A-Nation]

I use my D-SLR quite often, and I've had quite a few digital cameras. I have a Nikon D70, and have been using it for a couple of years. I would recommend the D80 for your price range, with a great bang for your buck.