Why should you buy an SLR?
If all you want is a convenient camera to carry around that will produce good pictures, you don't need an SLR. A smaller, less expensive camera will serve your purpose just fine. Remember that the skill of the photographer in seeing and composing is what makes a good photo. You cannot buy into good photography, it must be learned.SLRs and DSLRs offer the following advantages, at the cost of higher price, more bulk, and more expensive accessories.* A larger sensor (in DSLRs) that generally gives higher quality prints at larger sizes, and that sometimes produces better results in low light. * The ability to see the image directly through the lens -- in effect, to see exactly what the camera sees. * Along with that, faster shutter response: you are more likely to capture the image you saw when you pressed the shutter release. * Interchangeable lenses, allowing you to pick the optimum lens for a given purpose. This comes at a high price. Some lenses can easily cost more than the camera body. The advantage here is doubtful unless you are an advanced amateur or a professional. One could safely say that a person who needed to ask this question probably doesn't need a DSLR. In 35mm photography, on the other hand, a good SLR is a major step up from point and shoot in both usability and results.This writer's favorite cameras, those he uses the most, are a Pentax K1000 SLR about 25 years old, and a Pentax K10D DSLR. Either does a good job, it only depends if I want negatives or RAW files. However, for just knocking around, I usually haul a Canon PowerShot G7 (current model G10), which is not an SLR. By and large, the images I get with it are as good...and sometimes better...than I get with the K10D and professional lenses.