Dawn , thanks for the offer, may take you up on it , If i get to confused, or if you are going to crufts.

I dont think I will ever need a lense that is worth 5000

thanks again , you all have given my some thinking to do

Yes will be at Crufts Sat and Sun, on the Border T discover dogs stand.

You really cannot get a decent zoom camera thats not slightly on the bulky side that is going to deliver the goods.

I use a Fuji s9500, has the mega pixels and the optical zoom, its important not to confuse digital zoom as its optical that counts. Its in your price range

Don't buy an slr, if you have to ask the question whats an slr then its wasted. A digital SLR is the photographers prefered weapon of choice, but if you want an all singing all dancing camera middle of the road does everything pretty much so, then a upper range compact is for you.

The 9500s does a lot in one unit and does video as well. There is a newer Sony out and the tech moves onwards and upwards.

SLRs are great but work out expensive when you start to add on quality lenses and then you have to consider the bulk of carrying extra gear around to get the shot. A compact with a good zoom range will do what you want, it will distort like crazy at wide angles and suffer on the longer ranges but for day to day shots will deliver the goods time and time again without a lot of faffing about.

Just one last thing.

Shouldn't this be in the photography section?

Depends what camera you get.

SLR belongs in the photography section i'd say !

Lol.

I have a film SLR that I brought many years ago, an OM40 with the olympus lenses, so the qualities of an SLR are certainly not lost on me.

I like my 9500 because its all in one package and takes some really impressive shots. As the tech moves on the SLR as you know will become obselete.