My experience? haha. I really don't have any. I've always shot with a point and shoot. The best camera I had before my D5000 was the Nikon P80. There were some nice features on that camera, but I wanted something more "adjustable". I used to compose my shots like I was shooting with a better camera, but the weak sensor and non-interchangeable lens left much to be desired. I'm a full manual type of person. I need to have that control of my shots. The D5000, while it is a nice beginner DSLR, is about to be upgraded here in a little bit. I'm not saying that I've exhausted this camera's potential. There are things that I desire in a camera that the D5000 simply doesn't have. For instance, I would like an internal autofocus mechanism. I want faster continuous shooting, > 4-5 fps. I want a high-res LCD screen. The D5000 really lacks here. So, I was thinking of going to either the D5100, or the D7000. Until then, I'll get a better lens and keep shooting with the D5k.
