I've had a series of minolta SLRs (5xi, 500si, etc), most recently the Maxxum 5. They've all been great and have all done very well for me. Features, sharpness, exposure, automatic and manual modes all just what I need.When considering the maxxum 5 I was initially worried about the comments about the size and whether my somewhat-large hands would be able to use it comfortably, so I checked it out thoroughly at a local camera shop before buying. no problem. It's light and relatively comfortable, and definitely feature packed, and most features are easy to learn and are accessible.I have a 28-80mm lens made by quantum that is also light and does well on this body. Also a straight 50mm for low-light and close-up, though the zoom actually does well enough to handle almost all situations I need, even some floral close-ups.FWIW, I'd probably be classed as an advance amateur.I've taken photos for many years now.