Like most people, I bought a little Point and Shoot first - it was a 2MPixel Olympus. Took it tramping but soon got fed up with its image quality. As I like gadgets, and as I learned more and more about these cameras, I was prepared to spend more and more to get that quality. Have now owned: Canon S50, S1,S2, 350D, 400D, 40D and, after waiting an age, I am about to get a 5D MkII.