Oh aperture mode is my new best friend. Using it with the 18-55 f//5.6 I get excellent bokeh and with the 35mm f/1.8 I feel invincible shooting in the dark! I think that most of the point and shoot cameras have the ability to do what the "occasional" photographer wants - which is better photos. But I don't think they will get any better photos by spending money on a DSLR while complaining about weight and why they can't use the view finder to frame the shot. I also get sick of my family thinking that my photographic results are solely the result of technology.