Welllll ... I'm happy to say that I found a great deal on a (hardly) used Nikon DSLR and two kit lenses. I'm meeting the owner tomorrow morning to check it out, and if all goes well I'll be able to report back here on the Nikon experience.
A big factor for going this route is precisely so that I can dip my toe in the water ('only' R4 000 deep) before committing to an ecosystem with a major investment into a new mid-range camera. Wish me luck!
Always a bad choice of words unless you're planning on turning a hobby into a career. Rather think of it as a monetary sinkhole









