She'll be glad to hear about another Bernina fan! Why the D7000: I picked up John Batdorff's, "Nikon D7000; From Snapshots to Great Shots". The reviews of the camera had me intrigued; Batdorff sealed it. Over 11 chapters - each with its own chapter assignments - proved masterful! My learning curve was short (I concentrated on the things I already knew about f-stops, DOF, WB, settings, etc.) then the bells and whistles became a plus. It seemed never to disappoint.

Almost from the start, the camera had an easy feel. Batdorff's first 2 chapters made the setup of the camera easy! Brian Peterson (who you can follow & has a number of 'how to' videos) also has a micro program that allowed a D7000 user to download his preferred settings.

My preferred lens is the Nikkor 18-105, and seldom change out to anything else; 150-500 runs a close second (depends on what you predominately shoot). The 7000 was a bit pricier than other Nikon models (bought mine in early 2011); however, many fellow Hogs have the D7000, with several being tempted with the D800. But, having had the D7000, the higher cost and more pixels aren't enough to make me move up to the 800. I don't use the video feature; not a fan of video - prefer stills.

I'd buy it all over again if I had to. But Batdorff & Peterson provide some helpful aids in mastering the camera. Best wishes and can't wait to see more of your images (both quilting & photography!) Just keep on shooting (as Peterson loves to say!)

Welcome to the Hog. I'm the photographer (D7000); my wife is a quilter who also does thread painting, too! She's a retired teacher, but her passion is quilting - has a ton of Bernina's and has taught classes for them for a number of years. Best wishes in both venues; your photo(s) are very enjoyeable!