As in painting, I believe one can learn technique and improve but innate talent is inherited. I took four years of college photography as a minor and I saw those who definitely improved over time from learning "the tricks". Then I saw those freshman students come in who had the natural artistic talent and vision who surpassed many Senior students in just a few weeks.

I used my 18-135mm lens and found it to be perfect in almost every situation. By the way, do not miss Ely Cathedral and Salisbury Cathedral. Wonderful and I hope you have a great time.

I did the same comparison and ended up with a really good deal on the T6-i with the 18-135 mm lens. The Nikon 5600 is smaller and lighter but I thought it felt too small and a bit awkward. The T6-i has a much more substantial grip and allows better control but this is a totally personal choice and many people like the small, light footprint of the Nikon. Features are quite similar on these two cameras but I'm not a fan of Nikon's 18-55 lens. Finally, I agree with the comment about not just looking at a camera but to look at the entire line, including lenses, as once you buy a brand you tend to stick with it. Personally, I really like Canon lenses for both quality and a wide selection. In the end, you really cannot go wrong with either camera in a crop sensor format. Pick the one that feels best in your hand and you feel has an "understandable" features menu.

You'll get as many answers to this question as there were film SLRs. In my mind, the Minolta SRT Series cameras were right up there with the best in terms of optics and reliability. I was a photography minor in the late 60s and subjected my poor SRT-101 to quite a bit of abuse, (such as falling 25 feet through a rotted barn floor while focusing for a shot). Not only did that camera survive that period but it still works perfectly today, 50 years later.

While using a digital SLR I can be more creative simply because I can shoot more iterations of my subject. That being said, when I shot film, I was much more concerned with the composition of each photo because each shot was a fixed negative that had a cost value. What I do really miss is the darkroom side of the creative process and there is simply no digital equivalent of that. Yes, you can manipulate raw digital data, but it is a far cry from physically controlling a sheet of film under an enlarger. In the end, both mediums have there positives and negatives. With regard to equipment cost, in terms of inflation dollars, you'll find that modern high-end equipment is no higher than the old film days. Further, depreciation of equipment is very similar. I will say however that my Minolta SRT-101, purchased in 1968, still works perfectly. I doubt that my current Canon is going to be a functional camera in another 50 years.

I'd recommend taking advantage of Canon's "refurbished" program. I've used it twice and, both times, got cameras that could not be told from new at a substantial savings. These products come with a full one-year warranty.

As far as camera comparisons, this website is one I've used and like. https://www.dpreview.com/products/compare/cameras

My favorite "travel lens" has always been my 18 - 135mm, (Canon). Longer focal lengths, especially above 200mm, will generally not provide clear focus without a tripod. The 135mm is, of course, a bit of a trade-off, as it limits some wildlife shots, but it is light-weight and has consistently provided extremely clear photos, even in some pretty adverse conditions.

I went to a photo club lecture last Fall discussing exactly what you are proposing, (I also have some very excellent old Minolta lenses). The lecturer was a strong advocate of using the high-end Sony mirrorless cameras with Minolta lenses due to easy adaptability and excellent optics. You will of course need to be prepared for manual focusing, slower operation, and non-automatic control. If you are prepared for "stepping back to the old days" you can be rewarded with some beautiful photos. My biggest reluctance are the prices of these Sony units.

Thanks A good reason to buy a Canon

Have you looked at the deals on the Nikon USA site? Often there are some very good camera / lens bundles on sale. Also, consider their Refurbished package deals. Both Nikon and Canon offer great deals on camera packages that cannot be told from new with 1 year warranties. Bought mine on advice from a friend and have never regretted it.

My college Photography Professor once told the class, "Many shots that I expected to be a waste of film turned out to be the one's of which I was most proud.

It is a better lens in terms of build quality but, IMO, not worth the extra $ unless you plan to do a lot of low light shooting.

I regularly switch between AF and manual focus on my Canon SLR. I use the manual setting when I want to select a focus point that would not likely be effectively picked up by the autofocus points. My AF does let me select a focus point on the touch screen but it is often not as accurate as I can be dialing it in myself. Since the AF/MF lens selector makes changing quite simple, I'm not sure why one would choose to buy a manual lens as there are times when AF is a great help.

Not "climbing", (except into the cog railway car), would be Pike's Peak, (14,000 ft.)

Climbing, I once took a trail up above Lake Jenny in the Grand Tetons as the ranger had told me that the view was "breath-taking". Took the whole morning to reach the overlook and it did indeed take my breath away, both in terms of scenery and also literally but it was a fantastic photo.

My original post was very much one subject, digital conversion for old film cameras. The responses however became quite varied, as they often will, but I do appreciate the range of information and ideas provided, (I loved the "digital film" idea). I had considered using my, very fine, Minolta lenses with a Sony mirrorless camera, (the Model "a" series), but these are quite expensive, even for just the body, and there are still some alignment distance concerns. I may be way off base but, just like the current resurgence of vinyl LP's, I could see a "future" demand to put high-end film cameras back into service if the technology became available at a competitive price.