My Head is Spinning!

[taunyastreasures]

Ok, it's spinning maybe because I'm working on 2 hours of sleep...but hey I'm a woman on a mission!

I currently have a Kodak DX4900 that I'm trying to do apparel (children's & maternity) photography with...and I'm just not getting the job done. I have 2 S&V 500Watt Hot Lights...I'm really only guessing here...and I have about a 6x6 space to work....well by 8 if you count that I hang my forms on the wall...

Anyway, I want a new camera, for various reasons (One being that I hate the way that the zoom works now that I'm using it for something other than snapshots of my kids swimming in a pool). So I've looked at a bunch of different types of cameras. After visiting 3 different shops in my area I've pinpointed it down to me not needing to spend $1000+ to get a camera to work for what I want to do!

I have attached a sample of a recent picture I just took...I hate it! I know I can do better and maybe the camera will help...so now you know what I photograph...

Here's what I'm looking at and really like: Konica Minolta DiMage Z1. Any thoughts, comments, recommendations, warnings, etc? Before I spend another $400 on a "great" camera (the salesman and Office Depot swore I'd never want to buy another camera...um yea right!), I want to make sure I'm not going to be saying, but I want another one, in 6 months!

And hey...if you have any recommendations about my lights that would be great. I'm thinking of ditching them cuz they are driving me nuts and I'm tired of paying $12.00 for a lightbulb

Taunya