If you're gonna upgrade, go all the way. Carrara is excellent, but if someone wants to upgrade for professional level animation, even Carrara has it's limits. Using Poser still? A 3DStudio or Maya person would scoff; Poser simply doesn't have the power that the Big Dogs sport easily. Boning in Poser? A nightmare! But people do it every day, and successfully... This thread is about moving forward from Bryce. I love Bryce and recommend it to anyone entering the 3D world! But if you're going to shoot high, skip all the intermediate stuff and make a real investment. XSI, Maya, and 3DStudio all boast tools that make Carrara look like a child's toy, and make Poser feel like an awkward, dull saw to a lumberjack. And although Carrara is powerful and quite easy to use, it's limits are still vast and, well, limiting... My point is this : if you're doing 3D graphics for a hobby, for fun, or to make wonderful artwork then it doesn't matter which package you use, as long as you learn it thoroughly and mix the program's uses with good art theory. But if you want to make money, and start a career in the industry, don't stop at Bryce, Carrara, or Vue. There simply is no job market in these areas. Nobody is looking for Carrara users or Poser artists; these programs teach themselves and require one only to play with them, not the intensive study and dedication that Mental Ray (for example) demands. Thus, the pay difference. Anyone can learn Poser in a weekend. Making a character in 3DStudio, rigging it, and animating it, can take months to perfect, and with more versatile and powerful results. Ever seen the a movie? You can bet your life they didn't use Poser or Carrara. To sum it up, although I'm impressed with Carrara's progress, a few pretty renders still wouldn't phase the guys at Highend3D, or anyone else in the industry. Carrara is still playing catch-up to features that Mental Ray had years ago. Keep your eyes on the prize, and if your prize is self-expression, stick with Bryce! If your prize is a career enslaved to 3D graphics, hard work, and your name on the credits, take a good look at 3DStudio or Maya.