Joe, zollster, and Richard all make great points. And you can think of it this way. Take a photo with and el-cheapo camera in auto. Then take the same shot with a nice DSLR in auto. Chances are (with all conditions being equal) that you will be getting a higher quality image from the DSLR. A better lense and sensor do make a difference. Take the time to learn about your camera and don't be swayed by the "Full Manual SLR" crowd. There is a bit of an elitist attitude there and though they have a point in as much you might not be using the camera's full potential. But not every situation needs for you to manually adjust all the settings and sometimes you don't have time to. Just enjoy your camera and learn as you go. Trying playing with a different setting each day. :)

Kort Kramer - Kramer Kreations