There are few Bryce-only purists out there. Those that still consider Bryce everything they need receive my appluase and good wishes. When it comes to the rest of us, though, Bryce is only as good as certain of its features. To say that I'd render an HDRI in Bryce compared to Carrara is like saying I'd rather take a shower through Chinese water torture rather than through a decent shower head. Yes, there are certain features of Bryce that are still worth the time and effort to learn, and if you still feel comfortable with it, you should certainly use it for years to come.

When it comes to DAZ.. I'm not exactly sure what to say, it seems that they have no overarching strategy for their applications. What is most troubling is that they concentrate on Poser content and are trying to integrate everything into it to some degree. Bryce, in this sense, isn't exactly up to par with Carrara or even DAZ Studio, because it's a native scene modeller. The fact that you CAN use it for anything isn't really up for discussion. So it's all up in the air.

To be perfectly honest, ever since I've bought Carrara 5 I haven't really opened Bryce up much. But that's just me. And, frankly, it should in no way curb your enthusiasm towards a fun and easy-to-learn app. Just remember that it's limited in certain aspects (modelling, most importantly) and that no serious artist - again, aside from a few purists who do amazing work, really uses a single application for their 3D needs. So spread your senses :)

m