I don't want to be misunderstood. The DAZ meshes are very flexible even if they are a bit poly heavy. My first attempt to model a humanoid looked like a Picasso and that was NOT my goal. Even now I have no plans in the near future to model a humanoid.

I love modeling inanimate objects. It is time consuming and I'm a perfectionist. I'm modeling a courthouse right now and my source images suck, so it's taking a lot longer than normal. It is difficult to devote your time towards something to which you won't see the rewards for several weeks. But when it's done you feel really good and I believe that this is the source of 3D elitism.

I agree that without lights you have nothing. Long ago some bored  / depressed person thought about creating an extravagant scene but render it without lights. I thought that was hilarious.

I wouldn't be put off by the cost. My measly 13GB runtime ( and I say measly because someone recently said theirs is nearly 400GB) cost more than my Maya license and it's full of stuff that seemed cool at the time but I ultimately never used.

Those capable people with "the right hands" have hashed away at their craft longer than they will admit, so stick with it.