Are you adept at using manual mode on a camera, such as controlling the shutter speed and the aperture? If no, then you can get faster shutter speed for freezing motion and action shots with a regular point-and-shoot non-dslr, but I am not familiar with different brands. I used to have a Fujifilm S5100 way back, and people would regularly complimented me for having good action shots. It wasn't an SLR, but it was a point-and-shoot with an extended 15x (I think, pixelated images) zoom that performed well with action photography. I am more than sure that Fujifilm's newer optics and lenses on a non-SLR nowadays are much better now. If you do go for heavy-duty hand-held manual camera that can also do automatic photo modes, try the Canon T3i with the reticulating LCD screen and then build yourself up with the Zoom lenses for action shots far away. Once you have the right camera, it will be much easier to take photos with the versatility of the capability to add lenses and interchanging them. I believe that the Canon T3i might be on sale somewhere (SAMS, Best Buy) with a zoom lens like a 55-250mm with Image Stabilizer in addition to the wide-angle shorter lens in the original kit. I am not all that sure on what the equivalent Nikon kits, for I am a Canon user. What I would tell you, however, in regards to brands and models, is that I would more than likely trust photography brands to do better with cameras, lenses, and overall photography electronics than major brands without photography backgrounds. For example, I'd tend to think and it has been my experience that Kodak would print photos better than HP printers, and Canon along with Nikon would take better photos than Sony or Samsung. Have someone let you borrow their DSLR(s) so you can test their ease of use, the manual feel for them in your hand and how they perform (that's what SHE said), and overall the look of the finished product in both digital and printed photography. If you read reviews, see if there are people who tested similar brands to what you're researching. Good luck finding a good model/brand you and your family will enjoy for years.
How is this with videos? I have been using a D7000 I suspect this is the next level down . . . I would like something to shoot something like the indie movies Rocket River
