Yes, I would avoid an SLR. but you will need a fairly fast shutter speed to deal with vibration and a/c motion. Experiment with a cheap s/h camera first. I like the idea of the Panasonic Lumix; I think they have genuine Leica lenses. When you have done your stuff and are ready for a shot which may need massive enlargement, see if you can borrow a 5x4 field camera with a good quality Schneider or Rodagon lens. Ask for a couple of double dark slides loaded for you (if you can offer a dealer a ride, you may get an impressive service), and then see what a tiny portion of the negative enlarged looks like.