I want to learn the piano properly but i can't afford a real piano (both in terms of money and space!) i already have a small studio i'm building, and i was thinking about investing in a decent sized MIDI keyboard, for use with Logic, which has a few Piano presets, and maybe in time i'll upgrade to a Kontakt player.

Do you guys have any suggestions? 88 key models are too expensive as i want semi-weighted keys and they all seem to rocket in price, do any of you have any suggestions on a particular model i should look into? Around £300 is the limit of my budget.

If you want to learn to play piano properly I wouldn't recommend any semi-weighted keyboard.

Due to a vast international conspiracy, there doesn't seem to be a low priced, fully weighted midi keyboard with less than 88 keys. The closest thing is the Studiologic VMK models.

The Studiologic SL-990XP has a very good Fatar keyboard, the same as the VMK models, and is in your price range, but only comes in 88 keys. There have been issues with this keyboard, the one I played didn't seem to have any of them and has been in use for a while. YMMV. It is butt ugly compared to my Korg SP-170, but the keyboard is definitely a step or two above.

After the usual agonizing over which piano to buy, I bought the Korg SP-170. I now use it strictly as a midi controller for Pianoteq Play and through a some decent powered speakers. If I'd known then what I know now (!) I would have opted for the SL-990.

You say you want to play "piano". If by that you mean piano and not "keys", synths and so on then a piano is defined by it's weighted hammer action. You can't learn on a non-piano.

The #1 most importent feature of a piano for someone who wants t learn is the quality if the key action. Logic, Kontact and other samplers only create sound.

If on the other hand you have an interest on non-piano keyboard insruments them yes a small 76 key semi-weighted MIDI keyboard makes sense