I've begun using a 3D program called Art of Illusion. It's fairly full featured, and is pretty mature. As I write this 2.8.1 is the latest release.

It's a little unusual in that Art of Illusion is a Java program - you'll need the Java runtime. You'll want to make sure you have Java installed, and updating to the latest version speeds up performance significantly.

The program imports some popular formats, like 3DS and OBJ, making many of the models available on sharcg  usable.

Although I haven't used the animation feature, it does animation as well as 3D stills. You have bones, the timeline, and all the usual suspects.

What you might find different is, while it takes some study for newbies, it's incredibly easy to use in comparison to some others.

Finally, modules are always being developed. A Tree and Plant designer. Advanced Rendering. Heightfield. Scripts for gears. Others for coils. All, and more, can be downloaded through the Scripts and Plugins Manager which is part of the AoI program. And if you don't see what you want, you could write your own plugins.