Definitely use the stepper motors...they aren't as complicated as you would think once you start playing around with them. They are fantastic for open loop control. Yes - you would need to have a holding current supplied to them in order to hold position once you are no longer slewing; however, with a DC motor you would require a feedback control architecture (encoders) and then a brake of sorts to hold the axis in position once achieved.
Start with a simple stepper motor and integrated controller (you can get inexpensive solutions through Amazon) - you may have to tune your design based on torque requirements of the overall payload you are looking to position and how fast you need to move it.