lenses are, apart from the camera body itself , the most expensive accessories you can buy - a professional photograph usually spends a lot more for lens than for anything else - i wouldnt suggest you to buy a DSLR for starting off, coz that equipment needs a LOT of care.
i dont mean "always have a spare-sponge to wipe coca cola off the display" like for a cellphone,
more "if theres a fingerprint, dust, sandcorn or anything which doesnt belong to it: clean it+avoid that area for good".
equipment includes, but is not limited to: a bag, 2nd/3rd set of batteries, SDcards, tripod, lens (fish-eye/macro/zoom (UltraSonic produces no noise), filters (UV (to avoid blue areas) / CPL (avoid reflections on glas/water) ), sun protector, books, etc.
the bayonette connectors are far apart from what you call idiot-proof: when changing lens too fast, and you let it fall at ground ONCE == you gotta buy a new one.
if you change it slowly, then dust may get in/onto the sensor chip - its a good idea to point the camera down during that process.
knowing what you are going to take pictures of, will help you deciding what to carry and what to leave at home. its nice to always have a tripod, who knows if you want to make a HDR/timelapse picture, or maybe wait for the motion detector initialize a shot when some1 passes the cameras' front? ^^
that list goes on and on, you will find a shitload of useful tips, since you know some keywords on what to look out for. (i hope)
ok, now seriously: do yourself a favor:
write down all shit you may want to do with the cam, and later sort them in descending priority, like:
Код:
*most important for me*
support for AA batteries, not shitty custom ones (i prefer to have a spare set of batteries available anywhere@anytime)
picture writing formats? jpg/raw/png, where RAW is most vital. 10:20:10 bits per color > 8:8:8 bits per color.
how fast can it WRITE pictures to the SD card? (when taking 12 pictures in a row like in a stadion where time is "running fast")
movie recording (resolution, framerate, compression level adjustable?)
(stereo) mic incase you want to record your band?
easy to clean (dust proof)?
sensor-cleaning mechanism included?
bulb-mode?
*i can live w/o that*
...and goto your local dealer. go through the list in the shop, and ask for a similar model. you might like to compare a Nikon-D vs a Canon-EOS.
most sets get shipped with a basic(18-55mm) lens already, but dont hesitate to ask for a different one.
did i miss something? iam sure i did, but idc, coz iam happy for you already. you are about to start one of the most exciting hobbies ever!
finally, let me add some biased stuff:
SanDisk SDcards are the #1 choice. sortof expensive, but worth each cent. (writing 40MB/sec is a pleasure when taking 2500 photos in a row. no lag heheh)
Sanyo EneLoop (XX serie) batteries ftw (if your cam supports AA batteries)
edit: to answer yor question: yes, it is a camera you can have much fun with. i prefer canon tho
