New camera for beginner

Hello,

I'm a beginner looking to buy his first DSL camera and was wondering which camera you guys would suggest? The reason I'm buying this camera is for a couple reasons,

I want to take a College course this winter to learn more about DSL digital cameras and how to use them, I'm taking this course because there is room for advancement with my job in Marketing and I would be more likely to get this job if I had some background in photography. I have used the camera at work quite a bit and I am familiar with some of the features.

Now, what I am looking to use this camera for is a lot of outdoor photos, youth events, wildlife etc.. I want something that is at least weather resistant as I will be using the camera in dusty and sometimes wet conditions.

I am looking to spend up to $800. I understand that Pentax is the only company that makes weather resistant camera. Is this correct?

Thanks for the help!:thumbsup:

Photography is not easy, particularly wildlife, don't expect a stroll in the park, if you want to learn it you need to immerse yourself, practice, study, practice, study, rinse, repeat.

Dont expect to walk through this course and suddenly become a professional. Its also almost essential to be any sort of photographer to be mathematically inclined. Photography isn't just 'look at the pretty scene', point compose and shoot. There are tonal values - high lights, shadows, image grain, focus placement, focus transition, white balance, depth of field, abberation, barrel and pincushion distortion, etc etc. All must be evaluated and executed on the scene.

DSLR imaging is also very expensive, and to do wildlife photography for a company professionally will require a lot more then double that budget. Pentax is not the only company that provides weather resistance, they all do - pentax provides it on more of its models including its entry level.

For wildlife you'll need a strong telephoto zoom, or zooms, something such as a 70-200 f/2.8, or the 70-300 f/4, and a prime 300 f/2.8.

If you want to do it professionally in any market, give up any and all automated modes, confine yourself only to shutter/aperture priority, and full manual. I wouldn't bother wasting a dime on any course if you ever plan on using an automated mode.

Olympus also has an advantage for outdoors use with its smaller and more lightweight gear. They also provide some sealing on their cameras.