Originally Posted by WarChild

I know there's some guys on GFY that know their cameras pretty good. I'm looking to buy a DSLR camera and len(s). I'm a total beginner not having ever been a photography enthusiast. I'm not really interested in persuing photography for photography's sake.

I want a decent DSLR I can use at beach volleyball, on the boat, at climbing crags, hikes and that kind of thing. Obviously I understand that DSLR cameras are not tiny but don't want to buy the bulkiest setup. I'd want good auto features with perhaps the option of exploring probably some of the more simple manual settings at some point.

Can you guys give me some recommendations or at least things to consider? Thanks in advance.