[PPPPPP42]

Anyone who says the camera isn't important is talking about film cameras or obviously never used a pre K5 Pentax DSLR camera body to its limits, I upgraded from the K20D and the sensor in a K5 opened up a whole new world of aperture possibilities for me with its usable high ISO range. Clean high ISO is rather critical for astrophotography (night sky) btw. I also would never do without the dedicated ISO button where it is on the K5, I use that WAY to much in P mode now.

If a person needs to autofocus you will also see another large quality difference in the K5II vs anything earlier. I only picked the old K5 because I am dirt poor and found a really nice one for $390 used.

DO NOT buy training wheels.
There is no such thing as a beginner camera, just a cheaper camera with less convenient controls that will handicap you until you replace it. I had to relearn everything with the K5 because all the buttons were shuffled around with new ones added and even the auto features behave totally differently, I never used P mode with the K20D and always use it with the K5. The high ISO capabilities mean I used the camera different in general as well.

Cheap lenses are cheap for a reason, better to have only one lens than to have a variety of cheap lenses.

If you can swing the cost get a used K5II body only and track down and as savoche suggested the 18-135WR. Its not perfect with its somewhat slow variable aperture, but its a good lens and nothing in its price range even comes close to it for jack of all trades capabilities and its WR feature will allow you to use your camera to its fullest. You can add a long range zoom to it later when you have the money and then get into the pricey lenses when you know what you need most a little better.

[BrianR]

... part of me wants to save up and get a better body to start with and just play with my Canon SX230HS for the next few months and start learning how to use it better including editing with Lightroom before getting a DSLR.

This isn't a bad approach. Your Canon looks pretty decent for learning on, wide range of focal lengths, manual modes, self timer, etc. I used an old Canon A510 for a couple of years before buying a dslr (it also had all sorts of manual modes that were great for learning with). I had a much better idea of what I was looking for.

I would get a little tabletop tripod or gorilla pod type device, learn the ins and outs of your Canon, and work on squeezing the best possible image quality out of it you can. What you learn will all transfer over to dslr use when the time comes.

Nikon's D# line, APSC D### line and D700/800. Canon's 1D and 5D line i think.

I believe those all have P mode? Depends on what you consider an "Auto" mode I suppose. The general rule of 'less auto modes' on the more 'advanced' the camera would probably be less debatable.

[retroflex]

K-30 is almost identical to K-50. If you can get a good deal on a K-30 I'd recommend that.