Camera

It's not the camera but the photographer who pushes the button. Wether you use analog or digital, a compact, a hybride, an SLR (Single Lens Reflex) a Hasselblad or a large format camera, you are welcome. The only real requirement for a camera is that it functions impeccably. A decent digital compact is sufficient for the beginners course or photo holidays.

SLR

But an SLR is more versatile, because you can interchange lenses. The SLR adapts to its subject, which makes it the best choice for general photography.

Specialised cameras are for specialised subjects. Unless your main subject asks for it, a panorama camera or a fish-eye lens are beautifull toys, but they will account for only a small percentage of your photographs.They are hardly ever worth the investment.

Professional camera models are... for professionals. They often have the same properties as the top amateur models, but are built much more ruggedly with a metal alloy frame. They are meant for very intensive use. I once fell several meters with a professsional Nikon in my hands. I had health problems for several months, but the camera hardly had a scratch. An amateur model would have finished in the waste bin.

Brands

Nobody can detect the camera brand from a photograph. As long as you stay within the major brands (Nikon, Canon, Pentax, Olympus, Sony, Leica, Fuji etc.) you can hardly go wrong. But there are some exceptions. Read test reviews in magazines and on internet. And probably the best source of information is the camera repair shop. They really know which models to avoid.