If you look through the galleries here, you will get an idea of the sort of cameras that usually go with a certain type of picture. You can also select by camera on pbase. On here you can ask individual members advice if you feel you are getting warm.

If you do go DSLR, you need to study the lens scene seriously as it is your choice of lens that determines how much cash you spend and how much stuff you have to lug around with you. Being pretty mean/broke I think I spent about £670 including essential accessories and buying camera, kit lens and main lens second hand. Happens to be another Canon 350D for sale here at present, but with no lens and no cover so you would be straight into sensor cleaning. But I haven't regretted going up from a compact zoom for one second.

Don't get frightened by some of the lens prices you see as if you start with a modest camera, modest lenses will be adequate, in fact well up to 1st class A4 prints.