If you were in the U.S. when you are ready for a DSLR I would recommend getting a used body and appropriate lenses from KEH. They have an excellent guarantee - 21 day returns and a 180 day warranty. As you gain experience you can then trade in what your purchased for something with more capabilities. They do ship internationally, but with customs, etc. don't know if it would make sense. Maybe there is a similar site in the U.K.
There is one gotcha with DSLRs - the lenses. Different cameras have different mounts so you are locked in once you buy your first body/lens combo, unless you want to switch out. There are converters between mounts, but they can reduce quality or slow down auto focus. There is an some excellent books which can help you choose and use your equipment when you are ready:
NEW: Updated July 2022 to include the newest cameras, such as the Sony a1, Nikon Z7 II, and Canon EOS R5 & R6! !If you're a beginner photographer, this book can save you hundreds of dollars. If you're a seasoned pro, it can save you thousands. With access to over 20 HOURS of online video, this bo...
www.amazon.co.uk
Tony Northrup's DSLR Book Stunning Digital Photography is much more than a book; it's a hands-on, self-paced photography class with over three hours of online training videos and free help from the author and other readers. That's why award-winning author and photographer Tony Northrup's book qui...
www.amazon.co.uk
(Comments about the authors not appropriate here. Some people go ballistic for some reason hearing their names.)
They have a ton of videos on his Youtube channel, evaluating, and comparing cameras from different manufacturers. Which manufacturer has the best camera for video, for wildlife, etc.
Before you make an investment exhaust the capabilities of your iPhone. Determine what you like to shoot as that will influence what you buy. Portraits - a relatively short range lens might do. Landscapes - a wide lens might be best. Bird Photograph - you need the longest lens you can afford and likely a tripod as well. Here the prices can be well into the 6 digits just for the lens - $17K for the Canon RF 800 5.6. But if you decide that the absolutely best sharpness isn't necessary, you can get the 800 RF for $999. You likely wouldn't want either if you aren't shooting sports or wildlife. Another example is the Canon EF 300mm f/4L lens which lists at $1400. You can buy it used at KEH for $800. But since it is an EF mount when you go to mirrorless you might consider getting the RF version, or you could just get an EF-RF converter.
There is no reason to insist on getting mirrorless either. Why pay extra for that when you can get a conventional used DSL for much less to do your learning. The learning curve can be huge for just using all of the features of the camera, ignoring the issues of getting a good shot. The Canon R5 manual is 920 pages long! Unless you are doing photography full time it would be hard to know (and find!) all of the settings.
Another point is that
camera and lens prices are increasing. In the past after a release prices would drop but that is not the case now.
In my case I discovered that ease of use trumps having the sharpest lens. Rather than having a fixed lens I go for zooms which allow me to avoid the preparation necessary to choose which lenses to bring on a shoot. In addition I don't want to hold a heavy 400 mm lens or use a tripod. I am not good at hand holding a heavy camera/lens combination. So my preference is lightweight lenses and luckily Canon has just added number of light RF lenses. The lightweight RF 24-400 is my go to lens when traveling as I don't know whether I'm taking a close up or a long shot.
So, in short,
USE your iphone as much as you can to determine what you want to shoot. Buy used equipment to try things out and sell back what you don't like.
Don't buy anything until you have determined your preferences (what you are going to shoot, whether you need a lens that performs in low light, is sharp or is heavy, etc.
