Hi Will & All,
You're probably best to start filming something easy giving you instant results - such as the wildlife in your garden and have a play with editing. You can then anaylse what you've done, composition, exposure, depth of focus etc. and go from there.
As far as cameras go, it's a very long and difficult subject. Do plenty of research before purchasing to make sure you're buying the right kit for you. Unfortunately no camera does everything well and there are pluses and minuses with whatever camera you buy.
I have to disagree that fixed lens cameras are a waste of space, I'm using a fixed lens camera and have managed to get decent results. They also have the benefit of being smaller and lighter, which means you can get to remote locations easier and quieter. Whereas using an interchangeable system will give you added focal length - but that means less stability, as Badlarma says - field-craft is the key. I also find that getting closer is more of a challenge and more fun anyway.
Whatever camera you buy I would make sure it is true 16-9 widescreen - the XL1s and the XM1/XM2 are not widescreen, whereas the XL2 and FX7 are. You also need to think about whether you want high definition or standard definition - HDV is over 4x the quality of SD, but obviously comes at a cost.
You might be better off starting with a small cheap camcorder to see if it is for you - despite people's perceptions it is very different from photography, make sure it has a decent optical zoom - not digital, and you can't get away with cropping like you can with digital cameras.
There is a good book called 'Go Wild With Your Camcorder' by Piers Warren, it's a great little book and a good place to start - just google the title and you should find it.
Cheers
Pete
Peter McMurdie - Wildlife Film
Peter McMurdie - Wildlife Film