if you're in new zealand i would definitely get one with the option for an underwater housing, yehaw, i'd love to take a diving vacation there. the olympus D40 with the oly housing is 4 megapixels with lots of options and as close to professional as you'll care to be. check ebay to see what you should pay, about $450-550.US for the D40, and $300 for the underwater housing, a good deal for a housing. voltage compatibility and versatility for travel might be important too. i haven't used my pentax for 2 years. no film, no waiting, easy to use, delete, zoom and print, pocketsize. for cost savings though, you could probably pick up a good used 2 or 3 megapixel that would work good for less than professional uses. people are always upgrading and selling last years model cheap, sound familiar?
i have lots of pictures of installations not to code. its a really good tool to have in your van.
