Thanks everyone for the valuable feedback!
It sounds like a DSLR would suit me best as it provides an "all-rounder" solution. While I would love to get seriously into this hobby, I just don't have the time at the moment. I will look to doing some basic photography when the seeing is good.
I would be interested in buying a book about astrophotography in order to learn the techniques from first principles. Can you anyone suggest an appropriate book with reasonable technical depth? I see the following advertised on this site:
http://www.astropix.com/GADC/GADC.HTM
Anyone read it?
Cheers
James