It depends on your budget brother. I'm biased sa Canon so if you will go that route, i'll recommend getting a 60D agad.
If you can burn more money, go 5D MK II
Beginners eventually learn - they become hobbyists, then later - professionals
It depends on what will you shoot. I cannot guarantee that the settings i will give you will work.
But for the purpose of this discussion:
aperture - f/8 up to f/11
focal length - depends; stabilization is paramount. the longer the FL, the harder to stabilize.
ISO - the lowest the better (iso 50?)
tripod - you definitely need something to stabilize your cam. a beanbag can also do the work.
shutter speed - it depends. if the scene is really dark, a minute or more. trial and error is your friend.
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