very good camera for photography?

[™DIMPLES.]

i`m going to be getting a summer job and would like to use some, or most, of the money to buy a really good camera.
i love photography and taking pictures.
i would like one that takes really clear, sharp pictures and captures colors very well.
preferably no more than eight hundred, eight hundred fifty dollars.
oh, also, i forgot the name of that thing again.
it`s like a little remote that takes the picture when you press it so you can take pictures of yourself even if you`re standing further away.
how much do those cost usually?
thank you!
(:
i don`t want to get one too expensive because if anything bad would happen to it i don`t want all my money to go down the drain when i worked for it.