DSLR or High-end Ultrazoom Camera?

I'm trying photography as a new hobby/spare-time activity. Could someone please suggest me on getting a good camera.

My interests (sorted by priority)

1) Bird photography
2) Wildlife photography (Mostly in safaris, wild-life parks, sanctuaries etc)
3) Nature & Landscapes
4) Creating films that look like a film (cinematic look)
5) Everything else including portraits or special moments.

I know DSLRs gives the best of the picture quality, but I'm not so sure that a DSLR suits me better than a high-end ultrazoom cameras like Panasonic FZ150/200, or Sony HX200V or similar cameras from Nikon and Canon.

My questions.

1) Is 300mm long enough to shoot birds or animals in a Safari? How long (in feet or meters) can a 300mm zoom in?

2) At 300mm, with an ordinary Tamron or Sigma 70-300mm lens, can a DSLR like Nikon D5100 beat the picture quality of a ultrazoom P&S?

I can buy a DSLR, a 1.8D lens and Tamron or Sigma 70-300 normal lens. Can't invest on heavy duty or premium lenses. And buying a ultrazoom is just a piece of cake for me at this moment.

What do you suggest?

I pretty much look for quality in picture than any fancy stuff. And the picture quality of the cameras like Panasonic FZ150/200 isn't bad either.

For zooming, a Ultra-Zoom camera like the Sony HX-100v or the Nikon P500 are great!
But, if you want better picture quality, DSLR is the way to go. But if you want high zooming capacity with a DSLR, you will have to spend a LOT of cash on getting a lens which suits your need.

I Myself own the Sony HX-100V and the zoom capacity on it is awesome!

One problem with the so-called "super zoom" bridge cameras is the lens itself. All zoom lenses are a series of compromises and when you look at the relatively tiny lens on a "super zoom" camera you're looking at the worst-case scenario for compromises. On a really clear day with minimal dust and/or pollution with the camera on a tripod you might get reasonably acceptable results for 4x6 prints.

The second problem with bridge cameras is the tiny sensor, usually with twice as many pixels as it should have. Look at an ordinary postage stamp that measures 1'' x 3/4'' and try to imagine how tiny each pixel will have to be if there are 14 million of them. Now look at a mini stick-up note that measures 2'' x 1-1/2'' - which is only 4 times larger and imagine how much bigger each pixel will be if it also has 14 million of them. Now think about this: The sensor ina DSLR is more like 13 times bigger than the sensor in a bridge camera. The smaller the pixel the less information it can hold and the poorer its performance in low-light when you need a higher ISO.

The third problem with bridge cameras is the lens is permanently attached and usually slow and only gets slower as you zoom to its maximum zoom.

The fourth problem with bridge cameras is their cost. The FZ150 is $449.95 and the FZ200 is $549.95. The Nikon P510 is only $478.00 while more sophisticated models like the Canon GX 1 is $679.00 and the Fujifilm XS 1 is $699.00. The prices for these last 2 cameras are as much as a DSLR. A Nikon D5100 w/18-55mm zoom is $646.95, the Sony SLT-A57 is $698.00 and a Canon T3i is $699.00. (All prices from B&H - http://www.bhphotovideo.com/...ovideo.com - and reflect an Instant Savings from B&H on the Nikon P510 and D5100 as well as on the Sony and Canon models listed. This savings ends 9-29-2012)

So my advice is to buy one of the DSLRs listed and then add the 70-300mm zoom of your choice. A kit consisting of an 18-55mm zoom and a 70-300mm zoom should serve you well.

1.No, 300mm is not enough even if all lenses focus to infinity. You just don't get what zoom is.
2. Haha! LOLWROTFWT

Since you dared to compare a bridge camera to a dSLR, I suggest you get the bridge, the so-called high-end ultrazoom camera. You won't be satisfied with the dSLR and you won't know how to deal with a dSLR.