Equipment
We’re both Canon users, so our suggestions may be a bit biased, but we’ll try to be as objective as possible in our following recommendations.
First of all, this short guide is aimed at students who don’t already have a digital camera that offers full manual control. If you have a fancy, prosumer point-and-shoot that allows you to manually change settings such as aperture, shutter speed, ISO and metering, then you’re probably fine with what you have. If you have a film body/SLR and you’re particularly masochistic, then you will also be OK. Just remember, if you shoot with film, you are responsible for processing your film (yourself or through a lab) and either scanning your negatives/transparencies and submitting them online and on time, or bringing in sufficiently enlarged prints to class on the date that the assignment is due.
Now, the ideal type of camera for this class is a digital SLR (single-lens reflex) camera. These are the sort of cameras you see “professionals” wielding, whether their forte is in landscapes, studio portraits, sports or photojournalism. (We won’t talk much about digital medium-format systems.) These days, prices for new DSLRs range from $500 to $8000. Obviously, you don’t need top-of-the-line equipment to take great photos. The improvements and features in high-end models are always appreciated, but are likely to be underused by beginning photography students.
For students who have no investments in any particular system, I would recommend going with an entry-level DSLR from either Canon or Nikon. Both companies deliver consistantly good products, have a large number of users and feature a wide-range of equipment within their ecosystem (the camera system includes not just the bodies, but also the choice in lenses, external flash units and more).
Canon’s entry-level DSLR is the Canon EOS XSi (450D). Canon also has a lower entry-level DSLR, the Canon EOS XS (1000D). Both are solid cameras and are sold with a kit lens that runs from 18mm-55mm (28.8mm-88mm, 35mm equivalent). Although the kit lens is fine to start out with, I would personally invest in a fast prime lens (such as the very affordable Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II); this will allow you to experiment with shallow depth-of-field, bokeh, faster shutter speeds and low-light situations. Canon also has a mid-level offering in the form of the Canon EOS 50D.
Nikon recently introduced their excellent Nikon D90, which also happens to be the first DSLR to offer video recording (although the Canon EOS 5D Mark II was a close second). Nikon also has the lower Nikon D60 and the Nikon D40X, although both the D60 and the D40 series suffer from the lack of an in-body lens motor, which leaves certain lenses (including some exceptionally good primes) without autofocus. Like Canon, Nikon offers its DSLRs as part of a kit (with a lens) or body-only.
If money is not a concern, then arguably the hottest camera on the market is Canon’s EOS 5D Mark II, although much of the attention seems to concern its HD-video recording feature (check out Vincent Laforet’s “Reverie” for a taste). On the other hand, if money is tight and your budget won’t allow the purchase of a new DSLR, you can also look towards the used market (try Craigslist). Or Canon has several compact digital cameras that still retain manual controls, such as its G-series (Canon PowerShot G10) and the majority of its A-series (Canon PowerShot A590 IS). There has also been much praise for Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-LX3, a compact that features a larger-than-average sensor. I would recommend compact digital cameras from other manufacturers, but I tend to be most up-to-date on DSLRs, not so much with compacts.
