Television Studio - Burbank, California by Robert Frank
You will need a 35mm film camera SLR (single lens reflex) camera for this course. These are older cameras and can be purchased used from many different sources, but I recommend one of the local dealers such as National Camera Exchange or West Photo. If you tell the sales rep at either shop that you are taking an introductory photo class at UofM, processing film and using the darkroom, they will know what type of camera you need. eBay and Craigslist will certainly have some options as well, however, that always involves risk. If you go that route, shop with caution.
The important thing to remember is that you will need manual control of both shutter speed and aperture. It is also very important that the camera has a working light meter. Most SLR cameras offer these controls, but not all so be sure to ask before you buy. For best results, the lens should use manual focus. There are many models that have all of these features. Here are a few just to give you an idea of what to look for:
It is always nice to have different lenses, however, for this course you need only one lens with a focal length of about 50mm (considered a "normal" field of view).
Please post a comment or let me know directly if you have any additional questions.