Check eBay. You can (usually) find a used NikonD60 + D80 at a decent price from a eBay store that specializes in used camera gear.

the cost of film and processing can be equal to the cost of a decent digicam.

also check out the pro camera shops that rent gear, they sometimes will sell used equipment.

Yeah either a Canon or Nikon for a digital SLR. I'd also recommend a Lomo Holga if you want to be more experimental and creative with film. polaroids are also good for quick sketchbook images since you don't have to manually print out and the result is practically instantaneous (just check what film is available since it's not in production). Also check how much second hand lenses cost since they can be more expensive than the camera. You might want to consider a small digital camera for on the go shooting, carrying and SLR around is a bitch!

Look for a Nikon N80 (film camera) with a 28-105 lens on eBay. It should be right in your $200 range.

I think you are going to have a tough time finding a DSLR for $200 including a lens but look for a Nikon D70 with the 18-70 lens.

Polaroid has sadly stopped making film.

I use the magnificent manual focus 35mm Minolta XE-1 (sold as the XE-7 in the US). The bodies are easy to find on eBay and the range of lenses is phenomenal. the 50mm f1.4 is cheap and brilliant. I use a rectilinear 17mm f4 (angle of view corner to corner 103degrees) for interiors, a mirror 500mm f8, portrait with 85mm f1.7, a 35mm f2.8 shift lens for exteriors.

All of these are prime lenses, which give fantastic results. Their cost is far below that of digital lenses, and they do not lose value.

Have a look at the Rokkor Files for the full run-down.

I bought an older Pentax K when I was in school and it served well for a long time.
I haven't used it in a while, and I would let it go for $200 (includes bag, flash, a couple of lenses).

Should have been more specific. It is a K1000.
And I could do better than $200 if you're interested.

you can snag a used nikon Fm2N, check b+h or adorama's used section.

not done yet! and lugging sn SLR (w/ tripod, lenses, film) through europe is a bitch. if i could do it again, i'd probably do digital, but i really enjoy all my slides and my b+w's

I love my Nikon FM2n and would also recommend the Pentax K1000. The K1000 was popular in high school photography classes, so that alone tells you it is cheap and durable.

For digital I carry around a Canon SD800, not an SLR but another camera very good at taking abuse. It has a wider angle lens (28mm eqiuv.) than the other Canon P&S options (35mm equiv.) which comes in handy.

I find cameras to be like bikes- they work best as part of a quiver, and eventually you want all of them.

well... maybe I should reconsider going digital for the sake of ease (transport and transferring images to computer). But I do also like old school cameras like the Pentax.

freq_arch, let me think about it and I'll email you.

I love my N80. the built in flash gave up after a year, but the rest of the camera works well and has taken some good nocks.

the built in meter is dead on and gives great exposures even in challenging light (snow/desert, backlit subjects, with filters) on velvia, my preferred color slide stock. I'm still figuring out the nuances of scala which seems to look best at +1 1/2 stops and without any filters (even though I love dark skies and black foliage with red 25).

my lenses are the 28-85mm f2.8-5.6 nikkor (not my favorite) and th3 80-200mm f2.8. I used to have a nikkor pc 35mm and miss it dearly. next lenses will be primes, 24mm, 28mm, and maybe the 20mm nikkors.

I've not been impressed with the feel of the nikon digicam series slr lenses - too plasticy, just like canon lens. there is something about the solid heft and smooth action of the old school nikon slr lenses that I love (but my shoulders complain after a day of hauling my gear around).

also invest in a good bogen tripod, just don't get a trigger action ball head - that just doesn't work good for models, architecture, or landscape.

read wide angle lens too.

Go with a Canon DSLR--I've had both Nikon and Canon digi cams and the Canon bodies hold up much better. The Nikon bodies fall apart very quickly with heavy use. Go for a fixed focal length wide angle lenses lenses if you can afford it or L series zooms for the best image quality.

I don’t completely agree with pedroparamo regarding Nikon’s digital cameras. I have a 2.5 year old D70 that I carry with me every day and it is still in great shape. I can’t speak to the newer D40’s, D50, D60 and D80. The D200 and 300 though… soon…
My earlier recommendation on the N80 was made because it is a great upgrade path/crossover path between film and digital. Any lenses (more important really than the body) you buy for it will work with Nikon digital bodies (read up on AF compatibility of the D60 and below). I have shot with the N80 and it feels and performs like my D70.
The Pentax K1000 and Nikon F-series are great choices too.

Canon AE-1 from 1970. Was my Grandfather's, my mother's and now I'm using it. It takes some of the best pictures of any camera I've ever owned, plus it couldn't be simpler to use. None of this digital-menu nonsense. F-Stop, Exposure, Focus, *picture*, advance, done.

PodZilla: I agree -- I was given a new Canon FTb 35mm with 50mm lens in the early 70s when I was in my 4th year. It was then - and remains today - a great camera. I've moved on over the years to Leica film gear and Canon digital, but this old Canon still is my favorite for simplicity, durability and high quality images.

olympus om-1

i think it was national geographic's flagship camera for a period of time

im selling my Nikon N80