Do you need to have an expensive camera for photography class?

I'm thinking about taking photography class in college. If anyone is already taking some form of photography classes in coege, can you tell me how it is? Is it fun? And most of all, do I need those expensive cameras like a nikon or something?

The colleges will usually have a media department where you can rent a camera and a tripod and whatever other equipment you need, so no. When I took my photography course, I bought a Canon xti off of kijiji for $400 - came with a starter lens (the basic zoom lens), which was a good deal. It helped so I was worried about the time limits of borrowing the school's equipment.

When I took photography class, I just used a simple digital camera… Canon elf something like that. It was good enough and really fun. I learned a lot like perspective and learning the different options on the camera. Later we moved in to film and I learned a lot more. I think film inspired me to upgrade to a manual camera and I fell in love.

I would just use a simple digital camera and see how you progress. If you feel like you're good enough and enjoy photography, just upgrade. Simple as that.

Mine costs about 100 bucks and it has amazing crisp picture quality. If you're an amateur, it's not that important to have a professional camera.

It depends on the class. Some require a 35mm film SLR, which you can get a decent one for under $50. Some require a digital SLR, which you can find a respectable used one on Craigslist for $250+. Most colleges are going to require one of those two types, but yours may only require a basic point and shoot, which can be bought for $100+ new.

No, you do not. It's the person behind the camera that matters. Photography isn't about having the best pictures. It's about improving and telling a story with each photograph you take. You make memories and can look back on them. I want to be in a photography class next year and I'm currently in 8th grade. At the moment I own a Canon Rebel T3I. It's not a bad price and came with a starter lense! I think you will be fine with whatever camera you decide to bring.

It truly depends on which college you go to. Some will have the funds to have some you can rent out. But if you go to a small school they may not have the funds and you will have to get one of your own. If you are not sure if this is something that you want to do all the time then i would either rent one from a friend or something or buy a cheap on craigslist/ebay. Hope you have fun. I really enjoyed my class ( tho i'm a photojournalism major so i love photography) be ready to learn a lot tho. It may be hard a first but you will get the hang of it. Just don't give up.