The truth is, you can learn to do b/w with almost any camera. Start with what you have now - using a humble point&shoot isn't necessarily the worst way to begin. If you don't have access to a darkroom, try shooting one of the C-41 "b/w" films like Kodak T-Max T400 CN or Ilford Super XP-2. That way, you can get b/w prints from any one-hour lab. It's not a bad way to start...(posted 9240 days ago)More than the camera and the mechanics, the important thing is to start THINKING in b/w, which is quite a different animal from color. You have learn to think in terms of composition, form, and light/dark - where and how shadows fall, and how to properly capture them. Watch the light... Move into position... Wait for the decisive moment...
Black and white is an abstraction by it's very nature, and you can't approach it along the same "naturalistic" path you begin with in color photography. When you do b/w, you're not capturing reality so much as stylizing and manipulating it. It takes practice, creativity, and the application of your IMAGE-ination.
As to equipment, I'm also a manual-camera luddite. No question, you will learn more using a camera with manual controls for focus, aperture, and shutter speed. A great kit to start with would be a used Nikkormat FTn and a pair of used lenses, say 35mm f/2 and 105mm f/2.5, and a tripod. (If you're on a low budget, can just start with a 50mm lens and work your way up to a wide-angle and long lens.) This old Nikon equipment is a pleasure to use, amazingly well-built, and pretty darn cheap through the used camera dealers - an Ex condition Nikkormat body is roughly about $175, each of these lenses somewhere around $100.
(I'm also a big fan of the Olympus OM system - small, elegant, well- made, a real pleasure to use. Other folks like Canons, Pentaxes, and Minoltas. Folks with more evolved tastes and bigger budgets like Leicas, Contaxes, and Rolleis. Remember - ultimately, a camera is just a light-tight box with a lens and a shutter; any halfway decent camera will produce an okay image. Sure, some cameras are "better" than others, but you can certainly learn to be a good photographer without access to classy equipment. Still, I don't think you'll go far wrong with old Nikon equipment... There's lots of it around in great working condition, and it was THE pro 35mm system of the 60s and 70s for some VERY good reasons.)
You can also go for a twin lens reflex, as has been suggested, like a YashicaMat, Minolta Autocord, Mamiya C series, or Rolleicord. All of these turn up used in good condition in the $200-300 range. A bigger negative in a square format is great to work with, and when you get into darkroom work, it allows you to make larger prints more easily than with 35mm. But you might not want to start with medium format... for many, it's something you eventually work your way up to.
And yes, if you're serious about b/w, save some money and a whole lot of time for learning how to do your own processing and enlarging. One of the first lessons I learned from my Dad (a commercial pro who learned photography in the 30s/40s and opened his studio in 1946... and he's still working now!) is that "many a great photograph is made in the darkroom, NOT in the camera"! It takes a long time to become a darkroom ace, but it's absolutely worth it. Find yourself a teacher, or join a photo club and spend some time watching others.
One more note on cameras: ALWAYS carry one. Sure, you can't keep a SLR slung over your shoulder all the time. That's where your old p&s comes in. Put in some Tri-X, throw it in your bag or glove compartment or coat pocket. It WILL come in handy. Get into the habit of ALWAYS looking with your photographic eye for interesting images; having a camera with you all the time will definitely help. New pocketable p&s cameras like the Olympus Stylus Epic are great for this. So are old rangefinders like Canonets, which cost less than $100 used nowadays and have very good optics. You can even go the subminiature route if you're that kind of maniac. (I am - I always have a Minox IIIS loaded with b/w at hand in its trusty belt case!)
Anyway, my essential point was: sure, the hardware is fun, as is learning about exposure, films, darkroom work, etc. But even more than getting the technique down, becoming proficient in b/w photography requires a new kind of thinking. It can be a hard transition, but that leap of faith, once taken, may be your start along a tremendously fun and satisfying journey...