There does seem to be a pretty big overlap between photo people and coffee people. Allow me to direct you to http://coffeegeek.com/ which will answer all the questions you have now and most questions you will ever have. I usually use an AeroPress for my own coffee. It's very easy, very forgiving brewing system. Faster than anything else short of a spoonful of instant (gag) as well, and cleans up in a flash. An AeroPress is about forty bucks. The grinder is worth spending money on. Blade grinders are worthless - you will never get an even grind from them, so some particles will always be overextracted and the result will be bitter. Baratza make good burr grinders. I use the Virtuoso, around $200 most places. The next step down is fine too. The Virtuoso will last longer though. Beans, as a general principle you will not find quality beans at a supermarket, nor at a Starbucks. Some good names are Fratello, Intelligentsia, Phil & Sebastian. It varies by region, most of these roasters are pretty small and have limited distribution. The only downside of getting used to good coffee is you end up not being able to drink coffee almost anywhere other than at home!