choosing a camera for a child

[Pea-n-Me]

I don't know if it matters to you but for me, I'd stick with the same brand of camera I had so as to minimize cables, software, batteries, memory card type, etc as well as the learning curve for everyone.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

We bought our 7 year old a Pentax W30. It was a bit pricier than some of the others mentioned here, but it's waterproof. Given the amount of time he spends in and around the water, we thought that was an important feature for him.

 

[traces7]

I don't want to spend a whole lot (under $100) if possible. Can I get anything that will take decent pictures for her for that price? Thanks!

 

[MontanaZoo]

I let my DNiece 11 play with my older Kodak Easyshare when we went on a 10 day camping trip. You can get some of them for close to $100.

 

[polkadotladybug]

We just got our 8 year old a Samsung S73 for her birthday. My 11 year old has a Samsung S630 which is essentially the same camera, just less megapixels. They come in cute colors (11 year old has pink, 8 year old just got a turquoise blue one).

They are easy to use, they have fun kid/tween features (putting funny faces on the pictures, cute frames, etc), and they are not pricey. We got the blue one at CIrcuit City - and they had a pink one on sale for 57 bucks and the guy pricematched the same exact camera in a different color - so it was a great price! I think we paid 75 for the one last year for my other child.

Here is what the have on their website, but this looks be more megapixels - the S73 has 7.3 megapixels. My daughter's camera looks the same as this though - and both of my girls' cameras have the same exact features and stuff. They must have an updated version now, but we bought my 8 year old's camera no more than 3 weeks ago - we bought it to give her on our trip to Disney and we left on June 20 (her bd was June 23 while we were at WDW). It was in a clear plastic pack hanging on a rack with the less expensive cameras - not out with a demo with the more expensive cameras.

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Sams...05985/catOid/-13061/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do


We've been very pleased with these for the girls.

 

[traces7]

We just got our 8 year old a Samsung S73 for her birthday. My 11 year old has a Samsung S630 which is essentially the same camera, just less megapixels. They come in cute colors (11 year old has pink, 8 year old just got a turquoise blue one).

They are easy to use, they have fun kid/tween features (putting funny faces on the pictures, cute frames, etc), and they are not pricey. We got the blue one at CIrcuit City - and they had a pink one on sale for 57 bucks and the guy pricematched the same exact camera in a different color - so it was a great price! I think we paid 75 for the one last year for my other child.

Here is what the have on their website, but this looks be more megapixels - the S73 has 7.3 megapixels. My daughter's camera looks the same as this though - and both of my girls' cameras have the same exact features and stuff. They must have an updated version now, but we bought my 8 year old's camera no more than 3 weeks ago - we bought it to give her on our trip to Disney and we left on June 20 (her bd was June 23 while we were at WDW). It was in a clear plastic pack hanging on a rack with the less expensive cameras - not out with a demo with the more expensive cameras.

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Sams...05985/catOid/-13061/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do


We've been very pleased with these for the girls.

Thanks! This camera looks like what I was looking for. I'll keep it in mind. Maybe around Christmas they'll have sales on them. I'm hoping to get her one for Christmas.

 

[polkadotladybug]

I wanted to add that I've never been thanked more for a present from my daughter! She was thanking us days later for the camera as well - and she isn't that excitable of a child - she's thankful - but not still gushing thank yous and hugs out of nowhere days later!

She was soooooo excited to have a "grown-up" camera (ie - one that isn't a toy or one of those low-grade kiddie cameras). We chose 3 megapixels for the camera size and I gave her a 2 gig card and she could take up to 2000+ photos - of course she didn't take that many - but she was trying! Many times I caught her leaned down to a rose or flower using the macro button - just like her mama does (LOL) - she was very receptive to my constructive criticism/advice - ie - hold camera still, turn off flash at certain times, how to use macro - how close to be, etc.

She did seem very pleased to have a camera that was nicer than what her friends have (toy cameras basically) - but we told her we got it for her because she was responsible - and that she couldn't brag about it to her friends although we (and the kids) are not usually the ones with the latest, most expensive (insert car, house, tv, etc) on the block!

 

[crazee4mickey]

We bought our 10 y.o. daughter a Polaroid i733 (and its pink!) for her birthday in May

Wow this little camera takes amazing pictures! It's a 7.0 mp cmaera with 4X zoom--has a pile of settings (which she can use easily--she likes setting it on sepia or negative so her pictures look "cool").

We bought it off eBay for $103--brand new still in shrink wrapped box then I bought the memory card (1.0GB) for $1.99 off ebay---and I know some say don't buy off eBay but we were delighted with everything!

The camera arrived and worked for only seconds we contacted seller and he said we could return it for a new one but to contact Polaroid as it was on warranty--as soon as I phoned Polaroid they said it was an internal problem and to send it in.
It was replaced because it had a manufacturer defect--from the time we rec'd the camera to sending it away and a new one in its place was less than 2 weeks!! The seller was awesome and did everything possible to help us out, I would highly recommend him.

She took 300 pics this past weekend alone on a "mini holiday" we were on and most of them were amazing! I know she's 10 but they were clear--the ones posted below may be slightly blurry on this post as I had to reduce the image properties to upload them on here;

Here is one she took using the "negative" setting

An action shot with her dad swinging the golf club

Wild horses on the roadside

As we are driving down the interstate at 70 mph using the "sepia" setting

Her brothers posing on the golf course

 

[DawnM]

All of our kids now have their own digital cameras.

They really don't care to print all that much out, they really like posing their legos and taking shots to flip through and make mini-movies (you know, move each lego just a little so that when you flip it looks like they are moving?)

And then they typically delete them or save them on computer.

So, we got them each a 2nd hand camera off of craigslist (one got my hand me down, the others got 2nd hand) and tested them before buying.

My kids really don't care about megapixles or that it comes in the original box, they just love shooting pictures.

When we have printed out pictures, they have come out fine.

Dawn

 

[sage10]

Ok, this may or not be the right place for this. But I want to get my little ones a camera. They are 4. I know, why get a 4 year old a camera. But they want to take pictures with my camera. I have read many reviews on the Fisher Price Kids Tough and the VTech kids cameras. They are not good! I am leaning toward getting them a cheap adult digital camera. What are your thoughts on this? I know they may break it, but I hate to pay $60 for a camera that doesn't take good pictures, when I could pay $20 or so more and they could actually take decent pictures.

Has anyone done this?
Does anyone know a way to attach it to the stroller when we go to Disney next month?
Does anyone have any advice for doing this?

Thanks so much for your help.

 

[Colleen27]

My DD has a cheap Kodak digital. I think it cost me $70 on sale at Target, and it takes nice pics. She's a pretty good shot for her age and enjoys scrapbooking with pictures she took, so I didn't see the sense in buying an overpriced kids camera that wouldn't produce decent quality pics.

My advice is to take some time to look at a bunch of different lower-end digital cameras and play with the controls. Some are easier than others to operate, and obviously you want one that is very simple.

As far as attaching it to a stroller, I'd put together something like a pacifier holder. Use stroller belt material or something like that, and add heavy duty snaps to make one look to connect to the stroller bar and another to connect to the camera's wrist strap.

 

[fitzperry]

You might look for something used on eBay or Craigslist. You could probably get a basic 3 or 4 megapixel camera for next to nothing.

When we bought our 7yo a camera, we replaced its wrist strap with a lightweight neck strap. I suppose some people might consider that a choking hazard, but we don't let her climb trees or anything with it on. It's never been a problem, and I don't think she's ever dropped the camera (which is more than I can say for her Nintendo DS).

My 5yo insists that this post have a dancing banana and a jumping jacks smilie, so here we go. . . .

 

[Frantasmic]

How often do they get the shutterbug? Is it only when you are taking pictures?

I was at a wedding yesterday and a family was letting a 4-5 year old run around with their camera. He had it on a strap and was doing okay...until he forgot to put the strap on his neck and ran down a few stairs and dropped the camera on the sidewalk. It was the family's "good" camera, judging by the reaction they had.

Anyway, if they are likely to take pictures on their own, your idea of a camera for them is a good idea. But, at 4, they will drop and possibly break whatever camera you get them at some point, IMO.

Is it possible to get some of the disposable cameras? As long as they aren't taking a ton of photos, those my do better in the long run.

However, if they are like my son and are just taking a lot of silly pictures on occasion, than a digital one is a decent idea. If you can control what you actually print and download with a digital camera, then the risk of breaking a camera may outweigh the cost of disposable ones.

Samsung makes a pretty decent, inexpensive camera that takes decent shots. I think I got it for about $70 at Ritz/Wolf camera. I got it for my somewhat older father because his first digital camera I got him was starting to take some fuzzy shots.

 

[Rob_Drebel]

I purchased my son (6 years old) a low end Nikon since it was only a few more dollars ($20) than a Fisher Price model. I could tell that my son (while using my other P&S) would always make sure that he put the strap around his wrist.
One other option would be to get a neckstrap as P7S are so light now. that way if they let go of it, it will not go crashing to the floor.
Spend a little extra, get a better camera. Just watch them initially with it and remond them to put the strap on.

 

[Donold_Fan]

My DS, 5, is constantly asking to take pictures. His daycare lady bought a disposable camera for his 5th birthday party and she gave it to him afterward. There were a few shots left, and he loved taking them. He kept asking for a new one (never did get the shots developed on the one). Once, he even put a double pack on the checkout lane at Target without my noticing, until he took it out of the bag in the car.

Anyway, a few weeks ago, I stumbled on a deal for a 7MP Polaroid (i737) for $15 from Walgreens. I picked one up for both my DD (12) and DS (5). They had a blast taking pictures at WDW earlier this month. I have a 40D, with my older Rebel XT as my spare body. DD asked to take the Rebel on our last day and really concentrated on composing her shots. Both of them have really been bitten by the camera bug.

Anyway, I'm all over suggesting getting a cheap P&S for your kid, rather than a toy camera. Even a used 2 or 3 MP off of eBay would be better IMO.

Here's a photo of DS5 taking a picture of Pal Mickey while we were waiting to be seated at Liberty Tree Tavern.

 

[bnorm27]

I love the fact that my kids have started to show an interest in my hobby. I have at times, allowed them to use my P&S digital camera (Kodak Z750), albeit under constant supervision. So far, other then a few fingerprints on the lens, they have done well with it. I did let them push the shutter for a few pics with the DSLR, but it was mounted on a tripod, and I was really all over them. They had also used a REALLY old P&S digital (1MP) I believe. They wore out the battery and filled the memory card in a few hours. Interesting what they took pics of, and also interesting looking at things from the point of view of a 6 and 4 year old.

No time like the present to teach them to take care of the camera. And if you can get one super cheap, it's all the better.

 

[Mckymousefn]

I just got my daughter this one...she will be getting it next Tues. for her bday. http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Sams...05987/catOid/-13062/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

But when i got it, it was on sale for $79.99 My daughter is going to be 10yrs. old though.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I know, why get a 4 year old a camera.

It may be elsewhere, but around here, this isn't a silly question at all.

I don't know how to answer, though. When my kids were that age, I didn't have digital, and I didn't want to waste expensive film and processing (unlike with digital pics today which can just be deleted). I did let my kids take pictures using my camera with my help, though.

Today, I'm not sure about what I'd buy, because as you say, the cheap kiddie ones are just awful, and the better ones have a good chance at getting broken.

It was always important to me to teach the kids respect for the camera, regardless of what it was, just like anything else that's expensive/important. So I'd probably buy a decent, simple camera at as low a price I could find, but work with them on using it and try to keep it so that he only uses it with supervision. (Definitely wouldn't be running around a wedding with it.) If there is an accident, then so be it - but I'd try to avoid that if possible by keeping the strap on, paying attention, putting it back in its case, etc.

I bought my son a used Canon S2 IS on Craigslist when he was about 9 and worked with him on using it. He's been respectful with it, so now, two years later, I'm pretty comfortable letting him use my dSLR at home. Every now and then I download pictures and find some that he's taken with it, like this one, from my yard, using macro:

Good luck! I do think that nurturing kids in photography is giving them a great, lifelong gift.

 

[GabbyMom]

I bought DD3 a camera to go to my cousins graduation. it was the crayola kids camera. Never again. literally everything that could go wrong did. The camera won't shut off, it won't stop taking pictures, the flash either won't stop flashing or doesn't work, and I can't get the pictures to download, all this right out of the box. If I had had the time back then I would have returned it.

now she uses her Uncle Monkey's P&S. a little random but not bad for 3 years old.

I'm looking at getting her a simple P&S for Christmas. That or the toy Castle from WDW.

 

[Groucho]

I would definitely go with an older digital PnS over one designed to be a kid's camera.

My son has been using our old Minolta X20 2mp camera since he was about 3. (He's about 3 1/2 now.) He loves taking pictures with it and pretty quickly figured out the basics, including reviewing the photos after taking them. The hardest part is holding the button down long enough as the camera has fairly serious shutter lag! This particular camera is worth maybe $35 on eBay so it or one like it would be an inexpensive buy if you don't already have an older digital PnS lying around. This one is also nice as the lens does not extend out of the front of the camera, which may make it a little less fragile.

Here he is using it...

He's taken some interesting photos with it...

His radio-controlled Ratatouille ($5 from disneyoutlet and worth every penny!):

Lotus Esprit spoiler...

He likes to pose things, here's Bullseye on his rocking horse.

He even managed a self-portrait!

He also likes using the viewfinder on the SLR cameras but I haven't let him actually take any pictures with them yet!