Choosing a camera for a teen

[kmccain]

I am sure you have been asked before but I need your advice an a inexpensive digital camera for DS 16 and DD 14 for Christmas. This will be their first digital camera.

I see Target had a Kodak310 4 mega pixel with 5X zoom for $88.00

Would this be a good starter camera for them? We have and old DX3900 that we have had a lot of problem with because we droped it but we have the doc.

We are thinking about moving up to a different camera also but do not want to spend more that $200 if anyone has any advice. We are not professionals, need the easiest model available!

Thanks so much for our help!

 

[Anewman]

My only advice is to wait until December to buy the camera, you did mention christmas. Digital Cameras will drop in price and get better between now and Xmas. If you buy today you will kick yourself in Dec. because there will be BETTER cameras available for less money than what you paid.

 

[Kelly Grannell]

All I can say is don't touch Kodak. On the other hand, the $200 budget is extemely restrictive to get a decent quality camera. From year to year in the past several years, the decent quality camera of any given year is at least in the $300 area.

Professional on any given year's models usually start in the $1,500 area (body only).

 

[jann1033]

we just got my daughter and sil the canon A610 ( or 620 i can never remember which is which but it's the 7 mp one) and it was $230 including shipping, the 5 mp was about $209. the pictures look really good, and it has some auto modes but creative/fun modes also so you can do as little as point & shoot in lots of settings or adjust shutter etc if you feel more adventurous...it has some nice things like the ability to change colors in camera, make the picture b&w except for one thing color, some pretty nice stuff ....i'd wait a little too though as it seems the prices go down as newer things come out. just keep an eye out and when the price seems low, go for it

my other daughter has a 4mp easy share...some pictures are fine with it( the one of my Grandddaughter below i took with it) but she got some real lousy shots on her last vacation too along with some good ones ( she is definitly the point and shoot type of girl so it was just probably one setting for everything, jungle or bright sunlight )

i have noticed... make sure it's optical zoom( good)...some of the lower priced ones are digtal zoom ( not so good)only

 

[Kelly Grannell]

OMG !!! US pricing is sooooo far lower than Canadian pricing. A620 is about US$360 here PLUS 15% taxes !!!

Aaaargh, just don't listen to me anymore with regards to pricing. Now I'm so very frustrated living in Canada.

 

[poconoboatniks]

Definitely wait till Christmas time. Last year we bought a Nikon Cool Pix for our then 10 yr old. It's a great point and shot with enough bells and whistles to keep her busy. She has taken some nice shoots and is learning how compose her photos. Unfortunately, I don't remember how much we paid for her digi camera. Your kids will love you .

I'm saving buckets full of money on the photo finishing. We use to give her disposibles for class trips etc. Now we only print the good shots.

Poconoboatniks

 

[kmccain]

Thank you all for such great advice!!

I guess I will wait. I don't usually Christmas shop this early but I knew I wanted to get the kids camera's for Christmas and then they will have them for our trip next August.

Last week Target had a Phillips camera for $88. and I was mad that I didn't get there to get them and it wouldn't let me order them on line. I was thrilled to see the Kodak this week but I am leary with the Kodak. I don't really want to spend much more than this but I don't want to waste that much either!

Thanks again!

 

[spoon2003]

OMG !!! US pricing is sooooo far lower than Canadian pricing. A620 is about US$360 here PLUS 15% taxes !!!

Aaaargh, just don't listen to me anymore with regards to pricing. Now I'm so very frustrated living in Canada.

One of my brother in law lives in Calgary and another in Toronto. When they come to visit, all they bring are the clothes on their body and empty suitcases.

 

[grover]

photography??
ds is exhibiting a interest!
he does take alot of photos..and has now expressed interest in upgrading to a camera with more features

 

[tinksdad]

I think it's great when a child can share a hobby or something similar with a parent. My daughter has an interest in photography as well. She has an older PnS of mine, and really comes up with some interesting ideas. I'm thinking she needs to a better camera, but want to make sure that the interest is not fleeting......

 

[Suburbanmom]

My 12-year-old is having a snap-fest right now. He has an inexpensive point and shoot, but he's having lots of fun with it. He's also experiementing with photoshop elements.

 

[Anewman]

My now 15 year old son is like all 15 year old boys, cant stay focuse on one interest very long(other than girls and sports). Yes he did go through a photo stage and even purchased a nice camera with his own money, but it passed and has not used that camera all year.

But he has always been that way, he will get into an interest(hobby) very deep and then just drop it when he moves onto another interest.

 

[Master Mason]

my older boy got into it for a while, I gave him my old pentax K1000 to learn... then I gave him my digital P&S when I got the dSLR. Doesn't do much with it though

my younger son took a year of Digital photo in school, and is way better at Photo Shop than I am... He bought himself a digital P&S... and when I finally upgrade from the XT he will take over the usage of that camera... We have planned to do some photo safari type stuff....

 

[grover]

yes..that is the thing hey..sometimes the interests can be fleeting!
will have to see..he does like to use my camera..and he has my old p&s..but he also has a huge interest in digital film..along the same lines i guess..and he has stuck with that for a year..only time will tell!

i do love to see photos from his perspective though..never know what your going to get do you!

 

[AZ JazzyJ]

My daughter showed an interest a couple of years ago. I encouraged her to explore with the camera and she began taking lots of pictures. She really started to enjoy being behind the camera and when she got to high school she decided to take photography. She was really excited until the first week of school when the teacher told them that she hated digital and that she felt it was a fleeting fad and would go away. The whole year was spent learning the history of film with the final 6 weeks devoted to taking some black and white pictures. I thought that might destroy my daughter's enthusiasm but instead she signed up for advanced photography for this year. Hopefully this teacher will at least acknowledge that digital has a place in photography.

Jeff

 

[S. C.]

I couldn't believe all the cameras that they make now without viewfinders.


I'm thinking of getting him either the Canon Powershot A560 $129.99 at Circuit City. Or the Canon Powershot A570IS $149.99 at Circuit City. They have a bundle pack too, i can add a Canon Pixma MP160 Photo All-In-One Printer for only $29.99.


Anyone have either of these cameras or the printer? Are you happy with them?

 

[ukcatfan]

You can save a few bucks on the A570IS through Buydig. They offer fast free shipping and do not have to collect tax. Having IS is a nice feature. I would not bother with the printer b/c places like Walmart only charge ~$0.15 per print. The cost of ink is usu. higher than that.

Kevin

 

[My2Girls66]

I switched from Nikon to Canon for my point and shoot because the Canon's have a viewfinder. My kids don't mind not having a viewfinder, DH and I like viewfinders. I have the A560- it takes very nice pictures, has a lot of settings and responds pretty quickly. Its not as slim as the Nikon L6(it died) I had, tho. The L6 also took nice pictures but no viewfinder.

 

[S. C.]

Thank you

 

[Gdad]

Hmmm- I had an Argus C4 when I was that age.