Help! Digital camera for kids?!?

[lenshanem]

I need to replace the pieces of junk (Disney Pix Max) that I had to return today since THREE of them went bad on us. These were Christmas gifts for my girls so now I'm trying to find something to replace them with. I have a 6 and almost 9 year old so it needs to be somewhat sturdy and easy. I want to keep it under $100 for each. I could really use some suggestions. (They have already got 1 GB SD cards.) If the camera takes regular ole' batteries all the better, too.

Thanks so much!

 

[DueyDooDah]

I see two choices, although I have no experience with either. The Fischer-Price Kid-Tough digital camera or a low-end P&S from any reputable dealer, such as Kodak. The Kid-Tough is $79, but a Kodak P&S start at $99. I'd look into these options and look at other offerings from Sony, Canon, etc.

 

[wekhogan]

I let my 8 yr old daughter use my old Sony Mavica. It's big enough for her to hold, has a huge screen in the back, and the disks (yikes, disks!!) are easily transferable for her. You can find them on ebay.

 

[allyn]

i don't think there are any decent cameras intended for kids, at least none that i have found. i don't count the fisher-price since the resolution is only 640x480.

so i was looking at cheap non-zoom cameras like the kodak c530. $94 at amazon. my primary remaining concern is the ruggedness since i'm sure my kid will drop it several times. i don't want to buy something that will break the first time she uses it. this is the primary reason i am still buying disposable film cameras for her.

i see that hp has a model called the e327 for around $90. i haven't checked into that yet.

 

[fitzperry]

so i was looking at cheap non-zoom cameras like the kodak c530. $94 at amazon. my primary remaining concern is the ruggedness since i'm sure my kid will drop it several times. i don't want to buy something that will break the first time she uses it. this is the primary reason i am still buying disposable film cameras for her.

We had similar concerns about ruggedness when we bought our dd a camera for her 7th b-day. Many retailers are now offering extended warranties that will cover accidental damage like that--just be sure to check the fine print. We ended up with a Nikon Coolpix L4, which was around $130 (6 months ago; I've seen the next model up advertised for that price recently), and I think the warranty was around $30. Since the camera only came with a wrist strap, we also bought her a neck strap, which she is required to wear whenever she uses the camera. I'd recommend that to anyone buying a digital camera for a child. So far, so good on the damage front. Also, she loves the video capability. She keeps filling up her memory cards with video and not taking many pictures.

 

[allyn]

getting an extended warranty that covers accidental damage is a very interesting idea. where did you find accidental damage coverage for $30?

do you use a breakaway neck strap for the camera to reduce the risk of choking? i'm concerned about that.

thanks.

 

[fitzperry]

getting an extended warranty that covers accidental damage is a very interesting idea. where did you find accidental damage coverage for $30?

do you use a breakaway neck strap for the camera to reduce the risk of choking? i'm concerned about that.

thanks.

It was a local/regional camera shop. I'm not positive, but I think Staples offers a similar one for a comparable price.

I hadn't thought about a breakaway strap (bad Mommy! ), although she really doesn't use the camera when she's running around or climbing on playground equipment, etc. It's a good idea though--I'll keep my eye out for one. I had a little trouble finding a strap that was small enough for her (she's 7 and tiny).

 

[geffric]

I bought my son a Nikon L4 too. He loves it and it really takes great pictures..

 

[lenshanem]

http://www.ritzcamera.com/product/542043831.htm

http://cameras.about.com/od/choosingacamera/tp/3megapixels.htm

Has anyone seen these - VuPoint VU Digital Camera -3.1 MegaPixels, 8x Zoom, 1.5-inch LCD?

Wondering about this one...

 

[alexy]

Try ebay. There are a lot of people selling lower resolution cameras in great condition because they recently upgraded.

I've bought those "kids" digital cameras before and they were a big disappointment to my kids: DS 10, DD9 - Low quality, no view screen, and hard to use.

However, for about $30, including shipping, I was able to by a used, brand name 2.0MP camera with a view screen. It retailed for $300 in 2002.