Kids Digital Cameras - Which one???

[gomomgo]

My niece, who will be 4 in January, wants one for Christmas. I told my SIL that I will pick it up for her. Can anyone recommend a good camera? I know Lego has a new one and VTech and Fisher Pirce have one out too.

I absolutely know that a cheaper "real" digital camera is probably a better value. But, she is very young and my SIL definitely would like her to have a kids camera instead.

So what's your experience with these? If I'm definitely going to get one, what's the best value? Tell me about features and if they are easy to use.

Thanks!

 

[uk_wildcat]

Both my boys had the kids digital cameras. The oldest had a Fisher Price and the youngest had a VTech. The VTech seemed better to me. The photo quality was still not very good, but it had more features than the Fisher Price.

 

[afeld111781]

We have the kid tough one and depending on what she wants it for its ok. If its just to mess around with then its fine but if she is ever going to try and print pics they just arent good quality. With that said my 4yr old daugher (3 when she got it) loves to play with it and so does my 2 year old son so I guess thats all that matters. I personally wouldnt buy it again.

 

[richmond282]

My DD received the Kidizoom Camera (I think it's VTech) last year for Christmas. We have been very impressed with it's durability. The picture quality (if printed) isn't great, but my DD takes like a million pictures of nothing then we delete them and start over again.

 

[KristinU]

Another vote for the Kidizoom. My DS still loves his. Like PPs said, the quality isn't great, but it is durable and he loves playing the games and adding features like pirate hats to us. I will also add that one of the cool things about it is to see the world from his perspective. Sometimes he plays with it after going to bed and looking at pics of his room and his toes and his furniture and his toys, etc, etc, is just fun - cool to see his perspective on his world. I had read someone's review stating this same thing when I was researching cameras for him and it totally holds true. And batteries last surprisingly long for us.

ETA: we tried the route of cheap "real" digital camera first and it broke in less than a month...the real deal just isn't durable enough for little guys IMHO, at least not for my DS. Oh and my DS's is about 2 years old - he got it for his 4th birthday and he'll be 6 in January.

 

[S. C.]

My DD received the Kidizoom Camera (I think it's VTech) last year for Christmas. We have been very impressed with it's durability. The picture quality (if printed) isn't great, but my DD takes like a million pictures of nothing then we delete them and start over again.

Got 2 of my grandkids the Kidizoom cameras for christmas last year. They love them, plus they can take video's with them and play games. I agree picture quality is not the greatest but they don't care. They love taking pics and video and are very proud to show us the pics they took.

Here is a thread about Kids Digital cameras.
http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2021131

Review with picture's at bottom of page for VTech Kidizoom
http://www.buy.com/articles/loc/632...109/subtype/0/316.html?adid=17654&dcaid=17654

 

[ceecee]

Target had the Disney ones for 75% off, I don't know if they are good or bad.

 

[Cinder-Belle]

We have the V-tech. My 3 year old loves it. We bought it last Christmas. It has been dropped over and over, but still works. She loves the features. Her brother is 21 months. He has learned to use it, so so, he also loves it.

Tip-
Buy rechargeable batteries, if possible. Also, I bought the Fisher Price case. That has helped keep it cleaner and safer, when not in use.

I agree that the print quality is not great, but I do not think she cares. She just likes taking a million pictures.

 

[hipchickie]

Personally I would not recommend the disney ones. We bought one for my son for xmas - within a day it was broken because he dropped it on a floor with a rug from a height of about 6 inches. I returned it an got a new one.
Within 2 weeks we were on vacation, the camera was in a backpack that I put down on the ground a little less gently than I should of - broke it.

Both times, it was not a very rough handling, yes, rougher than it should have been, but this was supposed to be a camera for kids, right?

I had paid $80 for the disney, when I returned it the second time I got a Kodak easy share for him for $10 more. That Kodak has been around the world (literally) and 3 years later it still works perfect

 

[mrsbornkuntry]

My DS got the Fisher Price one when he was 4. The pics aren't great as other posters have mentioned, but he doesn't care, he just wants to take the pictures, look at them, then start again. As far as durability, it's awesome. I would not get a 4yo a regular "cheap" digital camera because they just don't hold up to being dropped or messed with.

 

[jenedpey]

Another plug for a "real" digital camera. If you want to minimize costs, ask around and find someone that you know that has "upgraded" to a new camera and buy it from them. Another choice is of course ebay, but you don't know the history and whether or not it really works. Some of the olympus stylus cameras are drop and water resistant, and if you are willing to put a $200 camera in a little kids hands, it will be both tough and take good pictures.

 

[cltk78]

My 4-year-old has the V-tech camera and loves it. I agree with the others. The picture quality isn't that great, but he does care. He just likes taking pictures and videos and playing the games that the camera has on it.