P&S for a 5 year old

T

Trooper

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I'm not familiar with P&S cameras at all. I would like to buy my daughter something that uses SD-cards and has the best quality for less than $100. I think she will be reasonably careful with it, because she hasn't damaged an iPhone or iPad. I need a brand and model (or product series/family) to get me started.

Recommendations? I don't mind purchasing used.
 
Trooper said:
I'm not familiar with P&S cameras at all. I would like to buy my daughter something that uses SD-cards and has the best quality for less than $100. I think she will be reasonably careful with it, because she hasn't damaged an iPhone or iPad. I need a brand and model (or product series/family) to get me started. Recommendations? I don't mind purchasing used.
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I usually end up handing over whatever I'm not using to my 5yo. His best result were with a Canon Rebel film SLR! Just go to a store website, large department store or electronics store, and check the cameras for sale, then shop around for best price. All the main players have options. A screen and simple zoom controls would be my only requirements for a 5yo.
 
Scrambler said:
I usually end up handing over whatever I'm not using to my 5yo. His best result were with a Canon Rebel film SLR! Just go to a store website, large department store or electronics store, and check the cameras for sale, then shop around for best price. All the main players have options. A screen and simple zoom controls would be my only requirements for a 5yo.
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My daughter is doing pretty good stuff, considering her age. I wanted to get her a used Fuji XF1, but but my wife said it was about $100 too much. I would have no problem giving her my Nikon D70 if it still worked!
 
Nikon s32. It's a tad over 100$ (120$ or so), but it's designed with small hands in mind, the zoom lens doesn't extend, and it's waterproof and shock (drop!) proof. Perfect kids camera. And much nicer than any of the v-tech or Fischer price stuff out there.

-Brian
 
Fwiw, I'll let my son (almost 6yrs old) use whatever I have UNDER SUPERVISION.
The S32 he could use _by himself_ and not damage.
Better than I'd say for most adults with the zoom assemblies on most point and shoots. The lenses are usually pretty easy to mangle.
-Brian
 
Trooper said:
My daughter is doing pretty good stuff, considering her age. I wanted to get her a used Fuji XF1, but but my wife said it was about $100 too much. I would have no problem giving her my Nikon D70 if it still worked!
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My guy takes random snapshots with digital: blurred off-angle Legos and random chairs. But the film SLR had him carefully choosing subjects and doing nice compositions. I guess it's mostly mood. I like handing the waterproof P&S to him, but it's pretty poor indoors, which is probably one reason why the snaps are so smudgy. If you could get a NEX 3 in the budget...
 
BTMarcais said:
Nikon s32. It's a tad over 100$ (120$ or so), but it's designed with small hands in mind, the zoom lens doesn't extend, and it's waterproof and shock (drop!) proof. Perfect kids camera. And much nicer than any of the v-tech or Fischer price stuff out there.

-Brian
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The lack of extending lens is a huge factor I forgot to mention. My wife had two Nikon Coolpix cameras. Both failed from sand or debris in the lens.

My wife is balking at the price of a used S32, at $89. I'm having a hard time finding a used camera worth having in her price range, but I'm finding some great camera cases!
 
Scrambler said:
If you could get a NEX 3 in the budget...
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Exactly what I'm thinking. My choices are a used Fuji XF-1, Sony Nex 3, or Panasonic DMC-LX1. I am even considering a used Leica D-Lux 3.

I don't think my wife realizes this camera will have to be used by me first to show my daughter how to use it. She's great with an iPad, and a veteran with Fuji and Sony:

med_U41733I1406383796.SEQ.0.jpg
 
I routinely let me 5yo daughter use my M9. She is careful, but not precious, with it, and she spent the time learning how to use it with me.
My 7yo son had a Canon Elph that served him well until he lost it. We haven't replaced it yet, I don't want to spend more than $100, but I want him to have a decent camera. I've been watching for a good price on a Nikon AW110. It's waterproof, super rugged, has GPS and has a fixed lens, but it's about $250.
I will be watching this thread to see what you decide.
 
bob338 said:
I don't want to spend more than $100, but I want him to have a decent camera.
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So it appears that we all have the same mindset: We buy good cameras, and would have no issue letting our children use them. At the same time, we don't want to spend much money just to get a kid a camera.

My wife, wants to buy a PoS at very low cost just so a kid can have a camera.

I've decided that whatever she gets next month, I'll need to buy one of the following for myself: Fuji X-T1, Fuji X-100, Sony A7, or Panasonic LX100. Then, she can have a decent camera in a few years!
 
My 4-yr old son is spoilt with Panny LX7 with all the dials and buttons. He refused any toy camera or any cameras with less dials/buttons after that experience. He has not damaged it so far, so I would think any of the LX series might be fun for your daughter too.
 
My 5 year old uses my old canon film p&s with 35/4.5 lens, autofocus and autoflash. Sometimes, she impresses me with her photos. I have to say her point of view is very different than mine and she sees things which my brain refuses to see :bang::bang: After she finishes her roll, she doesn't stop bugging me till I drop it off at Costco. Unlike me, she prefers color (which I don't develop at home).
 
NazgulKing said:
Get another one! :D
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I'll second that.

And I'll wish you luck getting the iPhone back the way you want it. I know what happened to my one when the grandchildren found it one day...

One of the jokes was a copy of the mainscreen as a photo to baffle me when I used it without realising and wondered why nothing happened.

Regards, David

PS Why does this thread make me feel so old and past my use by date?
 
My 5 year old son shot his first roll last weekend and he used Olympus mju 140 zoom. But he has his eyes on my Minolta Maxxum 700si and I will let him use it for his next roll...
 
BTMarcais said:
Nikon s32. It's a tad over 100$ (120$ or so), but it's designed with small hands in mind, the zoom lens doesn't extend, and it's waterproof and shock (drop!) proof. Perfect kids camera. And much nicer than any of the v-tech or Fischer price stuff out there.

-Brian
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I second the recommendation. The sensor is small so quality is low, but they have very simple menus and the fact that it's shock-proof and water-proof is a huge plus in my book. Got one new for $100 and used ones can be found for less. ...or you could be lucky and find the first one my son had, which was lost 4 weeks after he received it.

One tip: when we got him his second S32 (using his allowance, to hopefully impart the importance of paying attention to his belongings) we had him photograph a sheet of paper with our general family email addres and then we set that image to "do not delete". Should the camera get lost and be found by a kind soul, the email address on the first frame will assist with getting it returned.
 
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