Starter camera/lens for children?

[YYV_146]

Saw this topic being bought up at DPreview and as an "Ask Engadget" question earlier today, and I'm very curious as to what RFF members think about the issue. Your boy/girl is somewhere between preschool and junior high, he/she indicated an interest in photography, what kind of equipment would you buy for them? Would you trust them with rangefinders? Would you want them to learn with film or start with digital cameras?

I had the fortune of being in a family with two enthusiasts, as a child I had both a film SLR (Canon 500) and an RF (pretty interesting Chinese Konica copy) and a few lenses before 12. The first digital camera was a Sony F717 that still shoots today after a decade and 55,000 frames...

 

[mugent]

I think digital gives an immediate satisfaction, I'm not sure very young children have the patience for film, or any patience at all...
Obviously developing your own film has it's own satisfaction.
Digital also allows them to make as many mistakes as they want with no cost associated with it.

Also, something either very sturdy, or very cheap.

 

[Vobluda]

I gave my almost 4yo Ricoh GRD I.
Snap focus and f3.5 = all in focus.

 

[GaryLH]

What do you know.

After reading your thread, I happened to go over to dp review tonight. That ad an article about cameras for kids. I haven't read it. U get to be the first.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/2013/06/21/best-digital-cameras-for-kids

Gary

 

[brainwood]

My daughters interest in photography took off after she bought a Holga 120. She had the use a compact digital camera and my old DSLR but only became interested in photography itself when she came across the various Lomography sites. Now 16, if she takes a camera its usually the Holga but she does have a YashicaMat as well. To start with though she just had a cheap compact which is probably the best start.

 

[nikon_sam]

I taught our son to use a Minolta SRT102 for a fourth grade school project...it took very little time to show him how to use the meter, focus and frame...our daughter learned on a Pentax MX...
My concern with digital is...are they really learning anything with a do it all camera...???
Shooting with a manual film camera you learn the basics and that's not a bad place to start...

 

[YYV_146]

I taught our son to use a Minolta SRT102 for a fourth grade school project...it took very little time to show him how to use the meter, focus and frame...our daughter learned on a Pentax MX...
My concern with digital is...are they really learning anything with a do it all camera...???
Shooting with a manual film camera you learn the basics and that's not a bad place to start...

I want my kids to be at the forefront of technology, but photography is different, a lot of film skill will convert to digital skills and vice versa.

One of the things I will be teaching them, regardless of equipment, is post-processing. Can't imagine a better way to steer them clear of instagram and the like🙂

 

[akptc]

My 10 year old daughter was happy with an old cheap film camera last year but went bananas over the Olympus Tough TG-1 that I gave her this week. She still has a DSLR kit that goes up to 300mm for those few trips to the zoo but the small form factor, quick AF, and general cuteness of the TG-1 made it a hands-down winner as her every-day carry camera (it fits in her super-tiny backpack that she takes everywhere).

 

[froyd]

For kids under 8, a durable digital is probably the best choice.

A great deal can be learned about photographic decisions from the immediate feedback on the camera display. The delay in seeing results inherent to film photography makes it hard for the younger children to remember exposure and framing considerations that had been made days or weeks earlier.

After 8-10, a good manual camera can teach a lot more than a digital P&S, and by then the basics of framing should have been mastered.

Having said that, I try not to force a particular way of seeing on my kids, and I'm always surprised to at the mix of happy accidents and bizarre POVs in their photos.

 

[ivanuskokovic]

12 yrs old

12 yrs old

My aunt asked me for advice concerning what camera and lens to get my 12 year old cousin for his first photography class (at a specific price point) back when I worked at a camera shop. She walked out with a chrome Nikon FM2n and a Nikon 50mm f/1.8 AI (or AIS - I don't remember exactly) at a bargain.

Apparently my little cousin loves the camera and is doing very well in his class.

About 7 months in to him using it, the internal meter stopped working properly. My aunt confronted me, asking if it was possible to repair - pleading she wouldn't be able to buy him another camera. My 12 year old cousin butted in to our conversation saying, "Mom, no - don't worry! I've been using the light meter application on my iPhone!"

 

[mfunnell]

Digital only, but this went up recently on dpReview:

http://www.dpreview.com/articles/5154059852/best-digital-cameras-for-kids

Disclaimer: I haven't read it (no kids) so I don't really know whether their advice is good, or not.

...Mike