Digital camera recommendations for a 6 year old kid?

Olympus makes a somewhat shock-proof camera that will withstand a drop of a couple of feet and is somewhat waterproof, but I believe it's out of your price range.

I found a Polaroid digicam (I think it's i630 maybe) on sale for under $50. I plan to give it to our granddaughter on her 7th birthday. Right now she is using an old p&s Nikon One-touch (film) I have no idea how this camera will hold up, cheap digicams are rather delicate. Fisher Price makes a kid friendly digicam, and Staples has a Crayola Kid camera in stock. Realistically, any child that age (and some adults) will have to have some amount of supervision in using a real camera to make sure they don't leave it outside in the rain or trade it for a Yugioh card or some such thing that seems like a good idea at the time. A child will probably not have much trouble learning how to use the camera and download their images. I think it is a great idea, get 'em started young!

Both my grandchildren (6 and 8) have some interest in photography. Our granddaughter is quite a critic. She can point out a good picture from a poor one in a heartbeat. She usually has at least 20 keepers from a 24 exposure roll, and her photos rarely suffer from camera shake. She doesn't know much about composition or exposure, but she usually can identify nice lighting when she sees it. The grandson likes to use my D80 and tries to capture animals and birds. He had a blast at the zoo shooting all the snakes and reptiles. He is not as interested as she is, though. They both recognise a "photo-op" when they see one, and continually suggest things Grandma might have missed. Mine have always seen Grandma with a camera attached to her face, and have spent lots of hours surfing photography sites with me and looking at out photo albums. They probably think everyone shoots several hundred frames a month, so it is normal that they might be interested in photography.

With digital, kids can snap as much as they want. Teach them first how to focus, how to smoothly press the button, and hold the camera still. Some digicams no longer have a viewfinder (bad thing) It is much easier to hold the camera steady if you are pressing it against your forehead and looking through the finder. Learn them good technique to begin with to get sharp images. Do be in the habit of looking together at the photos, and gently point out why picture A might be a better capture than B. Discuss the angle and how the light was striking subjects. Look at magazines and point out beautiful photos when you see them. Kids usually have a unique take on photography and can be very creative. You never know what they will find intriguing. Photography will open up a lasting line of communication and understanding. Enjoy!

Kid Friendly Digital Camera

This is the best photography course online:

http://photography-course.info/

You can be like the masses of humanity and buy a camera you can afford that has auto this and that for worry free picture taking. And learn through trial and error how to use something like aperture or shutter priority auto modes or even attempt to use the thing on full manual mode.

You seem to know already there is some thinking to using a camera and to take pictures. A good place to start is by reading the owners manual that comes with a camera. Read the information and look at the illustrations with part names and look at the real camera. Handle the camera and take pictures. Let me rephrase that. Take pictures to learn how to use the camera and maybe even to keep some. Don't start with important stuff you cannot photograph over again such as birthdays, a toddlers first steps. That puts picture taking out of the learning phase and puts the pressure and emphasis to taking pictures for real and to keep.

These first pictures are for you to learn how to use your camera. And you have learned how to use your camera when you can take pictures with it and can teach others how to use it. Honest. You can also go to a college in your area and take a beginning photography course. There you will be taught the basics even a pro must learn and do in their work. Camera handling and use, taking exposures with film and/or digital cameras, and maybe even some photo assignments to get some real time learning. In this learning do not take serious pictures you must keep as that detracts from the learning aspect of the class. Do so only if you have mastered the use of your camera before class is over.

It's like growing up in a way. And I am happy you know there is a way to learn how to use a camera and take pictures. It's like learning how to drive I suppose. Someone can teach you or you can get taught at a driving school. Both will get you a drivers liscense. One though will really teach you the fundamentals you can use for the rest of your driving career.

I taught photography to kids through our local 4-H had over 50 kids in each class... some were really good. You may want to be careful and not go tooo small because it then becomes hard for them to handle in the reverse. Walmart always has 2 or 3 mps cameras for under $50 and they are geared specifically toward kids, some even have cartoon characters on them. I would probably go with one of those until he/she reaches an older age. Also, I used 2 books in my class one called Click! for the little kids, I just gave this book away or I would just send it to you and the National Geographic Field Guide for Kids... Both wonderful books for kids... I even enjoyed the field guide. Easiest way ever to explain f-stops to someone. Good Luck! And by the way, I think it is great you are passing the love of photography onto a future generation.. I did it with my niece who is now 17 and she has already been published twice and is blowing people away in competitions.. course digital didn't exist for her when she was young!

This Site Might Help You.

RE:

Digital camera recommendations for a 6 year old kid?

My kid shows quite a bit of interest in my camera and photography when I'm taking pics. And I chanced upon this article "Getting your kids started with taking digital photos" at...

My grandson is 6 yr old and for Christmas I bought him a $20 digital camera from Walmart. By New Years Day he had lost it. Check out what is available at Walmart.

Well for a first camera, I would recommend a cheap one, around $20 it will probably get lost or broken/banged up. At walmart they have many styles for kids. They have Disney characters and such,with pretty good mega pixels "for a kid".

First of all--Save your money on the $100 deal. I am going to search for this one camera that I got for my kid. Hang on and I will post a link.

http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_...

They have many varities out there...don't expect him to be overly responsible with it...he is only 6 1/2. The above link shows some reasonable fun cameras for his age.

Dora the Explorer digital camera