Someone keeps stealing my camera. Each time I download my photographs I discover images that are entirely new to me. Of course, the girls deny all knowledge.
The self-portraits, however, tell a different story. As do the endless shots of Sylvanians. Time to get Matilda a camera, I think. But where to start? Can anyone recommend a basic digital camera for a thirteen-year-old?
It depends how much you are willing or able to spend but my first digital camera is a Fuji Finepix S5700 which I think is wonderful and was less than £100. With just the one lens you can switch between Telephoto and Macro, which can take shots at 1cm from the subject, it is also quite small and easy to handle. It has probably been superseded by now but there will be similar models. Good luck!
Hmmm the price is the thing I haven’t quite got my head around yet. I think this will be a Christmas present and she may chip in with her savings. But I like the idea of switching between telephoto and macro – my camera can’t do that (a telephoto lens is on my wish list!)
Matilda’s photos are beautiful. What camera is it that you have Charlotte? I feel its time to graduate from my phone camera so I’ll be checking the comments for advice as well.
Thank you – she’s read these replies and was very flattered! I’ve had to tell her that we are thinking of getting a camera for her for Christmas because she might want to bump up the price a bit with her pocket money!
My camera is a Lumix GF1 (Panasonic) and Joe bought it for me two years ago. He bought it second hand at the Camera Exchange. It’s an excellent camera, though I can’t say that I’ve really mastered all that it can do, and there is a lot of luck rather than judgement in my photography. I can’t remember the lens details off-hand, but it’s great for everything I need apart from long distances – and I really would love to get a telephoto lens as well one day.
No advice, I’m afraid, but she clearly has an eye for a picture! (And that will take her a lot further than all the technology in the world).
That’s very sweet of you, Moira, and as with Ileana’s comment, above, Matilda was really flattered.
Dear Charlotte
My camera is a basic point and click Kodak Easyshare 14 megapixel one, for less than £100 and I really like it a lot. Easy to use but it takes lovely photos with clear, bright colours. Have a look on my blog (especially the flower/garden pics) as I use it for all my photos. I know that Kodak is defunct now, but I still like their cameras. My husband has a basic Fuji Finepix which is very similar to my Kodak and a good basic camera too.
Hope this is helpful.
Best wishes
Ellie
Hello again, Charlotte
Forgot to leave the blog details – oops. http://www.feltabulous.blogspot.
Best wishes
Ellie
Hi there thanks for the advice, I’ll check out your pics and the cameras you mention, though I can’t seem to make the link work, but I’ll search your blog via google. Feel free to re-post the link.
I haven’t bought one in a year or two but if I were to replace my current point & shoot I’d probably choose a Panasonic. My first one was a Panasonic and my current (4 years younger) Canon Ixus just doesn’t take such good photos!
Since she’s quite young I think it’s probably best to go with a compact little thing that isn’t too expensive, last time I replaced mine I spent £100 for a fairly low-end one and it’s perfectly serviceable.
You can look at photos taken with different camera models on Flickr’s camera finder section.
Whatever you go for make sure you check camerapricebuster to find a good deal
I didn’t know about Flickr’s camera finder section, thanks for that, and camerapricebuster too. Very helpful. Thank you.
I like the Canon Ixus series. My husband has one and we’ve bought them for two of our kids. They have just the right amount of features for them to explore (most of which an adult would never find or use!) and I think (unlike Sarah above whoops) that they take great photos and video and are very affordable. Make sure not to get one with the rechargeable AA batteries but rather a pack that sits in a charger, much more practical and doesn’t need replacing.
Thank you – how old are your children? Same sort of age as Matilda? Good advice about the charger – batteries are a complete pain aren’t they, bitter experience recently with a friend’s toddler and a battery-hungry remote control car, poor child was amazingly patient about it all thought.