PDA

View Full Version : Looking for a camera for an 8 year old

skidiver
09-19-2006, 08:50 PM
Hi folks,

My daughter wants a digital camera for her 8th birthday. Any recommendations for an inexpensive, durable digital camera? I'd like to keep it under $100 if possible.

The Nikon L4 looks good, for just a bit over $100. Walmart has a Vivitar 3785 for less than $70:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4228523

Any suggestions and/or recommendations would be most appreciated.

We don't need anything fancy, just something inexpensive and reliable that takes decent pictures and will hold up well to an eight year old's use.
timmciglobal
09-19-2006, 09:09 PM
The nikon is infintily better.

Tim
timmciglobal
09-19-2006, 09:40 PM
Might also consider a canon A430.

I'd say A430 > L4 > That other POS.

Tim
tim11
09-19-2006, 10:57 PM
I bought Canon A430 for my 7 y.o. That was my first thought when first reading this thread, but it was a little over the budget.
A430 will be ideal though. It's built like a tank, real optical zoom... enough features to start a young person into photography.
skidiver
09-20-2006, 07:45 AM
What are the advantages of the A430 over the L4? I can get the L4 for $107 and the A430 looks to be about $150. Is the A430 more durable? Easier for kids to use?
timmciglobal
09-20-2006, 03:00 PM
Better image quality, faster flash recharge. Seems to be worth the few extra dollars.

Tim
skidiver
09-21-2006, 10:14 AM
How about the Kodak C310? Looks simple and inexpensive. I know it's not as good as the Canon A430 (or the Nikon L4, for that matter), but would it be a good choice for an 8 year old?
tim11
09-22-2006, 06:45 AM
I'd recommend Kodak C330 but not C310.
C330 has 3x optical zoom (real zoom). C310 has no optical zoom at all. If you can't get C330 within your budget, I'd say get the L4.
skidiver
09-22-2006, 07:44 AM
Yeah, the C330 might fit within my budget. My thought was that the C310 might be more durable for an 8-year old b/c it doesn't have a zoom.
tim11
09-22-2006, 07:54 AM
You could be right but... there won't be much room for creativity for him, is there?
Coincidently, I bought a Kodak CX7310 for my 6 y.o. boy. It's still working now but he outgrew it and that's why I bought Canon A430 just last week for him. The camera only has no optical zoom and it is focus-free. That means you can't even press shutter halfway to focus - once you touch the shutter it clicks. He couldn't even learn to focus properly.
I have a feeling the C310 might be the same as the CX7310.