Scooby Snacks 23

My son (age 4) has suddenly started taking an interest (I use the term loosely considering his age) in taking photos and he seems to always want to use our camera or our phones to take pictures. I don't think he's too interested in seeing the end result printed, but he likes the idea of being snap happy.

I thought I'd get him one for Xmas, but there doesn't seem to be much of a choice. It should be fairly rugged as it's likely to be dropped but I've seen ones for circa £60 with less than half a megapixel which means it would look shiite.

Anyone got any kids with one? Advice welcome!

Snazy

I would have thought the market would be full of 3mp compacts these days, way under £60.... Will look now

Find the Perfect Digital Cameras | Comet

Digital Cameras - 5.99 MP & Below - Ebuyer

LanCat

Try the Kodak refurbished website.

KODAK Online Shop - Refurbished Cameras

7mp for about £50. Got one for our 5 year old, perfect. Budget for some good rechargeable AA's too.

yoza

A review below for a VETECHKIDIZOOM which I am looking at for my 4 year old son.
Kidizoom: Multimedia Digital Camera - VTech


I am also looking at second hand cameras, of much better quality, larger viewing screens etc, but im worried that they do too much, buttons too small, and wont have the drop factor required.

Can anyone remember the advert with the child and the dog throwing a camera around the garden, what model was this?



Durability: Fun: Educational:
I read the reviews on this camera before buying it and decided that durability and ease of use were more important than picture quality - not least because it was to be a present for my 4yr old, but his 2yr old little brother was bound to use it, so it had to be tough enough to cope with a toddler. We opened and experimented with it before giving it to our son, so we knew how to get decent images (Hold it still, make sure there's plenty of light - natural if possible - and don't get too close), and could coach him.

My son is utterly delighted with it. Both boys have taken decent pictures with it, and my 4yr old was familiar with the main functions within minutes. he can snap away with it and has produced a lovely record of his typical day, and what interests him. He's never had a computer console, so he's just as
pleased with the (very basic) games as with the camera.

It is only really camera phone quality, and you get the best results with natural light, but I remember my first camera being much more fiddly to use and giving poorer results. My son is more interested in taking photos and knowing he has them than actually reviewing them so he has yet to notice that I delete the less successful ones!

My only gripe is the batteries. We are using duracell and getting a decent battery life from them, but rechargeable ones would be so much easier (and cheaper) to use. The memory cards are pretty cheap, so it's worth getting one to avoid losing photos when the batteries go.

I wouldn't get one of these for an older child who could be trusted to look after a proper camera, but for a pre-schooler (especially one with younger siblings), it is just the job.

Later YOZA

SwissTony

iTrader: (19)

TBH, at that age he will not get anything out of it and even though you mean well, you will see lots of this




and this





and this




But hey, if he is keen go for it

sarasquares

iTrader: (1)

i let my daughter use an old mobile phone to take pics

speye91

Search Results - Toys R Us - Britain's greatest toy store

HankScorpio

YouTube - Olympus Tough MJU 790SW Advert

yoza

Thanks.

Scooby Snacks 23

Thanks for the responses so far

Chatted with the wife last night and decided to go for something fairly cheap to see how he takes to it and will progress to something better if he sticks at it.

I think the best idea so far is Sara's as I've got loads of old mobiles lying around, so I'll charge one up and let him have that for the time being.

pwhittle

I got the ELC double-grip one half price (£25). Pretty awful image quality, but dead easy to use, drop-proof (I'm not to keen on her using my £2k DSL!), and has got her interested.
Within an hour of having it, she was moving things around to take photos, which was nice to see. She's used it in the studuo too, bossing a poor but obliging model around!

I want to believe

Lloyds Pharmacy - Budz My First Digital Camera=

50% off now £15

scoobybubbles

wow my 3 year old likes taking pics, but hate having them taken of her! i love the look and price of the lloyds pharmacy one!!! nice lil camera for a tot!

think i may have to get her one for crimbo!

Scooby Snacks 23

First class find - that'll dingdangdo (the colour makes it difficult to lose to, so that's an added bonus )