Some cameras for kids look more like a toy than a camera.
Choosing a good digital camera for kids is a lot like choosing one for yourself. Digital cameras should have some basic features to make picture taking easy and pleasurable. There are many types of digital cameras for kids; some look more like a toy than a camera, yet take surprisingly good pictures, while others look like one you may want to own yourself.
For Ages 4-6
Your amateur photographer may just need his own gear, even at an early age. The Fisher Price Kid-Tough Digital Camera should fit the bill and is plenty rugged for the learning curve ahead. It has durable shock-proof coating for the unexpected but likely drops and surprisingly good image quality. Expandable memory means your budding photographer can take hundreds of pictures. And with LCD screens, she can get instant feedback of her shots.
It is a 1.3-megapixel model and has a 1.6-inch LCD optical viewfinder, built-in flash, 8MB of internal memory and can accept up to a 1GB SD card for additional images. Uses four AA batteries and is compatible with Windows 2000/ME/XP/Vista and Mac.
For Ages 6-11
Your school-age child might not be keen on using the Fisher Price kids camera, but the Vtech might just be the right fit. This camera, while made with similar colorful, rugged, made-to-take-a-beating materials, is much less toylike and takes very nice pictures. It even has movie mode, which is a feature found on many pricier digital cameras. One nice feature is the included USB and AV cables, so he can view his pictures on a TV or a computer, just like Mom and Dad.
The Vtech Kidizoom Camera is 2-megapixel model with a 1.8-inch LCD viewfinder. It has movie mode with sound, 16 MB of internal memory and a SD card expandable up to 2 GB. Uses four AA batteries. This model is compatible with Pentium 1GHz/Windows 2000/XP.
For Ages 12 and Up
At this age, your child likely views photography as a hobby or just wants a more grown-up device to capture life's moments. Good digital cameras for children double as great cameras for adults at this level. Today's entry-level digital cameras can be found on sale for $100 to $200, and some models offer top-notch features for a little bit more.
The Kodak EasyShare Z915 is a durable and fast 10-megapixel model offering a 2.5-inch LCD screen, 10x optical zoom, video capture, image stabilization and fast performance. This model operates on two AA batteries and can be operated in manual or automatic with 17 scene modes to get that perfect shot. Compatible with Windows XP/Vista and Mac OS X 10.3 or later.
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