Advice needed for a digital camera for a 76 year old

Bustedup · 03-27-2015, 07:59 PM

My mom is wanting to get into digital photography. Show is 76 years old and TOTALLY computer illiterate. She will take snapshots of family but she will get artsy doing macro's of flowers, photos of old churches, etc. She is an artist of many parts. She sews, paints, knits, paints ceramics, does decoupage, and has done photography for 40 years. Now that she is painting, she wants to photograph subjects, enlarge them for her aging eyes and recreate them with paint.
She needs a SIMPLE to use camera that is known to produce great images. Any brand, not just Pentax is up for consideration. She totally understands apertures, exposure compensation, backlighting. A bigger view screen for her aging eyes is mandatory.
Is there any one image editing/organizing software that is more simple to use than others to actually use?
Any ideas?

Thanks,
Alan

Aaron28 · 03-27-2015, 08:16 PM

the K-01 is designed to be used by the lcd screen on the rear exclusively (no view finder) and can be had for a song anymore.........couldn't say on the software......I use sony play memories that came with a camcorder I got a few years back that works for me but I am not a nut about post production.........you can get anything really depending on what she likes and what fits your budget........some folks will put a second mortgage on a house for some gear recommendations

**UncleVanya** · 03-27-2015, 08:34 PM

EDIT: Ignore. I misread the original info about her familiarity with exposure.

K50 (and K30) has scene (SCN) modes that allow a person with limited knowledge to tell the camera what effect they want. I think the KS1 and KS2 also offer this.

rawr · 03-27-2015, 09:20 PM

If money wasn't an issue, I'd go with something like a Sony RX-100 (v3, with the inbuilt EVF), a Fuji X-30, or the K-S2 with the Sigma or Pentax 17-70.

For simple software, you can't really beat Google's Picasa. Easy to use, easy to email photos, make basic corrections, has face detection, free.

**UncleVanya** · 03-27-2015, 09:29 PM

I use Pixlr and a Chromebook to do most of my editing.

drypenn · 03-27-2015, 09:53 PM - **1 Like**

She'll need a light, small yet durable gear with intuitive menu. She's into arts, so IQ should be a must. She has been doing photography for a couple of decades so she will have expectations and she should know photography like the back of her hand. She'll need a photographer's tool.

Ricoh GR.

**dms** · 03-27-2015, 10:18 PM

Frankly you are describing an artist/photographer that is more capable than most of us. The only part she does not do is the pp (and neither does David Hockney!). And most of us didn't until digital.

Anyway I think a viewfinder (for a visual artist) is necessary. The viewscreen actually seems unimportant--if she knows how to take photos she will use it like a camera. The biggest questions likely: does she prefer a zoom or a single FL--what did she use before. Does she use AF or manual? The brand and sensor size are likely unimportant.

Shouldn't she pick the camera?

hongzhibin1987 · 03-27-2015, 11:19 PM

depends on your budget.
If she's very good at adapting into new stuff, and have control towards small buttons, i'll say probably try M43 series and Fuji systems. Especially Fuji system since it provides film simulation, which can save her a lot from editing photos on pc.
IMO Pentax/Ricoh is not designed for her.

abmj · 03-28-2015, 12:39 AM

Ricoh GR or Sony RX100. I'd stay away from DSLR.

Arjay Bee · 03-28-2015, 12:55 AM

Just thought i'd share some aged folks experiences from my family.
My 89 year old mother just bought a replacement digicam - she has a panasonic something - had a sony before that for many years and loved it but misplaced it in a public park (a bugger moment) - she has done photography for decades and has always used rangefinders/digicams - she wasn't sure about digital and stuck with film until 5 years ago - now she occasionally gets confused with menus and 'forgets' how to download at times - my 90 year old father just started with a laptop a year or two ago so they are getting a few digital albums together on that - with only the occasional plea for help.
Mum just goes down to the local photo printer and puts the card in the machine and prints off the images she likes when she wants and downloads the rest when a younger relative is around to support. No printer in the house.

Giklab · 03-28-2015, 01:12 AM

How about a phone/tablet and a clip-on macro lens? Instant big-ass screen. And a table stand or one of those Gorillapods.
A fixed lens could turn out to be limiting though.

A Galaxy Zoom?
Or a WG with its macro mode?

I'd rather not recommend a DSLR. Maybe an E-M10 with the pancake zoom?

Bunch · 03-28-2015, 01:19 AM

My daughter has an old Pentax X-5 that takes pretty good photos. Tilt screen and a macro mode.

**UncleVanya** · 03-28-2015, 04:39 AM

I missed part of the info about her experience with exposure ignore my earlier info. An option perhaps worth considering is a Ks2 and the dedicated app to transfer photos to a tablet for the large screen view.

**vrphoto** · 03-28-2015, 04:46 AM - **1 Like**

From my own experience (although I'm not yet your mum's age) may I suggest that the best solution will depend on the sort of camera that she used for her 40 years' worth of photography. If she used an SLR, then she will be used to stabilising the camera against her face. Holding out the camera at arm's length to look at the LCD to take a good photo needs different skills - I still can't do it although I tried very hard

Bustedup · 03-28-2015, 11:33 AM

Wow, you all make valid points I never thought about. She used an Olympus OM-10. For her it is the learning curve of the computer and camera menu's getting too complicated too fast. I guess I just need to taker her to Best Buy or Target and let her handle some of the newer cameras instead of guessing what she might like.

03-27-2015, 07:59 PM	#1
Bustedup Junior Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 25	Advice needed for a digital camera for a 76 year old My mom is wanting to get into digital photography. Show is 76 years old and TOTALLY computer illiterate. She will take snapshots of family but she will get artsy doing macro's of flowers, photos of old churches, etc. She is an artist of many parts. She sews, paints, knits, paints ceramics, does decoupage, and has done photography for 40 years. Now that she is painting, she wants to photograph subjects, enlarge them for her aging eyes and recreate them with paint. She needs a SIMPLE to use camera that is known to produce great images. Any brand, not just Pentax is up for consideration. She totally understands apertures, exposure compensation, backlighting. A bigger view screen for her aging eyes is mandatory. Is there any one image editing/organizing software that is more simple to use than others to actually use? Any ideas? Thanks, Alan

03-27-2015, 08:34 PM	#3
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,400	EDIT: Ignore. I misread the original info about her familiarity with exposure. K50 (and K30) has scene (SCN) modes that allow a person with limited knowledge to tell the camera what effect they want. I think the KS1 and KS2 also offer this. Last edited by UncleVanya; 03-28-2015 at 04:40 AM.

03-28-2015, 12:39 AM	#9
abmj Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Central California Posts: 600	Ricoh GR or Sony RX100. I'd stay away from DSLR. Last edited by abmj; 03-28-2015 at 12:50 AM.

03-28-2015, 01:12 AM	#11
Giklab Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Slovenia Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,182	How about a phone/tablet and a clip-on macro lens? Instant big-ass screen. And a table stand or one of those Gorillapods. A fixed lens could turn out to be limiting though. A Galaxy Zoom? Or a WG with its macro mode? I'd rather not recommend a DSLR. Maybe an E-M10 with the pancake zoom? Last edited by Giklab; 03-28-2015 at 01:18 AM.

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03-27-2015, 08:16 PM	#2
Aaron28 Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: Huntsville, Al Posts: 7,131	the K-01 is designed to be used by the lcd screen on the rear exclusively (no view finder) and can be had for a song anymore.........couldn't say on the software......I use sony play memories that came with a camcorder I got a few years back that works for me but I am not a nut about post production.........you can get anything really depending on what she likes and what fits your budget........some folks will put a second mortgage on a house for some gear recommendations

03-27-2015, 09:20 PM	#4
rawr Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 11,913	If money wasn't an issue, I'd go with something like a Sony RX-100 (v3, with the inbuilt EVF), a Fuji X-30, or the K-S2 with the Sigma or Pentax 17-70. For simple software, you can't really beat Google's Picasa. Easy to use, easy to email photos, make basic corrections, has face detection, free.

03-27-2015, 09:29 PM	#5
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,400	I use Pixlr and a Chromebook to do most of my editing.

03-27-2015, 09:53 PM - 1 Like	#6
drypenn Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Photos: Albums Posts: 963	She'll need a light, small yet durable gear with intuitive menu. She's into arts, so IQ should be a must. She has been doing photography for a couple of decades so she will have expectations and she should know photography like the back of her hand. She'll need a photographer's tool. Ricoh GR.

03-27-2015, 10:18 PM	#7
dms Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: New York, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,192	Frankly you are describing an artist/photographer that is more capable than most of us. The only part she does not do is the pp (and neither does David Hockney!). And most of us didn't until digital. Anyway I think a viewfinder (for a visual artist) is necessary. The viewscreen actually seems unimportant--if she knows how to take photos she will use it like a camera. The biggest questions likely: does she prefer a zoom or a single FL--what did she use before. Does she use AF or manual? The brand and sensor size are likely unimportant. Shouldn't she pick the camera?

03-27-2015, 11:19 PM	#8
hongzhibin1987 Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Albuquerque, NM Posts: 464	depends on your budget. If she's very good at adapting into new stuff, and have control towards small buttons, i'll say probably try M43 series and Fuji systems. Especially Fuji system since it provides film simulation, which can save her a lot from editing photos on pc. IMO Pentax/Ricoh is not designed for her.

03-28-2015, 12:55 AM	#10
Arjay Bee Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Horn Island, Torres Straits, Q Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,715	Just thought i'd share some aged folks experiences from my family. My 89 year old mother just bought a replacement digicam - she has a panasonic something - had a sony before that for many years and loved it but misplaced it in a public park (a bugger moment) - she has done photography for decades and has always used rangefinders/digicams - she wasn't sure about digital and stuck with film until 5 years ago - now she occasionally gets confused with menus and 'forgets' how to download at times - my 90 year old father just started with a laptop a year or two ago so they are getting a few digital albums together on that - with only the occasional plea for help. Mum just goes down to the local photo printer and puts the card in the machine and prints off the images she likes when she wants and downloads the rest when a younger relative is around to support. No printer in the house.

03-28-2015, 01:19 AM	#12
Bunch Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 283	My daughter has an old Pentax X-5 that takes pretty good photos. Tilt screen and a macro mode.

03-28-2015, 04:39 AM	#13
UncleVanya Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2014 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 28,400	I missed part of the info about her experience with exposure ignore my earlier info. An option perhaps worth considering is a Ks2 and the dedicated app to transfer photos to a tablet for the large screen view.

03-28-2015, 04:46 AM - 1 Like	#14
vrphoto Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Melbourne Posts: 150	From my own experience (although I'm not yet your mum's age) may I suggest that the best solution will depend on the sort of camera that she used for her 40 years' worth of photography. If she used an SLR, then she will be used to stabilising the camera against her face. Holding out the camera at arm's length to look at the LCD to take a good photo needs different skills - I still can't do it although I tried very hard

03-28-2015, 11:33 AM	#15
Bustedup Junior Member Join Date: May 2014 Posts: 25 Original Poster	Wow, you all make valid points I never thought about. She used an Olympus OM-10. For her it is the learning curve of the computer and camera menu's getting too complicated too fast. I guess I just need to taker her to Best Buy or Target and let her handle some of the newer cameras instead of guessing what she might like.