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01-24-2023, 07:37 AM   #1
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"real" digital camera or camera/lens combination to give in the hands of a toddler.

Hi all,

Not for the faint of heart, but anyone knows a decent "real" digital camera to give in the hands of a toddler?
My toddler would anyway try to get hands on the camera I like best, but either way I look for something I can hand over without breaking a sweat

Already I found a funny wooden toy with a little caleidoscope glass in front of it, and now have to pose for this camera regularily.
I already handed over my K-X with a Sigma 30mm a few times, but that combination is very heavy. The screwdrive, mirror and shutter noises are a big success!
What's cool, and what I'm looking for, is that the pictures coming out of it were sometimes pretty nice, different perspective.

Also sometimes use the camera phone for the mirrorless experience, but I like to keep to the idea of looking through a window and making a picture.

- most important for me: should have an as large as possible optical window to look through. A small window doesn't really work yet I noticed, and the advantage of optical is that it's also fun when turned off
- needs to survive the kind of drop force you can expect from a toddler, if you know what I mean so the more rugged the better, and also not to expensive in case it breaks
- not too heavy and a good grip.
- bonus points if it has a good sounding shutter and AF
- needs to get at least some result in bad indoor light
- can be a toy camera, as long as it's digital
- below $100
- doesn't have to be a pentax, likely anyway not a Pentax Q or something popular like that because they are so expensive
- lens should not be too much at the side of the camera, because that is where you hold it - somehow many kids camera designs don't think about this...

Additions:

- If you know of any good experiences with some digital camera for kids that don't necessarily have the points above, also happy to hear!

- I saw a camera without OVF, but with a thermal printer built in, shaped like an Instax mini, which I absolutely need to have now Reviews seem to be positive

- Also a camera compatible with duplo blocks, seems some fun

- maybe there are also some of those really crappy bridge style cameras that are sold to unsuspecting people trying to buy a camera, that might fit the use case for handing it to a kid.


Last edited by pimpim; 01-24-2023 at 07:59 AM.
01-24-2023, 07:55 AM   #2
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Back in the day when I had little kids, this was about 9 years ago, my A3000 had just died, and I had an SMC-M 50mm f2 that I had tried to open to clean some fungus, and failed, I could never put the blades back on right. So I put that lens on the camera and they finished destroying it... but at least it lasted a few months of dropping and knocking around.

A bit later my older son really wanted to take actual pictures so I gave him my original Sony P200 that I had since 2004 or so (about 10 years)... he managed to destroy it within 15 minutes.

I told him he had to wait a bit before getting a new camera.... he's now 14 and last year I gave him my K-50 and DA 35 2.4, but he never uses them.
01-24-2023, 07:58 AM - 1 Like   #3
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It does not cover all that is important to you, but I bought my 3 year old this:

https://www.walmart.ca/en/ip/Kids-Camera-Kids-Digital-Camera-for-Boys-Girls-...D739WUOX9V8O9?

It does not have an OVF.
It does not appear very durable.

But it has:
8MP front camera
Rear facing camera (positioned in the viewfinder)
1080p video
Internal charging
32GB interchangeable memory
Many different filters
3 built-in games
Good autofocus and shutter sounds..

Best of all - it's super, super affordable.


She absolutely loves it.
It took her a bit to figure that she doesn't need to hold it to her eye (no OVF).

Otherwise, I also gave her a Spotmatic with a cheap 55mm to play with.

Best luck!
01-24-2023, 08:52 AM   #4
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What about scouting around some garage sales or thrift stores and seeing if you can find an older digital P&S camera? Some of those old 6 megapixel cameras are going for under $10 a lot of times.

01-24-2023, 09:02 AM   #5
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An old cell phone? You can get an Iphone 4 or 5 on Ebay for less than $50. Doesn't make as much/the right noise, though?! I think you can take pictures and offload them by a cord without needing it to be "on line." Get a case protector, and he can drop it at will.

And, as a plus (?!), he can start learning how to use some of the phone features!

---------- Post added 01-24-23 at 09:08 AM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by TaoMaas Quote
What about scouting around some garage sales or thrift stores and seeing if you can find an older digital P&S camera? Some of those old 6 megapixel cameras are going for under $10 a lot of times.
A good idea. Maybe even better: back when I was trying to create a B&W camera (Converting (part of) a Pentax *istD Camera Sensor to a Black & White Sensor - PentaxForums.com), I asked on a local social web site (Next Door) whether anybody had an old P&S camera to give away. I got immediate offers of the two mentioned in my saga. No cost, all I had to do was pick them up.
01-24-2023, 09:11 AM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by FozzFoster Quote
It does not cover all that is important to you, but I bought my 3 year old this:

...
Rear facing camera (positioned in the viewfinder)
...
3 built-in games
Good autofocus and shutter sounds..

Best of all - it's super, super affordable.

She absolutely loves it.
It took her a bit to figure that she doesn't need to hold it to her eye (no OVF).

Otherwise, I also gave her a Spotmatic with a cheap 55mm to play with.

Best luck!
Thanks! the AF is a good point, and to have games is a useful addition, so one item to bring along can be used for distraction, thank you for reminding me!
I wondered what that OVF/EVF looking thing was for. I appreciate that they gave it two cameras but a bit sad by that design choice on 'wrong' use of the viewfinder

The analog camera can be a bit painful when falling on toes I remember that myself from my analog KX (now stolen sadly)

---------- Post added 24-01-23 at 09:16 ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by ChristianRock Quote
I told him he had to wait a bit before getting a new camera.... he's now 14 and last year I gave him my K-50 and DA 35 2.4, but he never uses them.
I guess you can never really influence what someone will like, but I hope with how easy it is to get an old camera in this day and age, it will be possible to not fear 'accidents' with a camera. In fact I'm rather clumsy myself
The DA 35 2.4 is a lens I've been thinking of, lightweight, reasonably wide, good optics, and not as expensive as the pancakes, but it still goes for about 80 bucks Maybe will end up with a 18-55 kit zoom, they are a dime a dozen.

---------- Post added 24-01-23 at 09:19 ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by AstroDave Quote
An old cell phone? You can get an Iphone 4 or 5 on Ebay for less than $50. Doesn't make as much/the right noise, though?! I think you can take pictures and offload them by a cord without needing it to be "on line." Get a case protector, and he can drop it at will.
Already doing that! removed the sim card to avoid accidental calls Use it as a music player mostly. Making photos on a smartphone turns out to be not very easy as a toddler, put your thumb on the wrong spot and everything doesn't work anymore. Also personally still start video when I want a photo, or accidentally swipe which switches from front to rear camera and back. It's always nearby, really see the use of a phone for photos, but ergonomically.... uff!!

---------- Post added 24-01-23 at 09:29 ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by TaoMaas Quote
What about scouting around some garage sales or thrift stores and seeing if you can find an older digital P&S camera? Some of those old 6 megapixel cameras are going for under $10 a lot of times.
Thanks for the tip! It's easier for me to check online classified ads, but I would be interested to know which ones would be fun.
Maybe I'll start keeping my eye out for a panasonic lx1 starting with low bidding, though I already see this going south, ending up with me still wanting some enthusiast model that is highly sought after

---------- Post added 24-01-23 at 09:43 ----------

ok, some ideas from scrolling the classifieds

- the optio 230 had a (relatively) large-ish viewfinder for digital point and shoots, only 2MP though but what seems to be a decently ergonomic shape
( just discovered the optio 230 had a flip selfie screen which is absolutely bonkers! but maybe a durability test when given to a toddler )
- the optio wpi seems indestructible, 6 whopping megapixels and an interestingly pleasing image quality (no ovf though)!
- the digicam revival is real, people are actually bidding on these old digital cameras again!

Last edited by pimpim; 01-24-2023 at 09:47 AM.
01-24-2023, 10:45 AM   #7
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ZX-L with the mirror gear replaced to brass + DA 40 and a bunch of Ultra Max 400?

01-24-2023, 10:49 AM - 1 Like   #8
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I have a whole host of old digital cameras from advanced point and shoots some bridge cameras, and my K2000. While not generally used by toddlers they are generally used frequently by scouts both at the cub scout level and also Scouts BSA (formerly Boy Scouts of America) for things. For the Webelos and Arrow of LIght dens (the 2 oldest cub scout groups) in the cub scout pack that is attached to the troop I will spend a meeting with them doing part of the art activity where one of the options is photography. It is pretty basic but there is some learning how not to take an awful picture. Those are 4th and 5th graders so still pretty small. Also at shared events I will bring the pile of cameras and let scouts borrow them and shoot pictures that show off the fun things they did. With the big scouts (scouts BSA) I will run photography merit badge and during the even each scout uses one of my cameras or can bring their own if it has options for fully manual or semi automatic modes. However part of the merit badge is creating a photo story and there I will loan out a camera for an extended period of time. I have had cameras go off on big family trips, scout camps, other summer day camps, etc. and they seem to enjoy it.

The thing about those cameras is that the best one is the K2000 and that is the only one I paid money for. The rest were given to me or by someone or some organization who knew that I do this. None of them I expect to last and a couple finally give up the ghost each year but all totaled I spent $100 on the lot and that $100 was for the K2000 and kit lens. I've even asked at my local camera store a few times if they have any working but not worth selling old digitals and explained what I was doing with them and they have given me some if they had any. I would suggest asking around to friends and family and if you have a local camera shop that deals in used asking them. It doesn't hurt that I am in my local camera shop fairly regularly so they know me and I have been going there for ages.
01-24-2023, 11:43 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by pimpim Quote
Not for the faint of heart, but anyone knows a decent "real" digital camera to give in the hands of a toddler?

https://digitalrev.com/category/video/cheap-camera-challenge/

Should be some interesting ideas.
01-24-2023, 12:00 PM   #10
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Green box and AI................................
01-24-2023, 01:32 PM   #11
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I second the idea of an old mobile/cellular phone - with protective covers over the body and screen.

Or how about a Fujifilm Instax? That should be a blast.

01-24-2023, 02:13 PM   #12
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Changing my answer to Instax. Good suggestion Wasp!

After a few years, then get the 35mm film camera.
01-25-2023, 01:09 AM   #13
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I am using the Instax mini with a wide angle click on plastic lens you can get for it, but at about a dollar per photo this is not something to hand to my toddler every day

---------- Post added 25-01-23 at 01:21 ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by MossyRocks Quote
I have a whole host of old digital cameras from advanced point and shoots some bridge cameras, and my K2000. While not generally used by toddlers they are generally used frequently by scouts both at the cub scout level and also Scouts BSA (formerly Boy Scouts of America) for things. For the Webelos and Arrow of LIght dens (the 2 oldest cub scout groups) in the cub scout pack that is attached to the troop I will spend a meeting with them doing part of the art activity where one of the options is photography. It is pretty basic but there is some learning how not to take an awful picture. Those are 4th and 5th graders so still pretty small. Also at shared events I will bring the pile of cameras and let scouts borrow them and shoot pictures that show off the fun things they did. With the big scouts (scouts BSA) I will run photography merit badge and during the even each scout uses one of my cameras or can bring their own if it has options for fully manual or semi automatic modes. However part of the merit badge is creating a photo story and there I will loan out a camera for an extended period of time. I have had cameras go off on big family trips, scout camps, other summer day camps, etc. and they seem to enjoy it.
This is very nice! Back in the early 90s I had a elementary school teacher who in their own time went with us through the steps of analog photography, I guess something sticked
From a practical point of view I guess a selectable program/manual/aperture mode is essential feature for a nice digital point and shoot.

In search of something good but rugged I got a Nikon AW1 recently, and it doesn't have any selectable mode, truly a disaster for the usability of cameras with older/limited sensor quality
(the AW1 also had faulty electronics (a common issue it appears) and fungus, was a disastrously expensive experiment, can't recommend)
01-25-2023, 04:12 AM   #14
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Some other thing I'm discovering: even off-brand replacement batteries are as expensive as the cameras are worth, a point and shoot with AA battery has some advantages here. It's not like battery life will be the most important factor anyway
01-25-2023, 12:08 PM   #15
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Any Canon or Nikon is a good choice. Save the good Pentax! One fewer Canikon is a good thing. ;-)
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