camera for my kid

[sarah]

my head is in a spin!! i have been trawling the internet looking at reviews for digital cameras as i want to buy one for my son who will be nine in a couple of weeks.  i dont have much money; fifty pounds is really my upper limit. I want something that takes an sd card (i have a spare one of these so wont need to buy one); has a viewfinder and not just a lcd display so that batteries dont get used up so quick. ideally  3 to 5 megapixels and a bit of optical zoom. not too many gimmicks but good quality pictures.  Theres so many out there i dont want to waste what little money i have on  a rubbish one when i am pretty sure i should be able to get something to suit him. I would prefer to but new and not from ebay as i have made that mistake before.  has anyone got any  recommendations?

[manicscousers]

there's a vivitar 5mp camera in the new gift catalogue from asda, don't know the specifics but maybe others will know how good it is, 49.99 including a removeable waterproof case 

[sarah]

thanks manics i will check it out.

[euronerd]

I'm probably too late here, but you shouldn't have any trouble finding something suitable sarah, and I won't add to the confusion by making a specific recommendation. So why have I popped my head up? Cameras are heavy on batteries, and a solution that works for me is: make sure you buy one that takes standard (AA or AAA) batteries, then use rechargeables. Slightly more cost to start with, but no doubt you know the cost of alkaline batteries, and for technical reasons, they can actually last longer per charge than your normal heavily-advertised alkaline. Another tip if I may? A high number of megapixels is not the be-all-and-end-all. For screen-only viewing, 5 is p-l-e-n-t-y. Mine is actually 2. It sounds like his first digital camera, so you'll be able to find out what he wants from one before you are asked for a better one next Christmas.    I always console myself with this thought: whichever one you end up with, you'll never know what the other one was like.

Geoff.

[sarah]

no, youre not too late i am still dithering! thanks for the input though. i have rechargables and a charger so thats no extra expense. i tend to use rechargable as a matter of course these days. I agree with everything you say about mega pixels too, i am happy for his to be x3 or 4. my own camera is only six and its plenty.  i will decide soon! 

[growmore]

Argos are doing some good offers on digi cameras...This one looked ok ..
Niikon 5mp 3xoptical zoom, 4xdigital .Takes AA's .Sd compatable ...
under £50 ..There's some a lot cheaper too..  Cheers Jim.

[euronerd]

Nikon = good.

[sarah]

I'll check it out. 

[Barnowl]

On the whole I'd ignore digital zoom - you usually can achieve a better result by zooming and cropping the picture later on your PC. The optical zoom is the important one.

[rover75]

daughtres vivitar not good at all beware and sd cards i would strongly recomend not putting yours in it can cause damage always buy new with camera or seperate if yours has been used then you put your new camera at risk also do not use batteries that are reccomend with the camera

[sarah]

Argos are doing some good offers on digi cameras...This one looked ok ..
Niikon 5mp 3xoptical zoom, 4xdigital .Takes AA's .Sd compatable ...
under £50 ..There's some a lot cheaper too..  Cheers Jim.

i bought him the nikon. its fab. does loads of stuff. he's loving it. thanks for the tip.

[euronerd]

Good choice 

[kenkew]

Ahhhh! This site is just so full of helpful people.
Now! I have this 'ere Kodak Brownie without a film wind-on thingy.....should I make one from an old cotton reel or chuck the whole thing in the bin?

PS: Glad you were sorted Sarah....