Camera advice
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I agree with Dave R that it's going to be difficult to get a DSLR on your budget, but with a bit of luck you might be able to pick up a used Canon 350D.
If you can find a cheap one it's a cracking semi-pro camera. The only drawback is that your son may find the 10 MP resolution a bit limiting if he wants to create large prints - I know I do.
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The FujiFilm FinePix S2940 gets some good reviews, only bad point about is that there are quite a few people having trouble with this camera indoors.
An other option is the Canon PowerShot SX130 IS, overall a very good camera. Only bad point about it is that it [supposedly] drains your battery, but this can be easily resolved by buying 'heavier' rechargeable batteries.
Review: http://www.trustedreviews.com/Canon-PowerShot-SX130-IS_Digital-Camera_review
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I'll second the Canon powershot range - I had an old A620 before I upgraded my camera but I've found it still does some things better than the new one - they are also at the chunky end of compact cameras which I like.
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Pretty sweet I would say
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What about Canon PowerShot SX 1 IS ? It's a very powerful camera at a very low price. Folding screen, 10Mpix, 20x optical zoom (and a good one, tested). Video recording at full HD and stereo.
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The folding screen is one feature I wish was present on more modern cameras - very handy for taking pictures without people noticing or from odd angles...
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I'm a Canon Fan. The 350 is called the Rebel XT here (in the US). It is what I would recommend if you really wanted a Semi-Pro camera.
But its a bit out of the range you're looking for. So realistically I would go with the nicest powershot you could afford. The most important things are that the camera has complete control of Manual mode so he can learn to manually set the speed, aperture and ISO of the camera. I'm pretty sure all the powershots have that. Also a high pixel resolution is nice to have. And the higher the Optical zoom the better. Digital zoom is approximately worthless. Its like zooming in on a jpeg past the actual resolution - its just not worth doing.
I do tend to believe if he really gets into it that he will outgrow the powershot in a year or less. The increased capabilities of a true dslr with interchangeable lenses can make a non-dslr feel like a toy.
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@unknownuser said:
But its a bit out of the range you're looking for.
Unless used camera prices are higher in the US, it's just about possible. I bought a near-mint 350D (Rebel XT) last year for about $230. That included both a 50mm and a zoom lens, case, battery grip, filters and a few other bits and pieces.
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Pete, I've got two Lumix G1 bodies. The last one I picked up on eBay for £100. The joy of these cameras is that they are semi SLR, and take interchangeable lenses- in particular lenses made by other manufacturers. For eg I've got a Canon 50mm f1.4 lens that I picked up for £30 (being mft, you do have to deal with focal length 'doubling' ie a 50mm becomes a 100mm), a MFT adaptor that cost £15 from Hong Kong. It makes for a brilliant little setup for for only £165.
Hope that suggestion helps.
Tom
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The Canon deal from Walmart sounds great.
Check out this link and the review:
http://www.imaging-resource.com/WB/WB.HTM - Dave's picks site (look at "mid size" camerasand:
http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/SX130IS/SX130ISA.HTM -
I'd second the suggestion of a second hand DSLR.
If he's happy to do without video, then an older <10Megpix model may well be plenty 'powerful' enough.
For my money (and I openly admit my Nikon bias here!), something like an old Nikon D50 or D70 may be just the trick. In my experience the quality is just as good as a compact with twice the pixels (I often printed to A3 size from my old D50 with no noticable issues).The reason that I suggest these old Nikon models, is that they will accept lenses dating right back to the 1960's. Such old lenses will of course be manual focus, but they are ridiculously cheap, and there is a huge choice. (Pentax cameras also have very good 'legacy' support for manual lenses).
This will mean that, should he really 'catch the bug', he will be able to expand his system much more cheaply than with a more up to date model - often it's the accessories that are the 'budget killer' even if you begin with a cheaper camera body.If he's the kind of kid that really enjoys experimenting and learning, the lack of 'bells and whistles' may even be a bonus - there's nothing more satisfying than knowing that a great picture is the result of your own skill, unassisted by automation - and for some styles (e.g. still-life, landscape, macro), auto-focus etc. really are little help anyway.
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Steve's Digicams has reviews complete with sample pictures:
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If you looking ~200$ pocketable camera. Then, if still available, this is pretty good http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/canonsd4000is/
For bit larger one, maybe I'd look on Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35... NEX-5N may be already too expensive when comparing to 200$ budget. Used DSRL might be also a good option. -
Oh and I forgot that I think one of the most important things is that the camera have the ability to shoot in some sort of RAW mode where it does not process the jpgs in the camera. That will allow your kid to process the image afterwards, just like the darkroom process. Having the ability to really control the post-processing might be the most important thing if your kid is planning on being in a photography club.
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@solo said:
How is this deal?
Spotted that you (or the wife) wanted camera with more "body". So I think that's pretty good does for the prize.
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