7 1/2 Year Old Boy - Camera?

I would get an inexpensive one, not a kid one. My three year old uses my ancient point and shoot. I've had to teach him to be gentle, but so far so good. He has a case, which really helps keep it safe. I will wait several years to get him a new one, but definitely by 8. I think any inexpensive one would work, but I have always liked my Kodak point ans shoots.

Depends on how hard he is on electronics. You can get some cyber Monday deals and get him a Nikon CoolPix, for example. We got my DD a Lego camera that has held up well, but it's not fancy. If you think he won't drop it and break it the first day, I'd get a very simple point and shoot.

Absolutely positively 100% buy an inexpensive digital camera, not a kid one. My twin girls received "adult" cameras for their fifth birthday and it's been fantastic. After about five minutes of showing them how to take a picture and scroll through the pictures they had already taken, they were pros. The kid versions just don't take good pictures and they're hard to download and print out.

Get an inexpensive digital one. They cost difference is not that great - and your son will feel much more grown up with a real camera instead of a Fisher Price one. ;o) My son was about that age when we went to BestBuy and picked one out with his birthday money. I think we spend less than $50.

He'll have great fun with it.

Get him a real camera. You won't regret it. I've watched some of the MOST HILARIOUS videos shot with my boy's camera.

My youngest (now 10) LOVES photography and taking videos. We started with a "kid camera" when he was about 4, but the batteries died quickly, and it took terrible pictures (even when I took them). So we got a NICER kid's camera. A little better, but still frustrating. Batteries didn't last, poor photo quality (not even worth posting on FB), required a special memory card. Argh.

Finally, for his 8th birthday, we went to Best Buy and got an Insignia digital camera. Insignia is Best Buy's brand and they are VERY sturdy, great products. This is a lot like the camera we bought (because apparently Best Buy doesn't sell Insignia cameras anymore). http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Fujifilm+-+FinePix+JX580+16.0... I'm sure a cheap Fuji or Canon will do.

Yes, it's a little pricy, but you can find similar cameras right now for about $60 in the store...and they'll be packaged up with a case, batteries and a memory card to boot. That's SO important...get a BIG memory card (I got a 16 GB one cheap on Amazon.com) or you'll constantly be hearing "mommy, my camera is full!" And teach him how to delete unwanted pics himself. :-)

We also bought the extended warranty. 3 years of coverage for ANYTHING. If he drops it and it breaks, if he pries it apart to see how it works, if he spills on it, if he drops it in the pool...anything. It's covered.

It's been 2 years of HARD living for this camera. It's been dropped countless times. It's been dropped ON THE LENS. Nothing has busted it. So we haven't had to use the warranty, but it's there if needed.

Oh...and be prepared for the conversation about what is "appropriate" to shoot with his camera. For some reason, boys think butts are HILARIOUS. And it's REALLY HARD not to laugh when you see certain videos of your kiddo's bare booty. Even harder to be stern and serious when you tell him it's not okay to take photos and video of it.

Merry Christmas!!

♥
C. Lee

Inexpensive digital camera. If you get a kid version the picture quality will suffer and they'll lose interest quickly in using it. Some models have been 'ruggedized' - i saw one just yesterday (Pentex Optio) that even had a carabiner clip on it, and it was waterproof. SKIP the Kodak Sports model, however. We bought 2 and they were complete junk.

Have you considered getting him an ipod touch? We bought my daughter the iPod touch a few years ago when she was 6. We had no idea at the time she would love the camera and video features so much. She is now making stop motion videos with her dolls. It is really cool.

I bought my son a cheap kids digital camera for twenty bucks when he was seven to take to camp and it was a total waste of money. It didn't have a screen to review pictures, and when we downloaded the pictures to the computer they were all black. He was devastated. We never got our money back either. I ended up giving him my old Kodak Easyshare along with a case for it and he's been really good with it.

If your son is careful with toys and such, buy a real one.

Look them up on Amazon.

You can get an inexpensive HP Photosmart that's been previously owned(or not) for very reasonable. My first digital camera was, and lasted years. I bought both my son and my nephew the same one for Christmas last year.
They take 2 AA's(rechargeable one's work well with them), have a nice view screen, and an old school viewfinder for those that want to ake them the old fashioned way. They have simple adjustments for flash and zoom. Small, and you can find a nice camera bag(Targus at Walmart) that comes with a cleaning kit for $10.
The kiddie cameras are a bit kludgey, and you have to constantly port pictures over to the PC to clear memory, or prevent the pictures from disappearing due to the batteries dying, but they are a good indicator of how well it will be treated, and if photography is going to be a continued interest.

Hope this helps.

My kids are 6 and 10.
We let them use our digital camera. Its a Canon.
Anyway, my kids are good with electronics, and respectful of our rules for it. They love photography and its a good learning thing for them.
Then, they also use the "camera" and "video" on my Husband's iPhone. And then using our MAC computer, they can download their photos or videos to it, and make and edit movies with it, or make slide show presentations. Even my 6 year old can. If you teach them, they can learn it.

So those are 2 different ways of "photography" learning for a kid.
A camera, or using an iPhone if you/Hubby has one.

For your son who is 8, why not just get a sure shot type camera? Its easy to use. Costco has deals on it. And look for sales today since it is Cyber Monday. Lots of sales.

I like either Cannon or Nikon cameras. Either one is good and has good reviews.
And yes, as AV said below, the Nikon CoolPix is good.

Do not get a "kiddie" camera. Just get a regular camera, sure shot type. An 8 year old can use it and be taught how. And if he is responsible enough.

My grandfather gave me a camera when I was 7. This was in the 1960's. I loved it, treasured it and still treasure the pictures I took with it. I look at the old black and white photos I took with it and still associate him with each one of the pictures.

Get him one worth having and teach him to care for it and use it well.

I'm getting my daughter an iPod touch for Christmas (she is 6.5). She's not really into games but will love the camera, video and music (and some games). Plus the portability.

Don't get a kid camera - they stink!

Go with an inexpensive digital one. He'll definitely know the difference! We bought our son one last year when he was six (he wanted to upgrade from his kid camera). We found a terrific deal on a waterproof and shockproof camera (around $50). Our son has taken great care of his camera and he loves having one of his own.

Absolutely! I got my son of of those kidproof ones when he was about 3 or 4 and he got the phtog bug BIGTIME. Now he has my moms old hand me down and he can use mine whenever he needs and he actually gets some great shots! (don't get me wrong, there are ALOT of Lego pictures and pics of the cat too!) Check your local parks and rec too, sometimes they offer photography classes for kids 6-14. It's just a couple of hours and they on a nature walk and take pics of things.

We got our youngest son an inexpensive digital camera when he was 5. He's 8.5 now and still loves it!

This is similar to the one we got him.

http://www.target.com/p/olympus-fe-47-x43-14mp-digital-ca...

My son has my parents old digital. He loves it. He's going to be 9 now, and has had it for 2 years. He's into photography, and has taken some really great shots with it. I've got a Nikon coolpix that was fairly inexpensive. They take great pictures, and have video.