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I'm looking for recommendations for a digital camera which can
be used by just about anyone without instruction -- right down
to and including a six year-old -- and which won't cause me a
lot of lost sleep if it should get lost, stolen, or dropped.

Ideally, the camera would operate pretty much identically to a
conventional 35MM point & shoot camera. I suppose something
like a 3x optical zoom would be nice to have, but other than
that any additional features would actually be a negative (so
to speak).

The basic software that comes with the camera should also be
simple to use without instruction.

For this camera, image quality is less of an issue than are
ease of use and reliability. (Am I being redundant yet?) I
literally want to be able to freely loan it out to children
and to non-technical adults and to have them be able to both
use it and to get the images they take into any of a variety
of Windows-based computers, older models included. If it
works with Apples also, so much the better -- but that is not
a requirement.

I once had a camera like this. If my memory serves correctly,
it was an Agfa 307. It had essentially no features
whatsoever. It took your choice of 36 or 72 photos, and that
was it. Anyone could use it. For snapshot purposes, it was
unquestionably one of the best cameras I've ever owned. Sort
of like the digital equivalent of a Brownie Hawkeye.

As to price, I could go into the low hundreds. Price is not
the issue.

But I think the more I spend, the less likely I am to get the
camera I'm looking for. I would rather be able to buy several
of them.

Thanks!

Harry

Harry,

If you are in the UK, try www.internetcamerasdirect.co.uk in particular the
Oregon Scientific DShot III. 1.3mp simple to use, and gives reasonalble
results. Just bought one for my 10yr old and @ £55.00 who cares if it gets
broken!

>
>As to price, I could go into the low hundreds. Price is not
>the issue.
>
>But I think the more I spend, the less likely I am to get the
>camera I'm looking for. I would rather be able to buy several
>of them.
>
>Thanks!
>
>Harry