What camera for my 8 year old kid? (video, pictures, rugged,tripod, easy)

My kid loves to make short movies where he videos and talks as he plays
with action figures.

For Xmas, Santa will get him a digital p&s camera - but which one?

He needs:
- Audio has to be good! (Current waterproof camera stinks on audio)
- Has to easily take videos (must be easily uploaded via USB to computer)
- Has to be rugged (this is a kid, after all)
- Has to be easily used (again, he's rough on equipment)
- Has to have a tripod connection
- Best if it uses standard batteries, but that may be too hard to find

Any suggestions? I'm going to get it by Internet but don't know which to
start comparing.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

 

PowerShot A1100 IS. AA batteries, and everything else you want. Also an
optical viewfinder, a rarity these days. I've always had the A series
cameras for my kids, even when they were that young (beginning with the
A60, presently the A570.

Prices are going up on this model as it's the last of the classic A
series with a viewfinder and AA batteries. You might find a better deal
at a local store than on-line.

 

No offense, but for an 8 year old, I'd go for the cheapest thing I can
find. It will probably be toast or lost within a year or two. Try for a
refurb from the Kodak online shop.

 

I would recommend any of the "Flip Video" cameras, now owned by Cisco
<http://www.theflip.com/en-us/>

They are small, they take whatever beating anyone can dish out, they
have a built-in flip-out USB connection, they are HD, their audio is OK,
has tripod mount, some models take AA batteries (others have an internal
rechargeable battery), and possibly most important, a friend of mine's
6- and 8-year-old kids love it. Especially the 6-year-old.

Personally I'm not convinced by the glomming together of still and video
into one package. Video and still are fundamentally different, and I
haven't seen one example of a camera which does both as well as
dedicated still and dedicated video cameras.

Just my opinion. Let the mudslinging begin.

 

No personal experience with it, but I've heard good things about the
Olympus Stylus Tough line. Seems to meet your requirements...
http://www.olympusamerica.com/cpg_section/cpg_digital.asp?section=stylustough

 

: In article <id6kgg$2qg$>, Dr Rig <>
: wrote:
:
: > My kid loves to make short movies where he videos and talks as he plays
: > with action figures.
: >
: > For Xmas, Santa will get him a digital p&s camera - but which one?
: >
: > He needs:
: > - Audio has to be good! (Current waterproof camera stinks on audio)
: > - Has to easily take videos (must be easily uploaded via USB to computer)
: > - Has to be rugged (this is a kid, after all)
: > - Has to be easily used (again, he's rough on equipment)
: > - Has to have a tripod connection
: > - Best if it uses standard batteries, but that may be too hard to find
: >
: > Any suggestions? I'm going to get it by Internet but don't know which to
: > start comparing.
: >
: > Thanks in advance for your advice!
:
: I would recommend any of the "Flip Video" cameras, now owned by Cisco
: <http://www.theflip.com/en-us/>
:
: They are small, they take whatever beating anyone can dish out, they
: have a built-in flip-out USB connection, they are HD, their audio is OK,
: has tripod mount, some models take AA batteries (others have an internal
: rechargeable battery), and possibly most important, a friend of mine's
: 6- and 8-year-old kids love it. Especially the 6-year-old.
:
: Personally I'm not convinced by the glomming together of still and video
: into one package. Video and still are fundamentally different, and I
: haven't seen one example of a camera which does both as well as
: dedicated still and dedicated video cameras.
:
: Just my opinion. Let the mudslinging begin.

I agree with you completely. But if there is a place for a camera spanning
both media, a child's camera may be it. Here flexibility trumps quality.
You're not trying to make the kid into Ansel Adams or Ken Burns; you're just
trying to interest him/her in taking pictures and/or videos. As he grows older
(or demonstrates that he's a prodigy), you'll get him better equipment
according to his emerging interest. Specialization can come later when, say,
he's taking pictures or videos for his high school Web site.

Bob

 

Does it have to be brand new?
Lots of people want to (or need to but don't realize it upgrade their
camera. Perhaps you have an older camera you can give to your kid and buy a
new one for yourself

Only a handful of cameras use AA batteries. This can help you narrow down
the choices:
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/cameraList.php

In the long run, using AA may cost more than proprietary lithium
rechargeable.

 

I don't usually advocate Olympus, but they make great ruggedized
shock-resistant waterproof P&S cameras. Perfect for kids. Probably
stinks for audio, but you can't have everything.

 

: shiva das wrote:
: > I would recommend any of the "Flip Video" cameras, now owned by Cisco
: > <http://www.theflip.com/en-us/>
: >
: > They are small, they take whatever beating anyone can dish out, they
: > have a built-in flip-out USB connection, they are HD, their audio is OK,
: > has tripod mount, some models take AA batteries (others have an internal
: > rechargeable battery), and possibly most important, a friend of mine's
: > 6- and 8-year-old kids love it. Especially the 6-year-old.
:
: I concur. Although maybe a tad less advanced, these seem great for kids.
: I would tempt him with something more advanced for stills but he ain't
: gonna care about resolution or any of that for a while.
:
: My first camera was a Polaroid SX-70 at around age 11 or 12. I LOVED it.

Yeah, that had to be a great camera for a kid (though well after my time), for
the same reason that digital cameras are today. Kids always want to see the
pictures NOW.

Bob