Camera for a 5-yr-old

[Sirius Glass]

Well, you could get a disposable camera; can't get much simpler than that...

Great idea! The optics on the Kodak dosposables are the best, as I found out when I worked at Kodak.

Disposables are bad. Nowadays we are living in a world where using plastic packaging and disposables are increasingly considered a crime against future generations.

Give this 5-year old a light fixed-focus camera without any controls. A Minolta x-700 is much too heavy and complicated.

And please constraint yourself imposing your hobby on other persons.

Disposable cameras are recycled. It film processors get good money for them.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Instax.

 

[zkascak]

The install or an old point and shoot would be my suggestions.

 

[Andrew O'Neill]

Or what about an old Kodak PS camera?

 

[removed account4]

one of these
Dead Link Removed

 

[pbromaghin]

I picked up 2 instax minis over lunch, pink and blue. My coworker, SuperMom, has offered to wrap them all nice for me. Thanks for your help!

 

[TheRook]

What about a Speed Graphic?

For a 5-year old? A too complex and delicate camera. At least wait until the child has entered school age and learned to read.

 

[Agulliver]

When I was five, my dad taught me photography on a Zeiss-Ikon 520/16 6x6 folder. 40 years on I still use the same camera, so clearly I did it no damage. And the photographs I took of my school friends back then are now sought after because no other kid was taking photos...one teacher did but she cannot be traced.

So...depending on the aptitude of the child, five is not necessarily too young to have a fully manual camera.

That said, I'd be inclined to let 2018 child loose on something semi automatic, say with aperture priority. And yes, why not show her how to process film? I was doing contact prints from old glass plates in my mother's wardrobe aged 7 or 8.

 

[pentaxuser]

I picked up 2 instax minis over lunch, pink and blue. My coworker, SuperMom, has offered to wrap them all nice for me. Thanks for your help!

Let us know how things go. Every child is different, I know, but a resume on her reactions, questions etc is still useful for others who have grandkids of the same and even slightly older age and might be considering something similar

Thanks

pentaxuser

 

[pbromaghin]

Let us know how things go. Every child is different, I know, but a resume on her reactions, questions etc is still useful for others who have grandkids of the same and even slightly older age and might be considering something similar

Thanks

pentaxuser

What a great idea to make this useful for others. How thoughtful of you!

 

[mshchem]

What a great idea to make this useful for others. How thoughtful of you!

This is so great, after a few packs of Instax, have her try the Minolta. The Instax mini is about equivalent to 6x9 medium format. You might want to keep your eyes open for a nice Fuji 690 GW III, put it away for when she turns 13 .

 

[pcyco]

 

[Arbitrarium]

I'd probably suggest a Canon Sureshot A1 waterproof. Also shockproof etc. Big viewfinder, easy and obvious shutter button, auto everything.

 

[Sirius Glass]

My children did well with the Fisher Price 110 camera.

 

[Theo Sulphate]

... The Instax mini is about equivalent to 6x9 medium format. ...

More like 6 x 4.5.

Instax mini image area is only 46mm x 62mm; cameras are nicely sized.

Instax wide image area is 62mm x 99mm; but cameras are huge.

.

 

[mshchem]

Beautiful !

 

[mshchem]

More like 6 x 4.5.

Instax mini image area is only 46mm x 62mm; cameras are nicely sized.

Instax wide image area is 62mm x 99mm; but cameras are huge.

.

Yep, you are correct. I have the wide. So start looking for a nice 645 rangefinder As neat as Instax is what a great way to get kids involved.