Camera for my son

Claire Senft · Jun 7, 2006

Roger this has been a very interesting discussion. My remarks relative to family photos was only to point out that I am not against automation and simplicity as well as to show that very personally valauble work can be done without getting bogged down in excess, as far as the job is concerned, technical matters. To each their own.
Good luck with your students.

gnashings · Jun 7, 2006

Guys, the kid is... ten years old. I understand the father's excitment and that we all get cought up in it vicariously - and I think that's great - but lets not forget, there is long road in front of him in life: there will be cars, girls, obnoxious music, disturbing clothing... I say plant the seed and hopeit grows, you can't make it do so, you can just make sure it has the conditions to do it in. I know I have lost touch with a lot of my hobbies and passions through adolescence and the stormy years of adjusting to adulthood - thereis alot of dust on a ot of things I thought I would never put down. But, because I am blessed with nurturing parents, and a father who tirelessly sat with me through hours of model building, painting, and yes - photography, now that I have some perspective, its all coming back, stronger than ever.
Lets not turn this into the kid who can't look at a paino because his parents made him take so many lessons he now has allergic reaction at the mere thought of it - just because he showed some tendency towards it in his early years.
Of course the last part is directed at the "village trying to raise the child", far be it for me to instruct someone how to raise their son in an internet forum - I sincerely hope it does not come across as such. I just think this boy has taken on a bit of a symbollic form here on APUG - the next generation, the new blood we need to keep this alive... Its kind of cute, really!

Peter.

Gary Holliday · Jun 7, 2006

I don't think I could recommend the point and shoot and medium format cameras suggested above. On his birthday, buy him something special, he will keep it for the rest of his life. I would suggest the Canon EOS 300 or Rebel I think it's called across the pond.

Manual cameras can be very limited when he decides to photograph moving subjects and of course it can be as manual as you want it to be.

MattKing · Jun 7, 2006

I'd suggest encourage him to keep and use the A1, set up some opportunities to go photographing with him, show him what you like to do, and find and share with him some examples, preferably "in the flesh", of photographs that inspire you.

If you share your joy about photography, it will likely grow.

As to equipment, my father taught me a whole bunch, but in those days he wasn't using cameras with interchangeable lenses. It would have been awesome to share a lens collection with him. What I am saying is, make sure you have a Canon body too, so if he finds it fun, you can acquire things together, and use them together.

Have fun!

bobomoon · Jun 7, 2006

I agree. If the youngster(sp?) gets into photography, he'll become crazy obsessed anyway.

My suggestions? Polaroid 680, olympus xa (xa2, xa4), minox gt, lomo lca, yashica t4--you know, something art school kids think are cool.

Relmhill · Jun 7, 2006

Roger Hicks said:
I am an unreconstructed Keynesian, which means that I tend to hold up cloves of garlic, crosses, etc., when confronted with Friedmannites (one 'n' or two in this form?).
Roger

From Wikipedia:
Keynes asserted the importance of aggregate demand for goods as the driving factor of the economy, especially in periods of downturn. From this he argued that government policies could be used to promote demand at a macro level, to fight high unemployment and deflation of the sort seen during the 1930s.

Roger:

We tried Keynesian economics in the 60's and 70's and ended up with stagflation. The recovery in the 80's was based on supply-side economics.

But what does this have to do with choosing a camera?

Best,
Bob

Roger Hicks · Jun 8, 2006

Relmhill said:
But what does this have to do with choosing a camera?

Not a lot. It was an essentially humorous response to Claire's monetarist quote.

I think we are now finding that supply-side theory doesn't work EITHER, because both sides tend to take extreme positions, a bit like silver and digital.

Nor do I share your enthusiasm for Wikipedia.

Cheers,

Roger

Fintan · Jun 8, 2006

This thread is posted in 35mm Cameras looking for a recomendation for a 10 year olds first camera.

Note, this thread is not in the lounge and not for a general rant vice anyone who posts differently to your own opinion. [isn't photo.net better for that?]

What a waste of APUG server space!!!

Personally I would advise a compact 35mm autofocus zoom camera.

Wmcgowin · Jun 8, 2006

Here is an interesting twist. I ran into my darkroom teacher night before last and posed my question to him-what camera should I give my 10 year old son?

His response floored me-A digital point and shoot. This comes from a man who is a die hard film user and who criticizes all the professional photographers who have gone to digital. But his reasoning was sound. He said that someone that young and this early into this malady we all have would need instant gratification early on. And a digital can provide that-he can see the shot instantly. Plus I am competing against computer games, Sony PlayStation 2, and any other number of instant gratification activities.

I am not sure I agree with him. But what does the forum think?

TheFlyingCamera · Jun 8, 2006

I think from the sound of it that your son has already expressed an interest above and beyond the digital point-n-shoot level. I understand where the teacher is coming from, but a boy who sets up his own still-lifes (!!!!) is not going to get bored waiting a few hours for his visual feedback or dealing with the process(es) involved. I would strongly encourage him to do ANYTHING that did not involve instant gratification.

I know I'll be facing an extreme uphill battle, but if and when I have kids, they will get all the books they can read, Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys and Legos they can glom together, minimal TV (there will NOT be a TV in their room), structured internet access. NO Playstation or Xbox. Pencils, paper, crayons, cameras...anything to drive creativity and personal expression. I'll make sure they are literate by the time they're in Kindergarten.

removed account4 · Jun 8, 2006

TheFlyingCamera said:
I think from the sound of it that your son has already expressed an interest above and beyond the digital point-n-shoot level. I understand where the teacher is coming from, but a boy who sets up his own still-lifes (!!!!) is not going to get bored waiting a few hours for his visual feedback or dealing with the process(es) involved. I would strongly encourage him to do ANYTHING that did not involve instant gratification.

I know I'll be facing an extreme uphill battle, but if and when I have kids, they will get all the books they can read, Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys and Legos they can glom together, minimal TV (there will NOT be a TV in their room), structured internet access. NO Playstation or Xbox. Pencils, paper, crayons, cameras...anything to drive creativity and personal expression. I'll make sure they are literate by the time they're in Kindergarten.

YES!

took the words right out of my head.

as was said in The Incredibles
"there's no school like the olde school" ..

-john

DBP · Jun 8, 2006

TheFlyingCamera said:
I know I'll be facing an extreme uphill battle, but if and when I have kids, they will get all the books they can read, Lincoln Logs, Tinker Toys and Legos they can glom together, minimal TV (there will NOT be a TV in their room), structured internet access. NO Playstation or Xbox. Pencils, paper, crayons, cameras...anything to drive creativity and personal expression. I'll make sure they are literate by the time they're in Kindergarten.

Amen.

I have none or my own, but cousin's and friend's kids get presents from me that are either toys requiring fiddling around, or books. Usually one of each. I even ordered a Russian erector set copy for one because the current US version is designed to build specific models. Fortunately, one of the kids has taken to the arts, so she gets brushes, paints, calligraphy sets and the like. I try to find models for the boys.

I have fond memories of playing with guns made from a stick, rubber band, nail, and clothespin trigger. Of course someone probably sells those now. When was the last time anyone saw a homemade treefort? Does the community association prevent those now?

308jockey · Jun 20, 2006

1000 what for a Mamiya? I know where there are three recent models for less than half that. I'd go with an old Nikon body, a Nikkormat or F2/F3. They are quite inexpensive and there is a ton of glass out there, also inexpensive.

Rick H.

Markok765 · Jun 20, 2006

308jockey said:
1000 what for a Mamiya? I know where there are three recent models for less than half that. I'd go with an old Nikon body, a Nikkormat or F2/F3. They are quite inexpensive and there is a ton of glass out there, also inexpensive.

Rick H.

For an rz67

DBP · Jun 20, 2006

But an RZ67 is bigger than many 10 year olds.

Curt · Jun 20, 2006

By the time a camera is decided on the boy will be 20 instead of 10. Just pick up something from a pawn shop and let him go for it.

John Hermanson · Jun 21, 2006

The only real way to LEARN photography is with a camera that is totally manual. I suggest an Olympus OM-1N with 50mm f1.8 normal lens.

Camera for my son

Claire Senft

gnashings

Gary Holliday

MattKing

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bobomoon

Relmhill

Roger Hicks

Fintan

Wmcgowin

TheFlyingCamera

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DBP

308jockey

Markok765

DBP

Curt

John Hermanson

Camera for my son

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