My Daughter's First Camera...Help.

Mrsforeman1

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I want to graduate my 14 year old from the 3.3 megapixel, hand-me-down, point & Shoot that she's been working with. It is glued to her hip at times. I don't want to go too far. So I was considering the Fuji Finepix...9 MP not quite an SLR and far from a point & shoot. MSRP about $499 but I have a good deal on it. What do you think?

A little background: She's home-educated and very into whatever she's into (if that makes any sense). She will be attending my photography meetings . Although, not a professional camera, it resembles one. She will still have the ability to choose the aperture, ISO, shutterspeed etc... I was offered it a $150(used).

Downside...no auto focus.
 
i learned on a sony camera just like that, definetly gave me a good understanding on how the manual settings worked, for 150 bucks it sounds like a deal, in a year she could get a slr and know how to use it.
 
Since it is my personal job to always disagree with JIP (just kidding!), I say why not get her the D40 instead of the x.... it is almost the same money as the P&S and will work well for her. I have shot them both, and I think the D40 actually is a better camera... in fact, I bought my D40 even with the X already released, simply because of the image quality (and, I must admit, the 1/500th of a second flash sync speed).
 
No auto focus is not a down side, learning how to focus a camera is one of the basics and needs to be known. for that price I would go a head, maybee make her come up with at least half of the money. that way she is more likely to respect it a little more than a gimme.

If all else fails used professional level Film SLR bodies are readily available around the same price range and lower.
 
No auto focus is not a down side, learning how to focus a camera is one of the basics and needs to be known. for that price I would go a head, maybee make her come up with at least half of the money. that way she is more likely to respect it a little more than a gimme.

If all else fails used professional level Film SLR bodies are readily available around the same price range and lower.
Film is actually much more expensive in the long run, the films, paper, chemical, processing equipments; but it's more fun. All I mean by that is that you simply get more joy out of things that you work harder for (and of course of your own choice).
 
Film is actually much more expensive in the long run, the films, paper, chemical, processing equipments; but it's more fun. All I mean by that is that you simply get more joy out of things that you work harder for (and of course of your own choice).

To be downright honest with you, I am a person who believes an entry level dSLR is an SLR, not those knock down digital cameras that do every thing for the user. Yes, film is more expencive in the long run but it's diffused over time, also the fact you have to spend money on it makes the learning more important. A film SLR can teach newbies so much more than a digital SLR can.

But now I am getting carried away on photographic politics and falling off topic.
 
To be downright honest with you, I am a person who believes an entry level dSLR is an SLR, not those knock down digital cameras that do every thing for the user. Yes, film is more expencive in the long run but it's diffused over time, also the fact you have to spend money on it makes the learning more important. A film SLR can teach newbies so much more than a digital SLR can.

But now I am getting carried away on photographic politics and falling off topic.
Well first off, learning shouldn't be something you do because you are forced to, or because you pay money for it. It should be something you do because you enjoy putting effort into it and watching it grow in you.

Secondly, an entry-level SLR is fully capable of manual control. So people who actually want manual control will have it. Again you shouldn't explore the many creative possibilities brought by manual control because you are forced to, it should be because you want to explore certain creative idea you have.
 
Well first off, learning shouldn't be something you do because you are forced to, or because you pay money for it. It should be something you do because you enjoy putting effort into it and watching it grow in you.

Secondly, an entry-level SLR is fully capable of manual control. So people who actually want manual control will have it. Again you shouldn't explore the many creative possibilities brought by manual control because you are forced to, it should be because you want to explore certain creative idea you have.

I am of the stand point of knowing this increases the possibilities. If one is forced to fall back on to a film SLR camera due some unforseen reason, they will know alredy what to do with it. It is far easier to move forward in tecnology than it is to move back. It's not much fun to all of a sudden realize that 24/36 is your limmit when you are used to shooting ninty to a hundred shots per shoot with out stoping. The above comment is my personal belief, It was not ment to force it onto other people here.

Now I did say that I saw no reason for the OP to pass on the Fuji Finepix but not to rule out film cameras as an alternitive in the price range. This was in part due to the fact they mentioned she has been soly digital and I can't resist the urge to say "shoot film" :lol:.
 
And besides honestly digital is so much better a teaching tool. Between the instant feedback and the availability if exif data looooong after you shoot the image you can't beat the teaching possibilities of digital. I can agree with the D40 just because it is probably closer to your price range I still say DSLR is the way to go though.
 
I bought my first film SLR second hand from a major camera retailer in the UK for only a couple of hundred pounds, far cheaper than what a new model would have cost me. It meant I got my hands on an SLR as my first camera and because it was purchased from the respectable retailer I got a full warranty with it.

I would think with Nikon's D80 appearing that you may be able to pick up a D70 relatively cheap second hand.

Although it would be second hand the extra features would balance this out in my opinion.

Bryan.
 
I guess everybody missed the part where the OP is getting a good deal at $150 used? ;) 'course that could've come in after her edit..so anyway:

I'd say go for the Finepix at that price. Let her learn with it. Then if she keeps interest in photography, go in half with her on an entry-level dSLR like the D40x or the Rebel XTi in a couple of years.
 
No, I wrote $150 in the original post.

I just wanted to know if it would be to her advantage to learn on the Finepix even if it's not technically a SLR.

It seems to have the manual features and overall feel of an entry level SLR.

But, if it would hinder instead of increase her potential growth, I may need to think harder about it. (14 yrs.old)

Also she usually takes care of her equipment but, hasn't had a huge responsibility as of yet.

If you experts were to advise against it, I suppose that maybe I would put my 9 year old on the Fuji. I just want her to understand what it means to "control" your camera.
(But, I darn sure don't wanna put her into a darkroom. I would be lost.)

I guess what I want to know...is what is age appropriate for a 14 year old homeschooled girl?

And can the Fuji produce images that would please her and be able to be critiqued by others without her looking like a joke?:confused:
 
Get it for her. I was freshman in highschool when I first started to play with cameras and manual settings. Get her a good camera now...who cares if its to advanced for her thats the beauty of learning and using your brain to figure out how to use technology. The sooner she learns the basics of camera the sooner she will be a pro.
 
And besides honestly digital is so much better a teaching tool. Between the instant feedback and the availability if exif data looooong after you shoot the image you can't beat the teaching possibilities of digital.

Doggone it, now I have to go and agree with you on this one!
 

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