What to buy for my 17 yr old enthusiast?

[fooglie]

Hi everyone.

My 17 yr old daughter is really interested in photography and I'm trying to figure out how to encourage her hobby without breaking the bank. Her HS offers a photography workshop and she gets to work with dslr cameras there, but I'm looking to buy her a camera that she can take around with her. My thinking is to get her something small so she can take it anywhere but that offers good manual controls so she can play around with settings. I don't want something that needs multiple lenses or extra equipment. I want a camera that I can use if she decides she is no longer interested in photography. My budget is around $350.
I was thinking the Lumix lx7 (I just missed a bunch of Christmas sales that had them for $300) but I'd like to hear about other options. Also, what other accessories should I get - case, extra battery, tripod? Anything else?

Thanks a bunch for any help you can offer!

 

[Derrel]

Nikon V1 is being cleared out at $299 with 10-30mm interchangeable zoom lens for $299 ay Target, Best Buy, everywhere.

 

[Village Idiot]

For $265 I bought a Canon XT used from the Photography on the Net forum and and a new 50 f/1.8 from B&H.

DSLR prices have really dropped and you can find some good used deals. The 30D is selling for something like $200 and 40D's are selling for about $300 if you find the right deal.

 

[tirediron]

$350 will easily get you into a used DSLR & kit lens of a couple of generations ago (and everyone knows that you can NEVER be a real photographer unless your first camera was bought second-hand! ) You don't specifiy a location, but I'll assume US; check out Craig's List and similar 'sites, and if you have a proper camera store with a used gear section, even better. As Derrel points out the Nikon V1 is a good deal new, but my only hesitation is that it's not really a platform from which to expand.

Whatever you do, DO include your daughter in the choice; she will very likely have some definite ideas of what she likes and doesn't like, and if she's decided that she's a Nikon girl, buying her a used T2i is NOT going to get you the gratitude you might have expected.

 

[manicmike]

A D50 with a kit lens and a yongnuo speedlight would be a good place to start if she's in to Nikon. IMO.

 

[fooglie]

Hi, Thank you all for taking the time to reply. But I am NOT looking for a dslr recommendation! I am afraid that this interest that dd has may not last and I don't want to be stuck with an older system that I have to try and CL. I am looking for a great p&s/bridge/mirrorless? camera that is great for taking shots and learning manual controls, but can always be used as my regular keep in my purse all the time camera if my dd's interest fades. So please, any suggestions in that direction?

 

[EmmaBproductions]

Get them a bridge camera, you may be suprised with the quality of a nikon bridge, if they are producing some good pictures, and are still enthuisiastic, that is the time for a dslr

 

[Derrel]

Hi, Thank you all for taking the time to reply. But I am NOT looking for a dslr recommendation! I am afraid that this interest that dd has may not last and I don't want to be stuck with an older system that I have to try and CL. I am looking for a great p&s/bridge/mirrorless? camera that is great for taking shots and learning manual controls, but can always be used as my regular keep in my purse all the time camera if my dd's interest fades. So please, any suggestions in that direction?

That is exactly why I suggested the Nikon V1: this is a camera that was, a year ago, priced at $899 with the 10-30mm zoom lens. it is specifically NOT a d-slr. BUT, according to noted Nikon author Thom Hogan, the V1's AF capabilities on moving subjects are as good as those found in beginner-level d-slrs.

Read Thom's review--and pay close attention to his criticisms of the camera: mostly the kind of criticisms a 40-year veteran and "older, white male Nikon nut" is going to level against a camera that uses the newer, more menu-driven, screen-based controls that today's kids are so used to...AND, pay particularly close attention to the criticisms he leveled at the V1 and 10-30mm lens kit--criticisms he leveled in large part because it was priced at $900 when HE BOUGHT HIS...he does not review "free" gear...a significant amount of his gripes are because he payed $900 for his, and at THAT price point some of the V-1 features were not in line with his expectations. For a 17 yr old...I think this would be a "cool gift" camera.

Nikon V1 Review | Sans Mirror ? mirrorless, interchangeable lens cameras | Thom Hogan

 

[EmmaBproductions]

Bridge.bridge. Bridge! Nikon l120 or maybe if you are willing to splas the cash the nikon coolpix p500

 

[nycphotography]

LX7 if you think want manual controls but you'll never want to play with lenses at all.

Gx1 (NOT GF3) if you think you MAY want to play with lenses in an artsy photo schoolsy kinda way ($25-$50 legacy manual lenses via a $15 adapter) but not in a $700 f2.8 dslr kinda way.

If you're thinking mirrorless, I'd recommend a Panny or Olympus over Sony (manual controls suck) or Nikon (I was really hoping for great things from Nikon but they way under delivered).

But the LX7 is everything you need to do "real photography" with the exception of off camera flash. And the LX7 will work with OCF via a slr type hot shoe, so it's not a limitation.

 

[Village Idiot]

Canon G series. They were the go to compact cameras to use before the mirrorless cameras with interchangeable lenses came out. The more recent ones do video and have a full manual control.

 

[nycphotography]

I'll second the G11/12/15 as a viable canon offering to consider against the LX7. There's also a Nikon, Samsung, Olympus, Fuji and some others.

If you're thinking in that direction, here's a whole lot of information to consider...

Roundup: Enthusiast Zoom Compact Cameras: Digital Photography Review

 

[Sarmad]

My recommendations:
Mirrorless: Pentax K-01, Nikon 1 V1. (For me, K-01 is much better than V1)
Point and Shoot: Canon clearly has the edge here, S100, S110, G12 are wonderful choices.