Let's say you want a camera for a five year old...

[Stephanie Brim]

Daughter is interested in having a camera of her own. I'd like to get her a fun autofocus point and shoot that doesn't suck. Preferably with a decently fast lens, but the main thing, really, is that it be somewhat durable and not cost the earth because, well, she's 5.

Stylus Epic is out. Too many people want them and the price is inflated because of it. I'm pondering the Canon AF35M or the Konica C35AF. Are there any other choices that would suit?

ETA: I put a bid on a C35MF. Lowball, but the light seals were replaced and everything was tested working. I'd still like one for myself, though. Heh.

[A.Reijs]

Considering the age, why not go for a Instax and comes in lots of colors. 😉

[tomfoo13ry]

I don't have a specific model to recommend but if you have a Goodwill store in your area, I'd check that out. The ones in my area usually have about a dozen point and shoots for between 1 and 4 dollars. I've seen Nikons, Minoltas, Canons, etc...

[Mustafa Umut Sarac]

I can send my Nikon One Touch to her.

Umut
Istanbul

[Stephanie Brim]

Considering the age, why not go for a Instax and comes in lots of colors. 

I should not have looked at those. I want to order myself a Piano Black version for Christmas.

This is just in the interim until birthday/Christmas rolls around. I have a few rolls of 35mm film left that she can shoot, and then I'll likely buy a few more. The Instax is a really good Christmas idea, though. She'd go nuts.

[chriscrawfordphoto]

Stephanie, my son, who is now 15, started at age 3 using Fuji Quicksnap single-use cameras. He got really good with them, used the flash when needed, etc. all by himself and his compositions were GOOD. Got expensive after a while, so for his fourth birthday, I got him a Canon Sure Shot Owl. Its a simple autofocus point-n-shoot 35mm with a very large viewfinder that is easy for kids to see through, and it is super easy to use. I'd look for one of those. They're inexpensive, durable, and good...and easy for a little one to learn.

My son now shoots with a digital SLR. I know, I know....but he is not an artist like me, he is a computer geek who has taught himself two programming languages and who loves building with Lego. He shoots digital because me takes pictures of his Lego projects and posts them on Lego enthusiast websites. He shoots with an SLR with a 50mm macros lens, and he uses it all manual.



I shot this of him when he was four.

[Mike Wilde]

Instax is nice but is kind of like snorting drugs is nice to some.. Instax is the cocaine of photography the way I see it. Great snaps but the cost can cripple you fast.

I have an instax 210 wide, and had the autofocus one also until the eject motor went nuts and died consistently mid pack all the time.

Of course if you want to deliver an image to look at quick, as opposed to fiddle in the darkroom as a way to unwind from the day job, like I do, then it may be the way to go.

[jnanian]

the holga will shoot more than 12frames with the insert ..
box cameras are a no-brainer ...
expired 120 film is cheap as dirt ...

[TheFlyingCamera]

That Canon Sure Shot Owl is a good option. There are also decent Pentax P&S cameras that you could get cheap. If you want something rugged, look for a Pentax Zoom 90 WR (I think that's the proper name) it has a zoom, I think 38-90 but maybe even 28-90, and it's water resistant (they won't officially call it waterproof, but I remember when we were selling them at the store, the Pentax rep told me about one that fell off the back of a boat into 10 feet of water and was retrieved a week later and still worked). They're pretty rugged so if the urchin drops it occasionally, it will survive. And it's big enough that the controls should be pretty easy to operate for small hands. Don't know what they're going for these days, but you might find one at a Goodwill.

[Laurent]

I've been happy with a Canon WP1 (water proof, decent lens, not too fragile). Mine will go to my son (he's 8 and would like a camera of his own for our next trip)