find a chep camera: I would like to give my granddaughter a digital camera but she is only 3. She has shown a lot of interest in taking pictures with my DSLR so I want to encourage her...

bobburk3 Loc: Maryland

I would like to give my granddaughter a digital camera but she is only 3. She has shown a lot of interest in taking pictures with my DSLR so I want to encourage her interest. But I don't want to spend much for the camera because I know it will get some really rough treatment in the toy box.

Yooper 2 Loc: Ironwood, MI

3 year olds are unlikely to fully understand a camera except that it is fun to press the buttons and look at pictures on the screen. My soon to be 5 year old grandson has played with cameras since he was 3. He has to keep his camera in a special place when not in use. Not with his toys. He has a used P&S purchased at a garage sale.

Morning Star Loc: West coast, North of the 49th N.

I think that for a 3-yr-old, a Fisher Price camera would be perfect. And it takes "real" pictures.
http://www.fisher-price.com/en_US/brands/kidtough/products/63396

Be aware that a USB cable is not included, and I could not find in the article what USB connection on the camera end is needed.

Tom S. Loc: Hillsboro, Ore.

Morning Star wrote:

I think that for a 3-yr-old, a Fisher Price camera would be perfect...

That looks like just the thing for a little kid. :thumbup: A child who's a bit older might want to try building their own camera.

http://www.adorama.com/CZLKDIYK.html?gclid=CKqH2rS1xL0CFcWTfgodBBQA_w

Yooper 2 Loc: Ironwood, MI

Morning Star wrote:

I think that for a 3-yr-old, a Fisher Price camera would be perfect. And it takes "real" pictures.
http://www.fisher-price.com/en_US/brands/kidtough/products/63396

Be aware that a USB cable is not included, and I could not find in the article what USB connection on the camera end is needed.

Our grandson had the Fisher Price camera for a while. It shoots fairly decent photos that are often grainy. He wanted a 'real' camera like mine. Kids are so smart nowadays with all the technology available to them.

wilsondl2 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska

Look on eBay in point and shoot. The "outdated" models that are 4 yrs old are being given away. I have bought severel for around $10 for kids and they have worked great. Just go to eBay and put in the top amount you want to spend and you will have severel come up. If you get outbid there will be others. - Dave

bobburk3 Loc: Maryland

Great idea Dave. I will try it today.

chiya Loc: Wellsboro, Pa.

wilsondl2 wrote:

Look on eBay in point and shoot. The "outdated" models that are 4 yrs old are being given away. I have bought severel for around $10 for kids and they have worked great. Just go to eBay and put in the top amount you want to spend and you will have severel come up. If you get outbid there will be others. - Dave

I second that motion, my 10 yr old grandson was really into playing with my cameras when he was here last week and now wants one, so I rooted around in the attic and dug out an old sony cybershot I had charged up the batteries and cleared the memory card and it works just fine, so I would check ebay or even yard sales for some cheap old ones to give your grandchild

skiman Loc: Ventura, CA

wilsondl2 wrote:

Look on eBay in point and shoot. The "outdated" models that are 4 yrs old are being given away. I have bought severel for around $10 for kids and they have worked great. Just go to eBay and put in the top amount you want to spend and you will have severel come up. If you get outbid there will be others. - Dave

Local thrift stores are a great place to buy old film cameras cheap

hj Loc: Florida

skiman wrote:

Local thrift stores are a great place to buy old film cameras cheap

A film camera for a child... really? At the expense of developing everytime they press the shutter... like a machine gun?

skiman Loc: Ventura, CA

hj wrote:

A film camera for a child... really? At the expense of developing everytime they press the shutter... like a machine gun?

No, at 3 years old playing with the buttons and levers and looking through the viewfinder in parallel with the adult holding the real camera is what it would be for. I don't thing a three year old wants the developed results.

Soul Dr. Loc: Beautiful Shenandoah Valley

Bought my 3 year old grand daughter one of those fisher price cameras for Christmas. She was always wanting to use one of mine. She knows how to focus, take a shot and can even put frames on the pics in the camera.
As for 3 year olds not understanding cameras, I think they can surprise you with their grasp of how electronic devises work. My grand daughter also knows how to work a smart phone.

hj Loc: Florida

skiman wrote:

No, at 3 years old playing with the buttons and levers and looking through the viewfinder in parallel with the adult holding the real camera is what it would be for. I don't thing a three year old wants the developed results.

But I think a cheap digital off eBay in the $20 range would have the added fun of seeing the "snapped photo" on the LCD screen rather than just pushing a shutter button and seeing nothing after as with a film camera. And if the child did happen to snap an interesting digital pic, it could be printed for further enjoyment.

skiman Loc: Ventura, CA

hj wrote:

But I think a cheap digital off eBay in the $20 range would have the added fun of seeing the "snapped photo" on the LCD screen rather than just pushing a shutter button and seeing nothing after as with a film camera. And if the child did happen to snap an interesting digital pic, it could be printed for further enjoyment.

Sure. I was giving the under $5 option

haroldross Loc: Walthill, Nebraska

My 4 year old grandson started using an old Concord 5mpx camera when he was three. He still uses that along with a Canon Powershot camera. He keeps the cameras apart from his toys. When he is being supervised he uses a Canon T2i with the 18-55mm kit lens or the Canon 50mm f/1.8 lens.

He is very good with composing his shots with the viewfinder and once in a while with LiveView. He has always been around cameras and actually treats them very well. I am not saying I would trust him with my 5D MK III any time some, it is just too heavy for him.

Recently he learned how to take video with his iPad 2. He constantly fills up the memory with video.