Starter Camera: My granddaughter is showing an interest in photography but as is often the case with teenagers, the interest may or may not last. Her folks would like to get her a...

captken Loc: San Antonio, TX

My granddaughter is showing an interest in photography but as is often the case with teenagers, the interest may or may not last. Her folks would like to get her a starter camera that costs about $200. What do you recommend? We all know that people take pictures, cameras don't but still I'd like to help her learn the basics of shutter speed, f-stops, etc. Any suggestions?

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

Check ebay for a used Nikon D3400 or similar with a starter or kit lens.

Dennis

mas24 Loc: Southern CA

captken wrote:

My granddaughter is showing an interest in photography but as is often the case with teenagers, the interest may or may not last. Her folks would like to get her a starter camera that costs about $200. What do you recommend? We all know that people take pictures, cameras don't but still I'd like to help her learn the basics of shutter speed, f-stops, etc. Any suggestions?

Interesting. Most teenagers I know want parents to buy them the latest Samsung smartphone or iPhone, which cost much more than $200. You're not going to get much in the DSLR department for $200. Even a good Bridge camera would cost more. I would suggest a Canon USA refurbished Bridge camera. You're bound to find one in your price range. I paid $225 for a new Coolpix Nikon Bridge L840. It's a backup to my DSLR. A refurbished one now sells for $180 at B&H Photo.

JPL

Look at KEH or Ebay or some other place with used equipment. You will find some Nikon 1 and Micro 4/3 cameras in good condition for this budget.

erinjay64

An older model such as the Nikon D3200, or D3300, may be available new, or used, or refurbished, for around $200.00 Such are DSLRs. I bought a refurbished Nikon 1 S1, CX ('One Inch') sensor, Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera (MILC) for $79.00, and a new Nikon FT-1 lens adaptor for $110.00, and a used 50mm Nikon DX lens for $50.00, awhile back. Shop around, and you can find such bargains, too. Any camera which has A,P, S, and M, (Aperture Priority, Program, Shutter Priority, and Manual), exposure modes, and a fast top shutter speed (1/8000th of a second), can be a good trainer camera. If it has an ISO range of 100 to 6400, at least, that is good. If it can go lower, and higher-say 50 to 12,800, or more-so much the better. Extra features which would be nice to have, but not needed, are: in camera Panorama, in camera Image Overlay, DOF Preview, and in camera HDR. Check the features on various makes, and models, of camera, and find something which suits you. A factory refurbished item, from Nikonusa.com, or BHPhotovideo.com, or Adorama, would be worth looking into.

BuckeyeBilly Loc: St. Petersburg, FL

captken wrote:

My granddaughter is showing an interest in photography but as is often the case with teenagers, the interest may or may not last. Her folks would like to get her a starter camera that costs about $200. What do you recommend? We all know that people take pictures, cameras don't but still I'd like to help her learn the basics of shutter speed, f-stops, etc. Any suggestions?

Here is a page from Amazon that lists cameras for $200 or less:
https://www.amazon.com/DSLR-Camera-Bundles-100-200/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=n%3A2476680011%2Cp_36%3A1253506011

From this page, I would take a serious look at the Sony A200:
https://www.amazon.com/Sony-Digital-SteadyShot-Stabilization-18-70mm/dp/B00125MHVM/ref=sr_1_5?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1495449891&sr=1-5&refinements=p_36%3A1253506011

Here is an excellent review on this camera when it was released a while back:
http://www.trustedreviews.com/Sony-Alpha-A200-Digital-SLR-review

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

captken wrote:

My granddaughter is showing an interest in photography but as is often the case with teenagers, the interest may or may not last. Her folks would like to get her a starter camera that costs about $200. What do you recommend? We all know that people take pictures, cameras don't but still I'd like to help her learn the basics of shutter speed, f-stops, etc. Any suggestions?

In your price range it will become more difficult. Too cheap and you get frustrated and give up all together. For a LITTLE more you can get a good, used Nikon D7000 for around $250-300. Match that with a Nikon 35mm 1.8 D lens for around $100.00, now your talkin. Check this one out on ebay, looks good, only three hours left.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1311.R4.TR12.TRC2.A0.H0.Xnikon+d7000.TRS0&_nkw=nikon+d7000+body&_sacat=0

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

captken wrote:

My granddaughter is showing an interest in photography but as is often the case with teenagers, the interest may or may not last. Her folks would like to get her a starter camera that costs about $200. What do you recommend? We all know that people take pictures, cameras don't but still I'd like to help her learn the basics of shutter speed, f-stops, etc. Any suggestions?

A lot depends on the type of camera she'd like to use - compact, DSLR, etc. A refurbished D3xxx would be a good starter DSLR. A Sony compact, like the HX80 would be nice. Unfortunately, for $200, you can't either of those.

That sends you to ebay, but you take your chances. Would she like a viewfinder? That limits choices even more.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2057872.m570.l1313.TR2.TRC0.A0.H0.Xcanon+compact+cameras.TRS0&_nkw=canon+compact+cameras&_sacat=0

When I want a very small camera, I bring my Sony WX9. Since it is so small, it has no viewfinder, and the controls are also small. Still, it's an effective camera that takes good pictures and video.
http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=canon+compact+cameras&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR3.TRC2.A0.H0.Xsony+wx9.TRS1&_nkw=sony+wx9&_sacat=0

If her parents want to let her indulge her interest in photography, they should get her a camera that will let her do that. A cheap, used model could generate frustration, rather than enthusiasm.

aschweik Loc: NE Ohio

My daughter will be 13 tomorrow and I got her a refurbished Nikon D3400 which came with a Nikkor 18-55mm and a 70-300mm lens (both also refurbished) for $399 total. Got it from Adorama. I haven't given it to her yet but I took it out to play with it while she was at school just to see how it worked. I'm very pleased with it. It gives her plenty of growing room and should be suitable through high school. After that she can upgrade if she's still interested. For now it'll be a great learning tool. And if she decides someday photography isn't her thing, I won't have spent an ungodly amount of money on her equipment. Refurbished is the way to go for a teen just learning. But don't go too cheap so your granddaughter outgrows it too soon. These kids learn fast!

jccash Loc: Longwood, Florida

billnikon wrote:

In your price range it will become more difficult. Too cheap and you get frustrated and give up all together. For a LITTLE more you can get a good, used Nikon D7000 for around $250-300. Match that with a Nikon 35mm 1.8 D lens for around $100.00, now your talkin. Check this one out on ebay, looks good, only three hours left.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2380057.m570.l1311.R4.TR12.TRC2.A0.H0.Xnikon+d7000.TRS0&_nkw=nikon+d7000+body&_sacat=0

Good price on the D7000

D5300 also an option for a little more. Perhaps a D5100 which was my second Nikon DSLR. I gave it to my son..,

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/801568466-USE

ShopGirl

Last year when I was researching the secondary market for my own starter DSLR, I discovered there's a lot of people out there who have no idea what they have. I purchased my Canon Rebel T3i with kit lens, neck strap, battery and charger for $300 on Mercari.com. It might have been taken out of the box, but it had clearly never been used. Mercari works a little differently than Ebay. Mercari holds the Buyers money UNTIL the Buyer acknowledges receipt of merchandise and satisfaction. Only then does the Seller get paid. Seller promises to ship within a certain number of days, you are sent tracking information all along the way. I've had several good buying and selling experiences there. Also picked up a Canon 55-250mm lens for $84 -- which I later sold at a higher price to buy a better lens from BHA.

Boris Ekner Loc: From Sweden, living in Guatemala

As you so well put it; one never knows how long a teenager is interested...

If it was me I'd get her a used bridgecamera. I've done it for my son, as a birthday gift, when he turns 6 in July. My budget was $80. I found him a used Fuji Finepix S8600 on eBay for $76. It's fully automatic but has manual settings to learn if his interest remains.

I compared different cameras within the price range at cameradecision.com in order to get him the best one within budget. Looking at pictures taken by others its 16MP are used very well by the camera.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

captken wrote:

My granddaughter is showing an interest in photography but as is often the case with teenagers, the interest may or may not last. Her folks would like to get her a starter camera that costs about $200. What do you recommend? We all know that people take pictures, cameras don't but still I'd like to help her learn the basics of shutter speed, f-stops, etc. Any suggestions?

Her interest "may or may not last". Get her a $200 anything, fixed lens, pocketable. Look for something that can shoot in Manual mode and challenge her to learn how to do that plus all of the other modes. The challenge and knew knowledge may be enough to keep her interested. Steer her beyond the snapshot. Good luck.

jackm1943 Loc: Omaha, Nebraska

Perhaps something a little different; get her a medium quality tripod with a cell phone holder and go with the cell phone for now. The quality can be surprisingly good.

Wingpilot Loc: Wasilla. Ak

I agree, as a teenager, at age 13, it's hard to say whether her interest is genuine or temporary. And being a teenager, she may find fussing with a DSLR or other interchangeable lens camera a hassle and lose interest quickly, which would be a shame if she shows talent in photography. I think a bridge camera makes a lot of sense. She'll have only the camera to carry around and no lenses. It will allow her to develop her skill and knowledge, without being too sophisticated. Also, whatever camera is decided on, but exceeds her parents' $200.00 budget, perhaps Grandpa could chip in a few bucks to help out. She'd love you for that. Don't stifle her with something too complicated to start out with, but don't waste her time with something too simple. Cell phone cameras are handy, but only require pointing it and shooting, without developing any skills as a photographer. I suppose they are good for learning composition. And if she does show a lasting interest, perhaps getting her enrolled in a basic digital photography course is a good idea.