ottopj Loc: Annapolis, MD USA

My 15 yo niece wants to learn photography. Recommendations as to a camera for her?

via the lens Loc: Northern California, near Yosemite NP

Almost any camera will do at first if what she is interested in is learning how to take an excellent image. It's not really about the camera at first, at least from my perspective. There is so much more to learn than how to hit the shutter on any camera. I'd recommend starting with something relatively simply, it should have the ability for the user to set a manual exposure or an aperture or shutter priority exposure, then encourage her to study the art of photography and learn skills before she buys-up.

BebuLamar

Does she have a smart phone? If so that would do for now. If she wants to learn the technical aspects of photography (which may not be needed to be a good photographer) then she would need a camera with all manual controls.

Ched49 Loc: Pittsburgh, Pa.

Buy her a book on photography, more specifically, she needs to learn the "triangle of exposure" which is shutter speed, aperture, and iso and what each setting does to a photograph. Once she learns that, she will be able to make a more intelligent decision on what camera to buy. Good luck.

rook2c4 Loc: Philadelphia, PA USA

The basics of exposure isn't nearly as complicated as some make it out to be. Practically anyone without a serious learning disorder can learn it over a weekend. An intelligent 15 year old should be able to grasp the concepts in no time at all. Compared to something like advanced trigonometry or calculus, understanding the triangle of exposure is a piece of cake!

Rongnongno Loc: FL

You cannot teach photography.

When some folks talk about 'teaching' it is often technical (boring) or about other photographers 'styles'.

Just gave her a cheap used camera and let her ask her own questions, answer as best as you can.

I have seen teens beat the crap of other so-called photographer because they created their own style and vision w/o the interference of 'knowledgeable old farts'.

No, her cell phone is not a 'solution'. The way to look at things is way too different even if all is digital. It does not use the same perspective.

Once she is more informed, if she seeks more information she will do it by herself as she will already know what she is seeking.

Bill_de Loc: US

Start with a half way decent point and shoot that allows you to set aperture and shutter speed, in addition to having auto mode. That way even if she eventually moves up to an interchangeable lens camera she will still have something worth keeping and using.

I have more DSLR and Mirrorless cameras than any sane person would own. But, I still keep my Lumix point and shoot in my Jeep and slip it in my pocket when I'm out doing something non photographic. That's when you get the unexpected.

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wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

I would start with a good used camera, either film or digital. A digital camera will allow for more shooting at a cheaper cost. But a film camera would help to teach patience, how to better understand the "decisive moment", and how to best go after it. And film will be ultimately more expensive. Still worthwhile considering.

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

In a related topic, someone pointed out that with film you wouldn't have the benefit of instant feedback, with a chance of teaching/learning in the moment: correcting exposure, changing composition etc.

There are ways to limit the spray and pray - for all of us. One is to go out with a self-imposed restriction of number of photos you are going to take. When you reach that limit, you must delete what you consider your least effective from the card and then continue on. If you use ten as your limit, you will create a most excellent challenge for yourself

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Whether a used camera or new, seems like the 15-year old should have a voice in the choice. As mentioned a p&s would be ideal for several reasons and if she has a chance to handle one prior to purchase, she will know if it feels comfortable in her hands.

wdross Loc: Castle Rock, Colorado

Only 10 shots would be torture to almost any photographer. To try and get 5 of the shots to be technically and compositionally good for a newbie would be an almost impossible challenge.

In the film days, our slide camera club had a yearly competition of 24 shots of 24 predetermined subjects - on only one roll of 24 exposure film. There was no room for error. An error meant you had to write-off one subject. Once exposed, one handed in the exposed roll of film to the club president for processing by a lab chosen by the club president. No one got to see any of the slides, except for some outside judges, until the night of the competition. There were "Ohhs" and "Ahhs" for some of the great shots - and lots of laughter for creative depiction of various subject and subject "errors". But did help teach one how to shoot for that only "once in a lifetime" shot.

Vietnam Vet

Any thing that is fully manual

Stardust Loc: Central Illinois

The camera is not important, it is whether her interest continues for more than a few weeks. A decent, used P&S with full manual settings can be had for $100ish but suggesting a film camera in 2020 is like suggesting tubes in a car's tires.

Keen

She may love photography, and stay with it for life....or lose interest in it quickly, and never bother with it again. It would be bad to invest a lot in costly gear that never gets used again. Start out with good, but affordable, gear. It will serve well for years to come, and she can upgrade later if she stays interested in photography. Nikon F Mount systems let you use Full Frame lenses on either Full Frame, or Crop Frame, cameras....or use Crop Frame lenses on either Full Frame, or Crop Frame, cameras. Buy a used, or refurbished Crop Frame Nikon camera....a D7100, or D7200. Then get some Full Frame FX lenses. A 50mm f/1.8G lens would be a good walk around / general photo lens. An 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G ED would be a good wide angle lens for landscapes, sea scapes, architectural images, etc. A 70-300mm f/4-5.6G AF lens would be useful for portraits, some wildlife / birds, etc. Purchased used none of this will cost a lot. If she remains interested in photography, she can save up, and buy more costly lenses with wider apertures, VR, etc, later. Once she knows what type of photos she likes to shoot most-travel, people portraits, pet portraits, products, wildlife, architecture, or whatever-she can get the lenses, speedlights, filters, etc, which will serve her best in that arena. If she stays with photography, she can branch out to Full Frame, Mirrorless, Sony, Canon, or whatever, as she prefers. Then she can sell her old gear to another beginner, and have a bit of cash for her new purchases. Amazon.com has a lot of photo related e-books available, and Audible.com has some audible books on photo related subjects. Youtube has many videos on: cameras, lenses, photo techniques, and such. NYIP - The New York Institute Of Photography-has distance education courses in Photography. That school is approved for Veteran’s benefits, so it has been checked out, and approved by the government, rather than being a rip off. Your niece can read a lot, and watch videos, and take distance ed courses, and then she just needs to practice. Taking her camera everywhere, and shooting everything, will help. Taking time, thinking about the images she wants to create, and noticing things around, beside, and behind, her subject will help.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

I would recommend a premium compact with a decent zoom range.

As others have suggested she should start off in auto mode and even be encouraged to do so. That way she'll learn the important stuff without the distraction that the camera can be (the "important stuff" being content, choice of subject, developing an eye for composition and lighting, spotting the opportunities and potential of situations etc). And if being in auto mode produces the odd failure, she'll learn useful lessons from that.

A good amount of zoom will leave her less limited and encourage her to learn by experimenting, while the portability of a compact will encourage her to carry the camera around with her at all times.