I need help with opinions of a camera for my granddaughter. She will be a freshman next year. She is very studious, an excellent student, and has great social skills. Last Christmas I let her take my Nikon D7100 to take pictures around the house. The images were startling in their composition. She took ordinary things and by perspective, angle of view, etc. and made them visually very interesting. They became art. She was very excited about what she had done and told her counselor she wanted to sign up for a photography class. She has been talking about photography since Christmas. I told her I would get a camera for her birthday (Aug. 28).
I don’t want to spend the money for a D7100. I also recently bought an Olympus OMD EM10. I have found this to be a good small camera. I want her to try the D7100 and the OMD EM10 and see how they feel to her. If she prefers the D7100 I am thinking of a used D5100 or affordable Canon’s. If she prefers the OMD EM10, which I think she might prefer, I am thinking of small 4/3 cameras including the OMD EM10. I want to keep the cost to around $600. I do want her to have an optical or electronic viewfinder and interchangeable lenses I will purchase if she needs them. (OK, she’s my granddaughter—not needs, but if she wants them.) We live close to each other, she has no father in the home, and I can help her since I see her every week.
Do you have any comments, suggestions, etc. about my thoughts and what is appropriate in terms of cameras? I would like a camera she can grow with.

Thanks for your help.
Terry

I need help with opinions of a camera for my granddaughter. She will be a freshman next year. She is very studious, an excellent student, and has great social skills. Last Christmas I let her take my Nikon D7100 to take pictures around the house. The images were startling in their composition. She took ordinary things and by perspective, angle of view, etc. and made them visually very interesting. They became art. She was very excited about what she had done and told her counselor she wanted to sign up for a photography class. She has been talking about photography since Christmas. I told her I would get a camera for her birthday (Aug. 28).
I don’t want to spend the money for a D7100. I also recently bought an Olympus OMD EM10. I have found this to be a good small camera. I want her to try the D7100 and the OMD EM10 and see how they feel to her. If she prefers the D7100 I am thinking of a used D5100 or affordable Canon’s. If she prefers the OMD EM10, which I think she might prefer, I am thinking of small 4/3 cameras including the OMD EM10. I want to keep the cost to around $600. I do want her to have an optical or electronic viewfinder and interchangeable lenses I will purchase if she needs them. (OK, she’s my granddaughter—not needs, but if she wants them.) We live close to each other, she has no father in the home, and I can help her since I see her every week.
Do you have any comments, suggestions, etc. about my thoughts and what is appropriate in terms of cameras? I would like a camera she can grow with.

Thanks for your help.
Terry

Okay, don't anybody laugh at this. I learned more about photography from my Pentax K1000 35mm film camera with a 50mm lens than I have from any other camera. Having to conserve resources, forced to use manual and no advantages from different focal length lenses or any bells and whistles forced me to really think about the shot first.

For digital, I suggest a very simple camera with a 50mm lens. As few bells and whistles as possible, one that allows her to go completely manual.

If you really want to give her a great gift for learning, seriously, get her a totally manual film camera as well and some b&w film.

1. What kinds of things will she want to photograph? That may dictate the choices of cameras ie birds, you are limited to the higher end AF systems.
2. What requirements, if any, does the photo class have?
3. Does keeping her gear compatable with either of your systems factor in? Swap/loan lenses etc.
4. Her size and hand size, a large heavy camera she hates carrying would be a turn off. Unless she is like my wife, fairly large and strong for a woman and tried out for every team at school except football(they wouldn't let her). Also if it is a specialty camera for something she really wants to photograph, that can overcome a lot of things.
5. It will probably be an APS-C so besides the kit lens(es) additional lenses that are non crop will allow easier upgrade to FF in the future.

All that said, I favor Canon,but you already have a Nikon and for compatability I would recommend sticking with that or the Olympus system. Most of the beginner levels with the better AF systems are a bit above your stated budget. Try the refurbs or used either from the major stores or company direct.