looking for help suggesting a camera for my 17 yr old grandson. He is just getting into photography but has enough experience to know he wants to stick with it as a hobby He has little knowledge now but is very savvy and a fast learner so he is thinking something above an entry level that he can grow into rather than something he will quickly grow out of. It must be a Nikon so he can take advantage of some of my lenses until he acquires some of his own....Then I will borrow his ha ha ha, see I do have a method to this. I was thinking something like d5300 or the like. Any thoughts ...too advanced ...not advanced enough? Good points/bad points. I know I am asking a lot of you all since you don't have any personal knowledge of him but as I said he is very savvy straight honors through school , has a job and is now entering his third yr on way to get an E2 license to become an electrician with college in his future also. If any of that helps to paint a picture of him. Oh yeah I almost forgot...….alas, his funds are very limited Thank you in advance. Rick

This is 2018 - life is digital (think about your audience) - Young folks today really have no use for the film route, too tedious and time consuming (you need a lab or have to wait) and does not transfer readily to social media, or other electronic format. Before anyone blows a gasket - I grew up on film and still have a great appreciation for it (still have a couple of film cameras). However - There isn't anything about photography that cannot be learned via digital (maybe all the chemical processing), film or digital - it is about capturing the image, and learning how to do that, and how to process the image.

I tried to get some of the youngsters in my extended family into real photography. To that end - have a shelf with 7 modern P&S cameras, even the oldest/cheapest of which is quite capable of fine images, purchased to give as Christmas presents (along with other things one needs to shoot - cards, batteries, cases, etc.) that I will be selling off, as almost all of them were not the least bit interested. Only my adult son showed any interest, and ended up with two Nikon cameras that he uses when it is something beyond what his phone can do (so they sit in the bag a lot).

I don't know your grandson (his likes/dislikes, is he tech savvy, social media connected, a gamer, etc. etc.) If he is as "digital" as most are these days, think about interconnectivity, it has to be relevant to his world, not your world. My grandson (whom I was trying to guide into photography, and that started my Christmas camera deal) who is very tech savvy, isn't the least bit interested. AS FAR AS THEY ARE CONCERNED, THEIR PHONES DO ALL THAT....and anything else is just time consuming and not needed. I tried to give cameras to my adult daughter and her husband, for kid pics and such - no dice, "we are fine with our phones".

I applaud you for trying, and I hope you find the success I failed to find - but I say go in easy, once you see the photo bug has bitten, then pounce with the gear that he will remember Grandma/Grandpa for, for the rest of his life. Its often hard to remember that their world is so very different from the world we came up in. Good luck with your mission!!

In general, I agree with you, Mikey, but you should see the number of young'uns that show up at the annual Photographica Expo in Boston, which is heavily slanted toward vintage film equipment. Although the dealers and club leadership are mostly greybeards like us, you would not believe the number of hipsters, youngsters, and students you see buying up vintage darkroom equipment, cameras, and lenses. Apparently view cameras are also a thing with the hip crowd - there were a number of them wandering around with glass and brass stuff.

It's a niche market, for sure, but the kids are a'right these days in terms of film. The show is an absolute blast for all ages.

Andy

I think that is wonderful, would be interesting to attend. I would never disparage film (I grew up on it and still appreciate it ). Just speaking from my personal experience on the digital age issue, ..... thought it would be a great Christmas present for all involved, but alas, interest was really zip. If someone had given me a nice camera with a 50X zoom back in the day, I'd have been "highly stoked" (old guy term). I'm not a pushy gramps either, if they aren't interested, then we move on.

Really wanted to share my knowledge, but it ain't happening (esp. with oldest grandson - honor society, voted in as H.S. vice president at his school - I gave him a PS4 for his accomplishments - he just kills it on Fortnight). It just made me realize that the kids (and adults) in my family aren't interested in photography beyond their phones. Well, I got to play with a bunch of nice cameras, and I will get my $$ back, as all are in "new" condition, and have "kits" included, and Christmas is coming , again. If the young man in question is really interested (and I missed the part about "buying his own") he may be the next Ansel Adams.
Hey, maybe I should send him a nice little Fuji!!!!! Take care - Hey, heard any good beaver jokes lately?

<sigh> I can't interest any of our grands in film either, although we've got a couple of DSLR owners - maybe I should bring one to the next Photographica show?

I will post the final beaver control efforts in the thread I started once the state DPW completes its part of the work. I've got nearly 40 hours into this project, but the water level on our land is down more than two feet. I think we'll be flood-free till the next tenants move in. And I'm hoping to do a little more "rehab" to the lodge after the highway drain is cleared....

Hope all is well with you!

Andy