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06/08/2007 03:06:51 PM · #1 |
Hi all-
My father will be 88 in two weeks and is blessed to be healthy and active. He's always enjoyed photography as a hobby, but doesn't yet have a digital camera. I'd like to get him one for his birthday.
It needs to have a fairly good-sized display and controls that are big enough for large (and senior-aged) hands. Minimal fussing to get the pictures out of the camera would be a plus. He has a computer, but is not very adept with it.
A higher end point-and-shoot perhaps?
Any and all suggestions welcome.
Thanks!
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06/08/2007 03:18:35 PM · #2 |
My camera has a 3" display (i think). It's big. It's DSLR-type but it's technically a P&S. I think it retails for around $400 (dont quote me). I upload with Picasa and it's super easy. It's got a few, simple editing tools that he could use too.
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06/08/2007 03:21:05 PM · #3 |
Originally posted by gzupruk:
Hi all-
My father will be 88 in two weeks and is blessed to be healthy and active. He's always enjoyed photography as a hobby, but doesn't yet have a digital camera. I'd like to get him one for his birthday.
It needs to have a fairly good-sized display and controls that are big enough for large (and senior-aged) hands. Minimal fussing to get the pictures out of the camera would be a plus. He has a computer, but is not very adept with it.
A higher end point-and-shoot perhaps?
Any and all suggestions welcome.
Thanks! |
My wife,  motherlee who is a new member, got the Canon A630 and it is a cracking camera. She beat me in Free Study, her first challenge. |
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06/08/2007 03:32:57 PM · #4 |
Find out if he wants a viewfinder or LCD-only type. I find the ones with only an LCD a pain to use -- you have to hold the camera out in front of you, and sometimes it's hard to see the screen.
Take him to a camera store and let him hold the various models -- handling comfort is probably more of a priority in this case than either features or optics.
As with anyone, the camera features should be determined by the type of photos he wants to take. Personally, I got one of the "SLR-like" camera for the flexibility of the long zoom with the simplicity of a built-in lens. As mentioned, Sony, Nikon, Fuji, and most other major makers also have at least one model in this class. If he needs something smaller which can fit in a coat pocket, I concur with the recommendation of something in Canon's A-series -- they typically come with manual controls (available) in a P&S body; I think some still have the flip/swivel LCD which is very handy. |
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06/08/2007 03:43:05 PM · #5 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
If he needs something smaller which can fit in a coat pocket, I concur with the recommendation of something in Canon's A-series -- they typically come with manual controls (available) in a P&S body; I think some still have the flip/swivel LCD which is very handy. |
Yep, the A630 has swivel LCD and a proper viewfinder, so they say. It seems easy to use and produces results that require very little PP using the default settings. motherleehasn't ventured past the Auto mode yet, tho she is experimenting with the Macro setting. |
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06/08/2007 10:06:14 PM · #6 |
A very good friend of mine, who is in her 80s, when asked what cameras she likes replied to me:
"If they want a camera to zoom any distance I like my Canon S2 IS & I think there are newer models out now.
If they want a small pocket camera I like my Panasonic Lumix SD and Costco is running a coupon sale on then now I think but I do not know what model it is.
A person should hold it in their hands to see if they are comfortable with holding it and looking through the view finder if it does not have a window to look at."
My friend uses the program modes and gets remarkably good images. She's done better than I have enough times to make me humble. |
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06/09/2007 12:23:42 PM · #7 |
| Thanks. I will look into the models mentioned. Any additional suggestions? |
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06/09/2007 12:38:14 PM · #8 |
ricoh gr digital.
I know a guy who is 72 and he loves it. Although he is/was a professional photog back in the days, he uses it as a a pocket camera when he can't bring his H2 |
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06/09/2007 12:40:34 PM · #9 |
| Pentax makes some pocket P&S models which are actually waterproof to a depth of a few feet -- that could offer even more flexibility in shooting conditions. I recommend reading the reviews and comments at DPReview. |
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06/09/2010 01:39:56 PM · #10 |
| Canon S90. More advanced but still simple and pop-up flash. |
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06/09/2010 02:13:51 PM · #11 |
Originally posted by jvaughn94:
Canon S90. More advanced but still simple and pop-up flash. |
Agreed, except that it does feel a bit like a bar of soap.. For a senior citizen I might recommend putting some sort of stick-on rubber grips on the S90..
other than that? Great camera.
I took this with it... It turned out to be a PB for a couple of weeks :)
Message edited by author 2010-06-09 14:17:04. |
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06/09/2010 02:19:01 PM · #12 |
| I'll reiteriate my suggestion for one of the waterproof/shock-resistant cameras, of which there are now more choices than when this thread started. The Canon Powershot D10 (the review where the link starts out) seemed to be the best at the time, about a year ago ... |
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06/09/2010 02:21:03 PM · #13 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
I'll reiteriate my suggestion for one of the waterproof/shock-resistant cameras, of which there are now more choices than when this thread started. The Canon Powershot D10 (the review where the link starts out) seemed to be the best at the time, about a year ago ... |
Also a great idea.. Unless you don't really care if it gets broken :) |
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06/09/2010 02:39:22 PM · #14 |
Should you not also consider what it is your pa wants to shoot? What the destination is for his pics - what sort of prints if any?
But definitely get him to handle the suspect before buying, especially if he is switching from film/viewfinder to lcd only.
The only camera I have that does not allow full control is an old Nikon Coolpix L10, which I keep in program mode. I am astonished at how well it does, i.e. its exposure decisions in P mode. I suspect there is quite a variance in this sort of intelligence for p and s cameras.
Good luck. Maybe you can get him to join dpc. |
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06/09/2010 02:52:38 PM · #15 |
Originally posted by tnun:
I suspect there is quite a variance in this sort of intelligence for p and s cameras. |
I suspect there's less quality variation in this mode than you think, since that's where P&S developers would concentrate -- it's what the bulk of their market would use most of the time. There have been several generations of development in this area, and they were pretty good to start with.
These two entries were taken within the past three weeks with cameras in Auto or Program mode, which are ten and seven years old respectively:
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06/09/2010 03:23:48 PM · #16 |
I would hope, 3 years later... that he has a camera now
unless somehow the year on the posts got messed, cause the month and day are eerily similar
Message edited by author 2010-06-09 15:25:29. |
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06/09/2010 04:20:35 PM · #17 |
I didn't even realize this was an old post that was dredged up. Looking at the post that brought this to the surface, I smell ham and pork product.
Added: Member just registered today. I have reported the post as spam. I also noticed they found a way around the inability for a new member to post links for a while. They put the link in their sig line.
Message edited by author 2010-06-09 16:23:08. |
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06/09/2010 04:26:43 PM · #18 |
reported.
the resurrectress, I mean. |
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