digital camera

Gretings from AZ USA,
I want to get my daughyter interested in computer graphics. Eleven years old.
I can spend about $200 or so on camera. I have no expertise in this area.
Can I get a reasonably good device for that kind of $.
Advice and opinions sought for specific model.
A response copied to my email box would be appreciated.
All replies acknowledged gratefully.
Best regards to all,
Seamus

Seamus Wilson said:

Gretings from AZ USA,
I want to get my daughyter interested in computer graphics. Eleven years
old.
I can spend about $200 or so on camera. I have no expertise in this area.
Can I get a reasonably good device for that kind of $.
Advice and opinions sought for specific model.
A response copied to my email box would be appreciated.
All replies acknowledged gratefully.
Best regards to all,
Seamus

Click to expand...

I don't think I have ever seen a Digital Camera in that price range.

Seamus Wilson said:

I want to get my daughyter interested in computer graphics. Eleven years
old. I can spend about $200 or so on camera.

Click to expand...

K-Mart has a sale this weekend for Fuji MX1200 I think it is $199 (normally $250) and it's a megapixel camera, nothing to sneeze at for that price.

If you're unsure if she will take to this hobby you might also want to consider a "throw-away" digital camera such as the "Jam Cam" for $73 at Buycomp; see this page:
http://www.buy.com/comp/product.asp?sku=10218299

-bruce

Seamus Wilson said:

Gretings from AZ USA,
I want to get my daughyter interested in computer graphics. Eleven years
old.
I can spend about $200 or so on camera. I have no expertise in this area.
Can I get a reasonably good device for that kind of $.
Advice and opinions sought for specific model.
A response copied to my email box would be appreciated.
All replies acknowledged gratefully.
Best regards to all,
Seamus

Click to expand...

Seamus,

You ask an hard thing. You can find some cameras less than $200 but I think they will discourage your daughter. I recommend against a VGA or less camera. Try to buy a 1 megapixel minimum.

Check out this link for some options.

http://home.cnet.com/consumerelectronics/0-3622-7-1463353.html?st.cn.3622-7-1463352.arrow.3622-7-1463353

You might add the HP C200 to your list. It can be bought for around $270 and you can get a $100 rebate with it if you buy a qualifying HP printer. It's specs are the same as the HP C30 but I think it has a plastic lense instead of a glass system found on the C30. Here is a link to the HP web site detailing the rebate.

http://www.hp.com/peripherals2/digital_dollar/get_details.html

When you shop for your camera, you might find some of these at your office supply stores like OfficeMax and Office Depot. Also, you may want to check out:

http://www.shopper.com

Good luck.

Brent

ps: I got my eleven year old daughter the HP C30 last year and she has done some pretty interesting things with it. Here is a picture of Niagara Falls taken by her this past summer.

Brent Keith said:

You ask an hard thing. You can find some cameras less than $200 but I
think they will discourage your daughter. I recommend against a VGA or
less camera. Try to buy a 1 megapixel minimum.

Click to expand...

Of course you should try to get the most resolution you can, and the 1-megapixel Fuji MX1200 I mentioned for $199 from K-mart satisfies this, but let me stoutly defend VGA-resolution cameras.

Strange as it may seem now, once VGA cameras were kings, and in fact many sub-VGA cameras were sold to satisfied customers, such as the grand-daddy of them all, the Kodak DC-20.

As a specific example, please check out my web page on the Nikon Coolpix 100, a 512 x 480 (i.e. sub-VGA) camera. It has its uses.

http://homepages.packet.net/bkomusin/nikon.html

-bruce

Seamus Wilson said:

Gretings from AZ USA,
I want to get my daughyter interested in computer graphics. Eleven years
old.
I can spend about $200 or so on camera. I have no expertise in this area.
Can I get a reasonably good device for that kind of $.
Advice and opinions sought for specific model.
A response copied to my email box would be appreciated.
All replies acknowledged gratefully.
Best regards to all,
Seamus

Click to expand...

I thank all respondents to my query. I found the answers most helpful. Please know that your interested is appreciated
Seamus Wilson

bruce komusin said:

Brent Keith said:

You ask an hard thing. You can find some cameras less than $200 but I
think they will discourage your daughter. I recommend against a VGA or
less camera. Try to buy a 1 megapixel minimum.

Click to expand...

Of course you should try to get the most resolution you can, and the
1-megapixel Fuji MX1200 I mentioned for $199 from K-mart satisfies this,
but let me stoutly defend VGA-resolution cameras.

Strange as it may seem now, once VGA cameras were kings, and in fact many
sub-VGA cameras were sold to satisfied customers, such as the grand-daddy
of them all, the Kodak DC-20.

As a specific example, please check out my web page on the Nikon Coolpix
100, a 512 x 480 (i.e. sub-VGA) camera. It has its uses.

http://homepages.packet.net/bkomusin/nikon.html

-bruce

Click to expand...

Bruce,

I am familiar with the early days of digital photography. I too was amazed at the VGA cameras, but I didn't dare trust them to general photographic work (family vacations, etc.). They were wondrous things for manuals, the web, and e-mail attachments. In contrast, the 1 megapixel camera is an excellent snapshot camera that will produce pictures up to 5" x 7" satisfactorily. Anticipating the thrill of actually printing the pictures and giving them to friends, I suggested the 1 megapixel camera.

My suggestion was mainly based around a concern for giving the new hobby a chance. I may be oversensitive here, but I can't help but compare the VGA cameras to IBM XT's. If a neighbor asked me to suggest a computer for their kid who wanted to explore computing as a hobby, I don't think it would be fair to the kid to suggest an IBM XT. That is not to say that there isn't a lot of computing left in an IBM XT. There are probably lots of kids who would love to have one. I just don't want to under suggest what I think would be appropriate.

I visited your website and I must admit that you received plenty of mileage out of your purchase. Viewing the unretouched images, I seem to detect a bit of in camera oversharpening. I wonder if the early history of Nikon digital imaging has resulted in their ultra conservative approach to in camera processing seen today?

Brent

Brent Keith said:

I visited your website and I must admit that you received plenty of
mileage out of your purchase. Viewing the unretouched images, I seem to
detect a bit of in camera oversharpening. I wonder if the early history
of Nikon digital imaging has resulted in their ultra conservative
approach to in camera processing seen today?

Click to expand...

Well, I guess with only 512 pixels horizontal, they had to make sure all pixels had different values, or the image would look like mud
-bruce