5 year old photographer

I just purchased the Canon EOS Rebel T7 camera as a two-lens kit for my 5 year old cousin.  She's very intelligent and I think it will make a great beginners camera for her.

Did I make the right choice?  I think so.  Anyone else buy this or similar camera for their young munchins?  What were the results?

girlperson1 wrote:

I just purchased the Canon EOS Rebel T7 camera as a two-lens kit for my 5 year old cousin. She's very intelligent and I think it will make a great beginners camera for her.

Did I make the right choice? I think so. Anyone else buy this or similar camera for their young munchins? What were the results?

That's munchkin, not munchins...

Why would you buy a full sized DSLR for a 5 year old?  A simple cell phone or small point and shoot would be as much as a five year old could handle.

To me, this just seems totally inappropriate and a waste of money.  How long before it's dropped and broken?

Stan in NH wrote:

Why would you buy a full sized DSLR for a 5 year old? A simple cell phone or small point and shoot would be as much as a five year old could handle.

To me, this just seems totally inappropriate and a waste of money. How long before it's dropped and broken?

Not all 5 year olds fit into the mold you describe.

girlperson1 wrote:

Stan in NH wrote:

Why would you buy a full sized DSLR for a 5 year old? A simple cell phone or small point and shoot would be as much as a five year old could handle.

To me, this just seems totally inappropriate and a waste of money. How long before it's dropped and broken?

Not all 5 year olds fit into the mold you describe.

I have yet to meet any five year old who could understand the concepts required to truly master a DSLR without getting frustrated.  In fact, many adults I've taught photography to can't get it.  On the other hand, I have worked with kids as young as 9 or 10 who actually can do fairly well with advanced cameras.  Aside from the ability to grasp those concepts, it is really questionable as to whether a five year old can physically handle the bulk of the camera and its lenses.

Maybe your 5 year old will turn out to be a photography genius, but the question you asked in your initial post about your choice of a camera for a five year old probably should have been asked before buying a complete Canon DSLR kit for him.

Stan in NH wrote:

girlperson1 wrote:

Stan in NH wrote:

Why would you buy a full sized DSLR for a 5 year old? A simple cell phone or small point and shoot would be as much as a five year old could handle.

To me, this just seems totally inappropriate and a waste of money. How long before it's dropped and broken?

Not all 5 year olds fit into the mold you describe.

I have yet to meet any five year old who could understand the concepts required to truly master a DSLR without getting frustrated. In fact, many adults I've taught photography to can't get it. On the other hand, I have worked with kids as young as 9 or 10 who actually can do fairly well with advanced cameras. Aside from the ability to grasp those concepts, it is really questionable as to whether a five year old can physically handle the bulk of the camera and its lenses.

Maybe your 5 year old will turn out to be a photography genius, but the question you asked in your initial post about your choice of a camera for a five year old probably should have been asked before buying a complete Canon DSLR kit for him.

Why would you expect a five year old to MASTER a DSLR?  Isn't that why camera manufacturers build in the "A"???  Baby steps first and that's why DSLR are really made for everyone.   Bye.

girlperson1 wrote:

Stan in NH wrote:

girlperson1 wrote:

Stan in NH wrote:

Why would you buy a full sized DSLR for a 5 year old? A simple cell phone or small point and shoot would be as much as a five year old could handle.

To me, this just seems totally inappropriate and a waste of money. How long before it's dropped and broken?

Not all 5 year olds fit into the mold you describe.

I have yet to meet any five year old who could understand the concepts required to truly master a DSLR without getting frustrated. In fact, many adults I've taught photography to can't get it. On the other hand, I have worked with kids as young as 9 or 10 who actually can do fairly well with advanced cameras. Aside from the ability to grasp those concepts, it is really questionable as to whether a five year old can physically handle the bulk of the camera and its lenses.

Maybe your 5 year old will turn out to be a photography genius, but the question you asked in your initial post about your choice of a camera for a five year old probably should have been asked before buying a complete Canon DSLR kit for him.

Why would you expect a five year old to MASTER a DSLR? Isn't that why camera manufacturers build in the "A"??? Baby steps first and that's why DSLR are really made for everyone. Bye.

Well, you did put up a post asking for other people's opinions....so one should expect that there will be some that differ from yours...no need to get snippy....welcome to life.

I'd get one for my nephew....but would go a the used route with a smaller body for munchkin hands.

My children were all intrigued by photography at early ages. However, I found that as a point of entry their experimentation was better confined to the elementary arts of framing and composition. Mostly what they wanted was for me to get out of the way and let them shoot. To that end, whatever point-and-shoot I could give them sustained their curiosity the longest. They chased the cat, explored the garden, and invaded all privacies when mostly limited to zoom and auto-everything else. Now teenagers, they use various widgets on their cell-cameras to 'edit' their images and currently have almost no interest in DSLR photography.

RRAz wrote:

My children were all intrigued by photography at early ages. However, I found that as a point of entry their experimentation was better confined to the elementary arts of framing and composition. Mostly what they wanted was for me to get out of the way and let them shoot. To that end, whatever point-and-shoot I could give them sustained their curiosity the longest. They chased the cat, explored the garden, and invaded all privacies when mostly limited to zoom and auto-everything else. Now teenagers, they use various widgets on their cell-cameras to 'edit' their images and currently have almost no interest in DSLR photography.

That would seem to be an argument in favour of bringing up your kids properly and giving them a DSLR at the age of 5!  Now they are for ever doomed to social media pics. <insert appropriate smiley here>

AnthonyL wrote:

RRAz wrote:

My children were all intrigued by photography at early ages. However, I found that as a point of entry their experimentation was better confined to the elementary arts of framing and composition. Mostly what they wanted was for me to get out of the way and let them shoot. To that end, whatever point-and-shoot I could give them sustained their curiosity the longest. They chased the cat, explored the garden, and invaded all privacies when mostly limited to zoom and auto-everything else. Now teenagers, they use various widgets on their cell-cameras to 'edit' their images and currently have almost no interest in DSLR photography.

That would seem to be an argument in favour of bringing up your kids properly and giving them a DSLR at the age of 5! Now they are for ever doomed to social media pics. <insert appropriate smiley here>

My own personal story is that my father, who was also a very good photographer, began to integrate me into photography at the age of 3.  I learned on a Zeiss Ikon camera.  Naturally, he would adjust the settings and I would learn to frame the shot and release the shutter.  I haven't put down a camera since and I'm now 62...LOL!!  I have a cellphone but never use it for creating images.  I currently carry my 6D with me wherever I go albeit, there's not much to photograph in New Jersey....LOL!!  Through my teen years I carried a Honey Pentax SP500 and probably took my best images with that camera having grown up in Greenwich Village which was one of the most interesting places to take pictures.  I believe in giving children the opportunity to learn how to use a CAMERA versus a cellphone.

https://www.boredpanda.com/5-year-old-photographer-hawkeye-aaron-huey-the-american-west

What camera does "Hawkeye" use? Cute kid!

https://theundefeated.com/features/five-year-old-photographer-storee-elle-walton-makes-pictures-that-tell-a-story/

Is that a Nikon? Poor kid....LOL!!

https://www.buzzfeed.com/ikrd/people-are-loving-this-mother-and-son-duo-who-take-photos

Yet another 5 year old photographer, also with a Nikon? Poor kid....LOL!!

P.S. The Wall Street Journal also has an article that's interesting albeit, some may not be able to access it.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/when-your-kid-is-the-family-photographer-1494424447

girlperson1 wrote:

AnthonyL wrote:

RRAz wrote:

My children were all intrigued by photography at early ages. However, I found that as a point of entry their experimentation was better confined to the elementary arts of framing and composition. Mostly what they wanted was for me to get out of the way and let them shoot. To that end, whatever point-and-shoot I could give them sustained their curiosity the longest. They chased the cat, explored the garden, and invaded all privacies when mostly limited to zoom and auto-everything else. Now teenagers, they use various widgets on their cell-cameras to 'edit' their images and currently have almost no interest in DSLR photography.

That would seem to be an argument in favour of bringing up your kids properly and giving them a DSLR at the age of 5! Now they are for ever doomed to social media pics. <insert appropriate smiley here>

My own personal story is that my father, who was also a very good photographer, began to integrate me into photography at the age of 3. I learned on a Zeiss Ikon camera. Naturally, he would adjust the settings and I would learn to frame the shot and release the shutter. I haven't put down a camera since and I'm now 62...LOL!! I have a cellphone but never use it for creating images. I currently carry my 6D with me wherever I go albeit, there's not much to photograph in New Jersey....LOL!! Through my teen years I carried a Honey Pentax SP500 and probably took my best images with that camera having grown up in Greenwich Village which was one of the most interesting places to take pictures. I believe in giving children the opportunity to learn how to use a CAMERA versus a cellphone.

Times change and there are many more options available today than when you (and I) were young.
The fact is that most people these days do not seem to want to use a conventional viewfinder and prefer a LCD screen to compose their pictures on.
Therefore, buying an SLR as a first camera seems a bit of a waste, since, for me, one of the best features of an SLR is the optical viewfinder, and that is likely to be ignored, at least initially. I regularly see people with SLR's holding them at arms length like a cellphone and I cringe about them "not using it right."
There is also, as has been mentioned, the weight factor with an SLR. Most 5-year olds will get tired of lugging the weight of an SLR around, become bored with it, and then leave it at home. It's always said the best camera is the one you have with you.
There are a number of good quality compacts available which have both LCD screen and viewfinder which, with considerably lower weight, I would have thought to be more suitable for a childs use.

Did your 5 year old cousin ask for a DSLR?  Or show any interest?  If not, you just bought yourself a new camera;-)

Lepewhi wrote:

Did your 5 year old cousin ask for a DSLR? Or show any interest? If not, you just bought yourself a new camera;-)

She asked for it!

Cool!! I'm sure she'll enjoy it.

Lepewhi wrote:

Cool!! I'm sure she'll enjoy it.

I'm sure she will! I'm looking forward to see what the eyes of a 5 year old document.

But in any case, I'm still wondering about my original question:

Anyone else buy this or similar camera for their young munchkins? What were the results?

What were the results of your children or young relatives, friends etc.?