Camera for a 12 yo

[Col. Sandurz]

Hi there.
I have to gift a camera to a 12 yo girl (to be more precise I have been asked advice on that).

Price range 250 - 300 euros, with manual controls.

What would you buy?

Thanks.

[emosun]

buy a 50 euro camera becuase a 12yo will destroy anything you give them

[bowrilla]

I'd suggest a used mirrorless camera. Even 7 or 8 year old cameras can be very decent. Think of a Fuji E1 - still very much a usable camera and you should be able to get one for about $200, enough to get a decent lens to it. Getting an analog full manual camera would also be an option but then - the risk is high that this could push away a 12yo.

[Col. Sandurz]

The problem is that the person who wants to do the gift won't like gifting a used item.

I'll also check with the parents about the kid's attitude.

[bowrilla]

20 minutes ago, Col. Sandurz said:

The problem is that the person who wants to do the gift won't like gifting a used item.

I'll also check with the parents about the kid's attitude.

The issue is, that $250-300 is not much in camera terms if it's anything else but a point and shoot. Point and shoots are dead thanks to mobile phones. If it should be something better than that it takes some more money. The cheapest Olympus blows the budget with a lens - by something between $100-200. There's a Canon EOS M100 but that blows the budget too. The budget isn't high enough for a new camera and lens.

[Col. Sandurz]

Well, the 4000d (rebel T100) is below 300 euros right now.

May not be the best camera, but could it be good for the kid?

[bowrilla]

32 minutes ago, Col. Sandurz said:

Well, the 4000d (rebel T100) is below 300 euros right now.

May not be the best camera, but could it be good for the kid?

Would work I guess but it will be bulkier than a mirrorless. It all depends on if the kid has no issue with carrying bulkier stuff or not. Imho there are great used mirrorless cameras available for similar money. If it has to be a new one, the 4000D is probably the only option left.

[cc143]

4 hours ago, bowrilla said:

Would work I guess but it will be bulkier than a mirrorless. It all depends on if the kid has no issue with carrying bulkier stuff or not. Imho there are great used mirrorless cameras available for similar money. If it has to be a new one, the 4000D is probably the only option left.

Dude, whether the camera has a mirror in it or not is completely and utterly inconsequential, and honestly, dlsrs like the 1300d etc are very small and light as it is and are much better value than most mirrorless cameras. Even if you ant to buy used, there's still dslrs that are a better value proposition than mirrorless cameras, there's absolutely no need to always go for one. 

 

The 4000d will probably do fine, the issue is that a very small increase in budget or going for something used or refurbished will give inproportionately higher return if that makes any sense to you. I like the idea of an entry level Canon for most people because of the EF mount mostly, which is a great place to start because there's tones of stuff for it out there that's at great price points and a huge used market. 

 

If your friend can find a 750d or 200d on a good offer, which might be possible since its possible stores will give discounts on them, since the 800d was released. 

[bowrilla]

3 hours ago, cc143 said:

Dude, whether the camera has a mirror in it or not is completely and utterly inconsequential, and honestly, dlsrs like the 1300d etc are very small and light as it is

Yes and no. Some DSLR are light, yes, small though - well, a mount that has been designed for a DSLR will always be bigger than a mount for a mirrorless system. An advantage of one of the classic DSLR mounts surely is a bigger lens lineup and a huge used market. But then again the future imho is mirrorless for most use cases. And for a 12yo maybe a smaller and lighter setup wouldn't be too bad.

[cc143]

10 hours ago, bowrilla said:

Yes and no. Some DSLR are light, yes, small though - well, a mount that has been designed for a DSLR will always be bigger than a mount for a mirrorless system. An advantage of one of the classic DSLR mounts surely is a bigger lens lineup and a huge used market. But then again the future imho is mirrorless for most use cases. And for a 12yo maybe a smaller and lighter setup wouldn't be too bad.

The market is certainly moving there, but you still have to value the value proposition at this particular point in time and right now, dslrs offer better value in absolute terms for most usecases, and will continue to do so for some time. 

 

The mount size is irrelevant, whatever savings you make in the body you will have to compensate for in the lens.  The fact that you can make a new mount and thus make a greater diameter, allowing for more innovative lens designs is true, so is the need for a smaller flange distance, but for existing focal lenghts, to make an equivalent lens you will end up with something similar, and a smaller body isn't necessarily better all the time. 

 

The fact that the recipient is 12 years old is not an issue, a d3300 is right about the same size and weight as my xt2 kit, and that's before I put anything outrageous on there. The difference is negligible. Size and weight is not and has never been the issue with mirrorless, it shouldn't be the be all and end all when making a camera purchasing decision. Yes some designs can end up that way, but most of the same compromises are being made in technology, or there are significant tradeoffs, like ergonomics and battery life. Mirrorless is not the answer to everyone for everything. 

[Lord Mirdalan]

On 5/5/2019 at 10:43 AM, Col. Sandurz said:

Well, the 4000d (rebel T100) is below 300 euros right now.

May not be the best camera, but could it be good for the kid?

It's a solid first body to learn on. I'd be a bit wary of giving it to a 12yo, but that's up to you... No weather sealing of any kind, or tolerance for being dropped.

 

And I'd like to say that it's an honor, Colonel.