What camera for 16 year old dreaming to be a photographer

[forreachingme]

We only have simple photo cameras up to 8K so far. Sony and Olympus that do a great job for family pics...

The daughter likes to take pictures and now sees herself as a future photograph as a career for her future.

I would like to please her with a new camera a bit more sophisticated, with effect lenses and stuff, a camera that looks professional...

What could be the good choice to make pictures of all kinds suiting a teenager, the budget is around 500 Usd ?

Should i stretch budget to 1000 Usd ? I would prefer first figure of 500 with a quite complete solution and eventually add options later on if she take well care of.

[wasabi]

Canra try taking pics with a camera.

[Marmite the Dog]

DPReview Recommends: Best Cameras for Beginners: Digital Photography Review

[forreachingme]

MTD, thanks great link,

it looks as well i will be spot on with the 500 Usd mark..

[Marmite the Dog]

^ And don't forget to post the results on TD somewhere.

[mrsquirrel]

Fujifilm X10 X20 or one of their fancier ones compacts with interchangeable lenses.

THose big slrs look the business but they are a kunt to lug around, the new style compacts with interchangeable lenses are best of both worlds.

[Mr Earl]

Taking good pictures is less about the camera and more about spotting good light and composition.
Start low tech and simple and if she shows a knack for it then step up. Good photographers have to develop thier eye. Having a terrific camera is no substute for having an "eye". Simple equipment helps you develop your eye.

[Davis Knowlton]

And, before you invest a huge amount of money, it's worth remembering that teenagers have the attention span of fruit flies. She may want to be a pilot, or a dentist, by next month.

[PAG]

It's important to grasp the fundamentals of photography, in terms of relating exposure values and the effect of varying shutter speeds and aperture settings. For that, you need a camera that will function in manual mode, and inevitably an dSLR. ISO capability is also important, as is a brand where you can obtain a good range of lenses from not only the camera manufacturer, but independent lens makers also.

I would advise going for a second hand camera to begin with, so research the likes of eBay etc, and see what bargains are to be had. Amongst the main brands, there are no 'bad' cameras, so find something that looks to fill the bill, research what reviews it's had, and come back here with specific queries maybe.

[bsnub]

DSLR is dead. Do not encourage a young person to lug that shit around.

[PAG]

DSLR is dead. Do not encourage a young person to lug that shit around.

I agree that for most people, the camera technology in the current crop of smart phones is more than sufficient for their needs. However, for serious photography and wannabee professional photographers, an SLR is essential. Look at any sports event or celebrity occasion where there's a mass of photographers, and observe what they're carrying.

[VocalNeal]

Don't forget a decent printer with an ink tank system as she will want to print out pictures she has taken.

Then she will need to know and learn about what you see on the screen isn't the same as the print out etc, etc.

[Smug Farang Bore]

True the camera don't make the picture but to keep a sixteen year old on the case you'll need to buy something a bit Err trendy.

At the same time though you can pic up an old Canon SLR or the like for fek all then she can learn about the nuts and bolts on that too.

I'm good at the composition but was basically a shite photographer. At one time I had a press pass at Hammersmith Oden...

Still waiting for Genesis to call about the album cover.

[nigelandjan]

Take a look at some of the new wi fi uploading compacts.

I now use the little known Panasonic LF1 , will upload wireless ly and take a cracking picture,

Kudos indeed to the young lady for having an interest in her life other than eating and yapping shite.

BTW Mr Earl has made some excellent observations about how the individual interprets each scene, similar to painting

[Pragmatic]

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[Marmite the Dog]

I now use the little known Panasonic LF1 , will upload wireless ly and take a cracking picture,

Have you worked out how to upload direct from the camera to the TD gallery yet?

[Albert Shagnastier]

Taking good pictures is less about the camera and more about spotting good light and composition. Start low tech and simple and if she shows a knack for it then step up. Good photographers have to develop thier eye. Having a terrific camera is no substute for having an "eye". Simple equipment helps you develop your eye.

[nigelandjan]

I now use the little known Panasonic LF1 , will upload wireless ly and take a cracking picture,

Have you worked out how to upload direct from the camera to the TD gallery yet?

Er, ,, has anyone? If they have please DONT contact me

[blue]

If you think the SLR cameras might be a bit too big and heavy ,you could try something like the Panasonic Lumix g series , like the lumix g5 below.

It still produces very good quality images and is nice and trendy too ,and about half the size / weight , but has all the functions to learn on, interchangeable lens etc.

What ever type you choose I'd go for a camera with a flippy screen , much easier and more fun to use than the fixed screens , and an eye viewer too , like the g5.
Also get her an extra battery or 2 , they all soon run down.

[Takeovers]

What ever type you choose I'd go for a camera with a flippy screen , much easier and more fun to use than the fixed screens , and an eye viewer too , like the g5.

Easier and fun to use is not to go for if you want serious photography. I am with PAG that only a DSLR with manual features gives the necessary training.

For wide availability of add ons Canon and Nikon are best. Second hand is ok unless the camera was abused. Top models are not necessary to begin with.

[blue]

Perhaps you are right about best getting an SLR , but as far as training goes on manual settings I disagree , lots of non SLR have those settings these days.

I even have a compact that has manual settings for white balance , shutter speed , aperture , iso , in any combination . What else is there ? manual focus ?

I guess that depends on what lens you buy, that panasonic uses micro four thirds lenses which can have manual focusing , but is motor assisted, not mechanically turned with the fingers , don't know if that's a big deal ?

[wikipedia]

As mentioned earlier, composition is the key to great photography. A professional with a throw away camera could show up an amateur with a top end DSLR.
If I may suggest - download a book or two (via torrents) about composition, any aspiring photographer should learn about it.

[Mr Earl]

DPReview Recommends: Best Cameras for Beginners: Digital Photography Review

Some really nice cameras there. And not too terribly expensive. Not really beginner cameras but these are the tools you need to get started these days.
I'm also kinda realizing that photography has changed dramatically with these incredibly powerfull techologies.
The old school idea of light and composition being king fade when you consider the amazing abilities of these new cameras and the associated photo editing/enhancing software.
So I'm going to amend my previous notion to include the importance of knowing how to manipulate these technolgies is equally important as the old school notions of photography.

[nigelandjan]

That camera is a beauty Blue but it needs a kit bag, is a 16 year old gonna want to lug it around?

The LF1 has manual control even a fine adjuster ring you can physically turn, slips in your pocket.

Having said that the last model I had the TZ 30 was taking great pics then the lens packed in jammed extended.

[snoother]

DSLR is dead. Do not encourage a young person to lug that shit around.

I agree that for most people, the camera technology in the current crop of smart phones is more than sufficient for their needs. However, for serious photography and wannabee professional photographers, an SLR is essential. Look at any sports event or celebrity occasion where there's a mass of photographers, and observe what they're carrying.

That wasn't the point (I think). DSLR are big and heavy and will always remain that way, especially for the lenses. Once you get serious with a few lenses, carrying the whole set is really inconvenient. Nowadays the image quality and features of mirrorless systems is pretty much on par with most DSLR, so why bother? More and more pro photographers got it and are making the switch.

My advice would be to go the micro 4/3 way (olympus & panasonic). The lenses are excellent and really tiny compared to the monstrous canon and nikon equivalent. You can start with an olympus E-PL5 which is great, with the acceptable kit zoom. If she really gets into it you can then complete the set with the 12mm olympus, 20mm or 25mm pana and 45mm olympus. She won't need to update her kit until many years.