[Leica] First digital camera for my son?

[tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant)]

B. D. Colen
Subject: RE: [Leica] First digital camera for my son?


>I would definitely urge you to go for digital for three reasons - First,
> the instant feedback avoids the kidee delay-frustration problems, and
> provides that instant magic and feedback that kids want;<<<<<<<<,,

Yes I think the instant "see my pictures" captures them right away. It's 
magic of seeing what they just "clicked" is far more exciting to any child 
than waiting a week or 24 hours before seeing their pictures.

Besides waiting looses the momentum gained with the first picture captured. 
He's still standing right where he took the picture, now he can look at his 
image and what reality is in front of him. And can be shown where his error 
may have been or how well he did allowing him to re-shoot to make a 
correction.

Waiting for pictures? Heck he'll have ten thousand other items on his mind 
and you'll have to get him cranked back up to the interest of photography, 
Makes a far better teaching tool and learning tool on an instant bases.


>>>>3. Digital IS photography today. As much as you may love film
> and your M7, your four-and-a-half-year-old is very, very unlikely to end
> up as one of the world's last three film photographers. IF he takes a
> long-term interest in photography, that photography will be digital. So
> why not start him off that way?<<<<<<<<

Of course and by the time he's an adult, or maybe the way things are moving, 
in ten years and he's a teen it'll be digital for 99.9% of photography other 
than the artist and die hards with film.

> What camera? Obviously I'm biased, but I think one of the simply, water
> resistant Olympus cameras would be a good idea. They're small enough to
> be handled easily by a kid, but big enough to not be instantly
> destroyed. Also, I've noticed that the simpler Oly point-and-shoots have
> outstanding built-in flash capability.<<<<<<<<

Whatever camera you get make sure it's easy for him to hold and see 
something quickly.

> Finally, I would initially set the camera on auto-everything for him,
> and try to get him to leave the settings alone. At some point he'll be
> ready to move on, but I'd start with KISS and see if he gets hooked on
> seeing and capturing images.<<<,,

And at your son's age 4 1/2, B.D. has hit it right on the mark it's.... 
KISS..............  Auto everything, never mind the details other than "look 
through here... push down here!" All he'll want to do in the beginning is 
see the magic of his camera and pictures on the screen.

He doesn't need to be told anything about focus, auto this that or anything 
else. Simply, as I've already said....... "he wants to see his pictures 
right now!"

As he plays you can bring along simple things of  "holding the camera 
straight" if nothing else. Besides if he's constantly bombarded with "stuff" 
there's the potential of turning him off if you keep telling him the things 
to do.  KISS and you can't miss.

Sorry, :-)  You know your child better than I. I'm just offering my 
experience with 4 children and gaining their interest to photography. And it 
worked with all of them, as they all use a mean camera. :-) And one of them 
became a professional photographer with his own company.

The difference between today and then? They got to see and help dad soup 
film and develop prints before they got to see their pictures. ;-) 
Eventually learning how to develop their film & make their own prints.:-) 
And today? Film? "What's film dad?" ;-) Or with the grandson's ? Heck they 
know more about digital cameras and computers along with terminology and 
have been helping "Grumpa" use his digi cameras. :-)

ted