Hello,

Does anybody know of a camera that could accompany an aging lady into the digital age?

My specs are roughly as follows (but I am open to other suggestions):

- large look-through viewfinder (by far the hardest to find on a compact!), ideally with diopter correction,

- or at least a big and bright screen;

- as automated as possible, setting its own focus, exposure, flash;

- what is not automated should be accessible by large clearly marked buttons and simple clear icons or menus.

Lever-type or sliding switches, or rotating dials, anything that physically moves into a meaningul position and stays there, is preferable to touchbuttons that change options on the screen.

- the camera itself should not be excessively small or fragile;

- must switch itself off when left unattended (fortunately, most digital cameras do);

- no separate lens cover or other bits and pieces to lose;

- preferably using SD cards for compatibility with other devices in the family;

- traditional 3:2 picture proportions (as opposed to the more popular 4:3) are desirable;

- as for the purely technical performance, I think an optical zoom of about 3x and a resolution of 2-3 MPix would do, given it will be used for purely amateur shots.

Thanks in advance for any enlightment,

Leszek.

 

Hello Leszek, or can i call you Les?

Which magazine are giving a FREE publication on digital photography, telephone them FREE on 0800 032 2444, quote ref. PHOTOOO1, they will also offer you other publications for a one off fee of £3.oo you do not have to take them. On the other  hand you could just go out and by a cheep one, as I did, and have some fun, I have enrolled for a course at my local adult ed to learn more.

Go for it Les

Kind Regards

Barry

Thank you for writing;

I was not asking for myself. I am a tender 46, a mere spring bud :). And I do not find digital cameras very confusing. I am thinking of finding a camera for my mother, who is not "computer literate". She needs something to point, shoot, and enjoy, and something that will not require her to put on her eyeglasses (she's farsighted) - or to read in English.

She's also too busy with her medical practice to attend a course.

I guess the camera will have to be simple, which probably can mean a cheap one, but there are those special needs that so few electronics manufacturers think about: big buttons with large markings on them, simple menu structure etc etc - basically, most stuff is made by young electronics engineers for young electronics engineers.

Yours,

Les

(not exactly what I am called here in Poland, but I don't mind if you like to call me that)

I cannot really help Leszek or his mum, as I do not know what may be available in Poland. I can only suggest she makes time to try out various cameras until she gets to one that she feels comfortable with.  In the UK, most camera shops will let her do this, if it means a sale to them. I feel sure Polish shopkeepers are not much different! 

To Baz, I hope you are not disappointed with your local education course. I have just completed a 'Basic Digital Photography' course. There was very little camera work, for the very reason that every camera differs to another, each camera requires its own driver to be in the computer and the tutor did not have time for very much individual tuition, despite there being only 10 of us on the course and the course lasted 20+ hours over 10 weeks.  The course was mostly on how to construct presentations, etc, on the computer - which was not what I was looking for, although it was interesting. So Be Warned.

Have just noticed the dates of the other posts!  Obviously it is all water under the bridhe by now. Hopefuly Mum now has her camera and is enjoying it, and Baz has finshed his course and probably found it all he required. Hope so, anyway

No it's not water under the bridge at all. Mom is still using my old analog camera.

I wouldn't dream of dragging her to a camera shop and making her stand there for half an hour, discussing "options", "menus", "functions" and "parameters" with an electronics geek of a salesperson (anybody who can use a PC is a geek compared to her).

I need to find the camera myself for the next gift opportunity: Mom's nameday is June the 30th.

Language in the menu should not be a problem, almost all cameras available in shops around here come in Polish.

Best - L.

Dear Leszek

I do almost daily research on cameras with your specifications. There are no such current compact cameras - viewfinders are rare and diopters are almost non-existent. There are a few older digital cameras with diopters but they are not satisfactory in some way or other.

I suggest you concentrate on the Canon Powershot range. Most have viewfinders (some are better than others) and they all take good pictures. http://www.dcviews.com/ is good for reading about each camera and it also points you to review sites.

There is a new Nikon P50 which looks very interesting and almost what you want (no diopter, though). I am thinking of buying one myself - I am just waiting to see some reviews.

I have spent some time in Krakow and like it very much.

Richard

Hi Winton,

and thank you for the hint. In general, if it's manufactured, it is available in Poland; what might be a problem is a Polish-language menu.

 

But what worries me about the P50 is the navigation button (or should I call it a navigation ring?) to the right of the screen. A button surrounded by a ring which has four different points on which to press. This can be a challenge for my Mom's thumb as well as for her computer skills - presumably, the ring interacts with a two-dimensional set of menus.

 

I have downloaded the user brochure to see the menu structure, but I would have to get my hands physically on the contraption to judge the manual dexterity aspect.

 

Good luck with your hunt too,

and keep us posted about your findings.

Best - Leszek.

 

Leszek!

We don't have the P50 yet - only the P5000 - but when we do I'll let you know my thoughts. You may be right about the "ring".

I did recommed some of the Kodak range to older people and they have managed well with them. The cameras are bigger and quite easy to use though they are a bit cheap and plasticky.

Otherwise, it's back to Canon .. or wait .. and wait.

Thanks for replying.

Richard

 

Hello,

 

please tell me about your elderly friends' experiences with Kodaks and the P5000. I'm sure I'm not the only one interested to hear about them.

 

Yes I have been looking at some Kodaks and they seem to have the largest optical viewfinder of all the digital compact cameras on the market. As for the buttons and menu structure, the proof will be in the pudding - my Mom would think it a waste of time, and an ordeal to her legs, to spend an afternoon visiting shops and listening to salespeople's jargon. So I am eager to learn from other people's experience, hoping to be informed enough when the time comes to shop for Christmas gifts.

 

Cheers,

Leszek.