droolicious : cameras for kids

CES 2009: Kata Camera Backpack Small Enough For Kids Gear

Chris Ford — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 15:00:00 GMT

So I've been telling you about beginner cameras options for your kids, but what about a good bag to put it in? And not just the camera, but what about all the other electronic gadgets (hand held video games, cell phones etc.) they've got? The Kata DR461 backpack will keep all of their stuff safe, but is sized small enough that even younger kids will be able to manage without a problem.

More info after the jump.

The DR-461 is a serious camera bag if you want it to be. But at 11 inches long by 12 inches high by 6.5 inches wide, it almost looks like a big lunch bag. And a small camera backpack for adults is just the right size for kids. And my guess is that if you get them a serious camera bag to go with their brand new "adult" camera, they might give the new camera you just dropped $150 on for them some more respect.

That is, of course, a theory.

The Kata DR-461 retails for around $60 and is available now. Check it out at Kata-Bags.com.

CES 2009: Canon Powershot A1000 Digital Camera

Chris Ford — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 21:00:00 GMT

The last camera today in the "what do I get for my little budding photographer" series is the Canon AS1000. It's slightly pricier than the others, but trust me. Not many people have ever been disappointed buying a Canon digital camera.

The Powershot A1000 is as "idiot proof" (my term, not theirs) as Canon makes a camera. It's a 10 megapixel camera that runs on AA batteries, so your kid won't ever have to keep track of charging it or keeping it charged. It's also got a nice flash on/flash off setting, which lets you make that decision and the camera will do the rest.

It retails for around $199. Check it out at Canon.com.

CES 2009: Casio Exlim EX-S5 Digital Camera

Chris Ford — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 19:00:00 GMT

The next up in line for real cameras (read: no toys) that might be appropriate for young children is the Casio EX-S5. The EX-S5 is part of the Casio Elxim camera line, and it seems to be made (marketed?) for the YouTube generation.

There isn't really much to say about the EX-S5 really. It's a basic 10 megapixel digital camera that does exactly what you'd expect all digital cameras to do. The one interesting thing is that it has a dedicated video button, with the ability to take 16:9 video that 's ready to be uploaded to YouTube. It's the kind of feature an "adult" might not care so much about, but for someone younger it seems like a pretty cool feature.

The Casio EX-S5 will retail for around $179 and will be available in the US in March of 2009.

CES 2009: Panasonic Lumix LS80

Chris Ford — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 15:30:00 GMT

On the first day of CES I looked at a lot of cameras, with an eye towards what would be the perfect camera for the nine-year-old kid. The kind of camera that isn't a toy, but at the same time isn't too expensive and wouldn't be too confusing to operate. The first in line for these candidates is the Panasonic Lumix LS80.

The LS80 retails for around $129 and is 8.1 megapixel, with a 2.5 inch LCD on the back and a 3X optical zoom. The cool feature of this camera is that it has optical image stabilization, which a lot of other cameras in this type and price range don't have. What that means basically is that the camera should be extra steady for shaky hands, which should result in less blurry images. Even though it's a very basic camera, it's a cool feature I think for a budding photographer.

The LS80 has been available for about six months, and you can check it out at Panasonic.com.

Little Tikes My Real All-Terrain Digital Video Camera

Aaron Burgess — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 16:04:00 GMT

The My Real All-Terrain Digital Video Camera from Little Tikes is designed for kids as young as 3, although as with any such gadget, you really shouldn't expect your preschooler to start shooting high-quality home movies out of the box. Terrible, motion-sick videos, on the other hand, should be a piece of cake!

The camera features large, easy-to-understand (i.e., no words) buttons and a chunky body, and the 64MB of built-in memory provides ample space for all the rambling, shaky footage your little ones can capture before growing bored and leaving the camera to die in a corner somewhere. If you need more storage space, there's also an SD expansion slot.

Thanks to the 4x zoom, kids can take endless close-up shots of people's bums, and though photos and videos can be viewed via an output to TV or PC, the built-in 1.7" LCD screen lets you preview your masterpieces even after you've dropped the camera in the bathtub. Yes, when they say "All-Terrain," they're not kidding: This one's waterproof to three feet.

$99.99 from Amazon.

Point, Shoot, Play: Polaroid Pixie for Junior Photographers

Aaron Burgess — Fri, 05 Oct 2007 18:32:00 GMT

New in Target stores this week, Polaroid Pixie is a line of relatively high-end digital equipment housed in chunky, kid-alluring shells that, in case your gender alarm didn't register at the photos above, are clearly divided into "his" and "hers" colors.

Priced at $79.99 each, the 3.0 MP Digital Camera (above) and the 1.5 MP SD Digital Video Camera (below) allow kids to preview their shots through full-color TFT LCDs, and the dual viewfinder in the former is a wonderful touch for shutterbugs who haven't yet mastered squinting. (The video camera makes it similarly easy to frame your subject via its flip-out screen.) Bonus points for the oversized buttons, too.

Both cameras come with 16 MB of built-in storage, which isn't exactly massive, but their SD compatibility allows you to add extra memory for all the bad shots you'll no doubt acquire. The digital camera even includes eight video games kids can can play through a TV, even though they'll be too busy snapping pictures to bother. And while batteries are included (as are wrist straps, photo-editing software, and USB and A/V cables), here's hoping we'll see a rechargeable Pixie someday.