a camera for christmas
All across the world right now, parents and Santa are dealing with one of the most challenging questions of the year, what to get everyone for Christmas?
May I suggest considering buying a camera for your child this Christmas? Yes, we all carry around cameras on our phones everywhere we go, but let’s not get to the point where no one has a camera anymore and everyone relies on their phones. Photography is too vast a subject, too complex a hobby to be relegated to an iPhone that works now and will be outdated in no time.
So, with that being said, let me give you some suggestions on cameras that are reliable and won’t break the bank this holiday season.
SONY CYBER-SHOT DSC-H300
Surprise, surprise, the Sony shooter recommends a Sony right off the bat. But what I like about this camera is that is perfect for a beginner. It’s great for a tween or an early teenager. Someone who’s had a bit more experience with a camera may find it a bit simplistic for their taste, though. This camera gives off the look an feel of a higher end DSLR, without the DSLR price tag.
CANON POWERSHOT
The Canon PowerShot camera is the quintessential point and shoot camera. It’s small, lightweight, not a burden to carry around and it takes nice photos. This is a great first camera for someone and is also a perfect camera to throw in your bag and take along when you’d like something a bit more than a cell phone photo. The price point on this camera makes it easily doable for a Christmas gift.
SONY A6000 MIRRORLESS
This mirrorless camera from Sony isn’t the newest mirrorless on the market, but she’s a workhorse and takes beautiful photos. If you choose to purchase a mirrorless camera, be mindful if the description says “Body Only”. If it does, this means you’re literally only getting the camera body. You’ll need to purchase the lens separately. Trust this photographer when I tell you, lenses can be where your money goes. Glass isn’t cheap!
If you’re considering purchasing a DSLR for your child, I’d encourage you to consider how interested your child is in photography. The major camera companies have bet on mirrorless and are no longer putting real money into DSLR technology. While I still have both types of cameras in my collections, my mirrorless is the camera you’ll see me shooting with 95% of the time. My Nikon is enjoying her well deserved semi-retirement.
CONSIDER A FILM CAMERA!
I LOVE shooting film. I find it so much simpler than digital and the click of the shutter on a film camera is unlike anything you’ll get from a digital camera today. Bonus points if you have to advance the film yourself.
During my research, I keep seeing people time and time again declare their love for the Canon AE-1. I myself shoot a Canon film camera, the A1, that belonged to my grandfather. (They’re similar cameras, the AE-1 being the simpler of the two and the A1 being more advanced. If you knew my grandfather, you knew he was a bit of a tech geek, even back in the 70s and 80s!)
Film cameras can be purchased online and you can almost always find one at a thrift store. Or, take a film camera that someone in your family already has, buy some new batteries and order up some film (you’d be amazed at the selection on Amazon.) and you’ve got yourself a great Christmas gift! If your child is on social media, so many of the influencers they follow are shooting film right now, so it’s something that may interest them.
If you have ANY questions at all about getting started with film, where to purchase it, where to get it developed, I’m here to help. Reach out and let me help you get started.
