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Reviews of Kids' Digital Cameras
Published 11.21.2007 | | Comments (28) | TrackBacks (0)
Children's Digital Camera Reviews: The Good, the Bad, and the Blurry
By Chris Jordan
I remember my first camera, way back in the Dark Ages. It was a Polaroid with a disposable flashbulb that stuck on the top. Oh, the quality was so poor, but I didn't care. There was something magical about sitting there shaking the photo and waiting for it to show up. A couple years later I got the highly coveted disc camera. The photo quality was probably even worse. It couldn't be enlarged beyond the 3 x 5 print without the photo image completely degrading.
I loved both of the cameras, blurry photos and all. Loved being able to take photos of my friends and myself while we pretended to be Barbizon models. Yes, they are definitely cringe worthy now, but I am happy to have them. With the advent of digital cameras geared specifically towards children, and not having to worry about the price of film and developing, even younger children can have the experience of taking their own photos.
With so many out there how do you know which camera you should chose for your child?
With the help of four of my seven children (4.5, 6, 8, and 10 years old), I did extensive tests on four of the more popular models currently for sale right now.
First I think it is important to ask yourself what your goal is in buying your child a camera. Preschoolers just like to point and click away, the final product is not as important to them. They see the image on the viewfinder and are happy to move on without giving it a second thought. Older children, however, have the expectation that they can not only view their photos but print them out. Finally, if your child is not old enough to hold still while taking a photo they are not going to turn out sharp no matter how fabulous the camera might be.
Disney Pix Click Camera
The Features: 1" color LCD screen, VGA digital resolution (640 x 480), stores up to 200 photos, a 2x digital zoom, built-in auto flash (SRP $$49.99)
The Good:
I wanted to like this camera. I had high hopes for it coming out of the box. It is a nice weight, has a nice feel in your hands, has enough features that older children could potentially enjoy using it, you know if it actually worked well.
The Bad:
- No eye viewfinder. You need to look at the LCD screen. Personally I am old school and like having my eye and nose pressed up against the camera while I take a photo, but I realize that many people don't care anymore. So this in and of itself might not be a problem, however this camera has a very poor quality LCD screen. The images are nearly impossible to make out when trying to take a photo, which makes it very much a crap shoot. And forget about being able to see anything on LCD screen in low light situations. As I told my 8 yr old son, "Just point and hope for the best."
- It is .3MP. That is a very low resolution, think poor quality cell phone pictures. The flash completely washes out the subject. And even without the flash in good natural light the pictures are high contrast with very little in between.
- The rubber end cap that covers the USB port broke off the first time I opened it.
- Cannot accept SD cards for additional photo storage.
- This is the only camera out of the bunch that consistently frustrated my children.
Priced around $49.99 it is geared for the young elementary school aged child.
The Verdict:
Run away from this camera. If your child isn't old enough to handle a 5MP $100 camera just wait another year. Don't be lured in by the Disney name and the Highschool Musical or Hannah Montana graphics on the front. if your child balks at this tell him or her that Hannah Montana is most certainly not using this camera herself.
The test photos:
Found at: The Disney Shop
Nickelodeon Sponge Bob Square Pants 1.3 MP Camera
The Features: SD compatible slot expandable to 2GB, Internal memory: 32MB stores 200 photos, flash can be turned on and off or set automatic, zoom 4x
The Good:
- Coming out of the box I was sure that this one was going to be my least favorite camera. It is small, smaller than is comfortable for grown-up hands. My 6 yr old, however, thinks that this camera is the bees knees.
- It stores up to 200 photos on the internal memory and also has a slot of an SD card up to 2GB. It has a view finder that looks like you are looking through vaseline, in fact I checked a couple of times to make sure that there was not some sort of plastic film covering it. But since this LCD has the same issues in low light as the Disney Pix Click camera above, it is nice to have any sort of view finder to use especially in low light situations where you can not see a thing on the LCD screen.
- The photos have greater amount definition, this is the only camera out of the bunch that is 1.3 megapixels, with some mid tone ranges in there with the high and low lights.
- My 6 yr old loves the self timer feature on this camera.
The Bad:
The view finder and LCD screen could both stand to be improved. If children could see better they would be able to take better photos.
The Verdict:
For the 6-9 yr old set this camera is great. Don't expect great works of photographic art that you will be able to blow up and hang on the wall. But for photos of their friends, their food, the television, this little camera is a winner. Once they learn how to hold perfectly still you will be able to print out 4x6 photos.
The test photos:
You can't tell from the photos but it was a sunny day.
Found at: Best Buy
VTech Kidizoom Camera
The Features: .3 megapixels with 1.8" color screen, double viewer or LCD screen for easy photo taking, SD card slot for extra memory, three preschool games, changeable faceplates, 16MB internal memory.
The Good:
- This was tested out primarily by my 4.5 year year old daughter. The manufacturers age range for this camera is 36 months to 6 years.
- .3 megapixels, again pretty poor, this camera has a double eye view finder like a view master as well as a large 1.8 " LCD screen
- It has a 16MB internal storage and an SD card for external memory. It is a fat camera with large bumpers which make it easy to hold onto. But honestly, children in this age range can't hold a camera still enough to take non blurry photos. By encouraging my daughter to rest the camera on the table or the back of a chair, she was able to get some nice photos.
- There are fun photo editing features on the camera that allow your child to add frames, or noses, or silly hats to the subject. Sure, those can be slightly fun, but after looking at 50 photos with a pig nose across the center you grow tired of that. My daughter had over 400 photos on the internal memory and a single set of batteries has lasted for a week.
- My daughter was able to figure out all of the features by herself in no time.
- There are two options for the shutter button, one on the top of the camera where the button traditionally is and one on the back where your thumb usually is (the large blue OK button).
The Bad:
Games on the camera? Eh, I could do without those. They just chew through the batteries. And really it is supposed to be a camera, not a toy.
The Verdict:
For a 4 or 5 year old child this camera has everything that they could possibly need. The tough plastic keeps the camera safe if it is dropped, kicked, used as a step stool. A younger 3 yr old would most certainly not be able to figure out the features.
The test photos:
Found at: Target.
Fisher Price Kid Tough Digital Camera
The Features: Two settings: low .3 mega pixels, high 1.3 megapixels interpolated. This means you are not getting better quality photos and in fact your photos lose some of their sharpness, 8 MB internal memory also accepts SD card, much less internal memory than the VTech or other two choices lithium button battery provides backup power, unique to this camera automatic flash
The Good:
- The prime selling point of this camera, like the VTech, is the ability to withstand drops, bumps and other toddler abuse while still functioning.
- This camera has the shutter button on the front, where your child's fingers naturally curl around. Unlike the traditional shutter button up on top which makes the child adjust their hand and shake the camera.
- The tiny lithium battery keeps enough power to the camera so that while you are changing the AA batteries which power the camera all the images will not be lost.
- Photos are easily reviewed by pressing the arrows on either side of the LCD screen.
The Bad:
- It is way too easy to delete the photos on this camera. As my son discovered when his almost 3 yr old brother picked up the camera and began randomly clicking buttons.
- There is a two eye view finder, however this does not line up with what you see on the LCD screen.
The Verdict:
For a 3 yr old who is constantly reaching for your camera, this would be a better choice of camera over the VTech above.
The test photos:
Found at Toys R Us.
The Fisher Price and the VTech cameras are both geared toward the same market, 3-6 yr olds, and have the same price point. The quality of the photos and the ease of use make these two fairly comparable.
The Conclusion:
The overall winner of the camera testing was the Sponge Bob camera. 1.3 MP, the all important self-timer to photograph oneself in front of the television, lightweight and smaller sized for smaller hands make this the obvious choice for the 6-9 year olds. I wouldn't recommend this camera for children much younger than this since it is not protected with heavy duty plastic, the way the VTech and Fisher Price cameras are. But keep in mind that both of those preschooler cameras are sold in the toy departments.
When Chris Jordan is not busy testing out cameras, she's just wonderfully busy. Follow her daily memoirs at Notes from the Trenches.
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The Hotspot originally started out as a monthly-or-so feature written by our favorite storytellers. Usually products or services were highlighted that tickled us. Over the past year delightful innovations and introductions in the maternity and parenting space have increased, and we feel we need a space to share our discoveries with you. Daily news stories on parenting also inspire us to communicate with you. As such, the Hotspot is now the Alpha Mom daily blog. Finally!
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Comments (28):
jm said:
Awesome, kickass review. Seriously.
Posted on November 22, 2007 14:49
Jen said:
I am a terrible digital camera junkie--I bought SIX for myself before I bought my beloved SLR. So after trying one of the crappy "kids" cameras, I confess I just got a "good" refurbished one for the kids off of WOOT. They may never use all the features, but they get consistently beautiful shots with a rechargeable battery. I still get lots of close-up shots of my nostrils and Sponge Bob on TV, though. Nothing will save you from those, I guess...
Posted on November 22, 2007 15:02
Kelli said:
Great reviews thanks gives me lots to keep in mind.
Posted on November 22, 2007 22:01
py said:
I just love your review although I do not need a kiddy camera. I am not a mother, yet. HAHAHA!
Posted on November 23, 2007 02:37
Christy said:
Thank you so so much. I was looking at cvameras for my 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 year olds. I will book mark this post so that I can refresh my memory when the purchasing time comes.
Posted on November 23, 2007 15:55
Fairly Odd Mother said:
Just bought the V-Tech camera for my camera-obsessed 3 year old, and was relieved to hear your review. Yes, he needs something he can drop about 10 times a day, and the more buttons to push, the better. The only challenge will be getting him to share it with his sisters sometimes. Thanks for reviewing!
Posted on November 23, 2007 21:04
Leeann said:
Chris,
Great review. Seeing the photos also made it even better! My 12 and 9 year old children both asked for digital cameras this year for Christmas. After some thought, I ended up getting them both Fujifilm 8 MP point and shoots. It was only 20 dollars more than one of those cameras, on average.
Hopefully we will be happy with the results!
Leeann
Posted on November 24, 2007 16:45
Stacey said:
Thank you so much for the review. I am going to purchase a digital camera for my daughter's birthday. Your review helped me to figure out which one will be the best for her. THANKS!
Posted on November 25, 2007 12:34
Janet said:
The v-tech is yet to be tested by our 5 year old grandson, but I didn't see mention of the video mode. V-tech says it doesn't work with Mac computers, but it works fine on ours. I wish it took better pictures, but I think he'll enjoy taking pictures and short videos.
Posted on November 26, 2007 00:42
Kim said:
I just bought the Polaroid Pixie ($80, exclusively at Target) for my daughter - it was the only camera for kids I could find that had a decent resolution (3.1 megapixels). The rest of them either don't specify the resolution, or are 1.3 Mp; and I just don't think 1.3 Mp is worth the money. She already takes photos with our camera, so she should get the hang of this one immediately, and should get better at composing, etc. Soon we'll have pictures that will print nicely, and can be sent to the grandparents (even if her compositions are, um, interesting). :)
Posted on November 26, 2007 12:04
Mama Luxe said:
Excellent and helpful review...we aren't quite ready for a toy camera, yet, but I've been wondering about them.
Posted on November 26, 2007 12:06
Lewellyn said:
I got a CVS-brand disposable camera for my 3-year old. It fulfills her desire to take a picture and see it on the LCD screen. Every once in a while I delete all the floor and ceiling shots and let her keep going. I guess if she ever filled the memory with good shots, I'd even take it in to be developed!
Posted on November 26, 2007 13:37
Elle said:
thanks -- you rock!! this is exactly what i was hunting for!!
Posted on November 26, 2007 15:59
SAJ said:
Great review! Thank you!
Posted on November 26, 2007 23:22
falwyn said:
One other note on the Fisher Price model above: we got one for Christmas last year (for my 4 and 2 year olds, esp. the 2). Yes, the photos are pretty crappy, but it is still going strong a year later (I was going to buy them a regular $20 camera but figured it was worth a little extra so that it wouldn't break the first time they dropped it). One other nice thing on it, that I hadn't thought of, is that the battery case is closed with screws -- they can't get them out themselves by accident or (more likely) on purpose. (Some of the others probably have this too, but maybe something to look for.) Maybe look out for a deal like I found at Target -- it came with an extra SD card included.
Posted on November 26, 2007 23:30
Lois said:
Great info. I have spent way too much time lately trying to find reviews and endorsements for a good quality digital for my grandchildren, so I was happy to be directed to your info. Have you any info on the JazzJDC8, I think it's a 3MP camera. My GC's constantly want to use my Nikon D50...and I let them, so I'd like to divert them to their own cameras.
Posted on November 27, 2007 14:04
chris said:
Lois,
From what I could read online about the JazzJDC8, it is a very low quality camera, lower than the .3 MP of the cameras above. It is only a 352 x 288 QVGA Resolution, which is like .08MP. Yes, POINT ZERO EIGHT. I am not sure that you would have a clear photo larger than a thumbnail.
Kim, I saw the Polaroid Pixie at my local Target also. I don't recall that it was encased with break proof plastic, was it? So probably it would be a good choice for kids who are old enough not to drop their cameras?
Posted on November 27, 2007 17:03
Lois said:
Chris, thank you for you interest in the camera details. Misread the megapixles on the Jazz as 3 not .3! I found the Polariod Pixie for $68.00 on Amazon, shipped from Target, and that camera at 3MP may be the answer.The reviews there were only lukewarm. This forum has been really great and I thank you again for your response. I love that the "Littles" are so visual and that we share the excitment of photographing everything in sight...so I'm anxious to get them settled into a piece of equipment of their own.
Posted on November 28, 2007 07:22
Cara said:
This is a great timely review, as my 3 year old is looking for a camera for her upcoming birthday... cheers!
Posted on November 28, 2007 10:34
Nic said:
Your timing couldn't be better. I have printed off and am heading to store now to pick up a digital camera for the kid.
Posted on December 7, 2007 18:53
debbie said:
Thank you for the great review. I am still undecided though. It's for my 7 year old. I like that the vtech has video. But the sponge bob sounds like it has better quality. Either way, thanks for the great review!!!
Posted on December 8, 2007 12:56
tracey said:
Dude! I had a disc camera in high school. I thought maybe I was the only one. Those negs were the size of my pinky fingernail!
I just reviewed a little Discovery Kids camera if you are interested in checking it out. I pointed readers over here.
Posted on December 10, 2007 01:07
megan64 said:
Thanks. Now I don't have to guess.
Posted on December 16, 2007 00:37
Steve said:
Thanks for the post, I think I'm a late arrival to this article as the field has changed a little since you wrote it.
Right now, the Polaroid is looking better than the others, but I must say, in my search for a camera for my 3yo, I've been very disappointed with the quality (or lack of) in the genre!
What's the point of getting a REAL camera if the photos are so small and blurry that they are un-usable? Might as well stick with the TOY camera she already uses!
Posted on March 2, 2008 15:57
Susan Taylor said:
Do you happen to have a review of the Polaroid Pixie? The reviews are terrible on other websites -- but my 5 year old needs a camera so we can quit fighting over my $400 one! I think we are getting the spongebob -- but do you know about the Pixie???
Posted on May 7, 2008 15:59
Rod said:
Just read some Polaroid Pixie reviews and everyone that bought one gave it 1/5 stars. Batteries dead in 2 hours seemed to be the biggest complaint. Waste of money and do not buy were the title of most the reviews.
Posted on June 11, 2008 12:04
sarap said:
Thank you Thank you Thank you
Have been looking for a 3yr old great job on the reviews!
Posted on June 18, 2008 00:34
todd said:
thanks for the reviews.
it was easy to find on google.
the kids tough looks like the one for our 3 year old, though i am tempted to just cut him loose with our $250 one that he normally uses, 'cause he takes better pix than me.
Posted on July 31, 2008 23:26