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| Nikon Coolpix was my teenage daughter's request for her birthday. Picture quality is good, camera is easy to operate and use in conjunction with the computer to manage photos. Costs vary, based on model, lots of color selections are available. |
My tween daughter has a camera on her wishlist this year, and while there is a huge selection of possibilities, I've been this route before, and wasn't pleased with the results a few years ago. The difference this time is that it's her interest, not mine. If you are giving a camera to a child who hasn't expressed an interest, it may, or may not see much use. My children like to save to a favorites folder the Christmas wishlist items that interest them, and I encourage this because it gives me a sense of what they would like, and gives me a springboard into holiday shopping. My daughter saved a digital video recorder, red, and I explored the information about the piece. Inexpensive, poor ratings, interesting look, and red.
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| Easyshare Digital Cameras by Kodak I have owned various Easyshare models in the past decade, and have always been pleased with the performance. Costs are more modest than in the early days, when a 3MP camera bundle cost nearly $300. The model depicted here is less than $75, and comes in varied colors, both great options when considered as tween gifts. |
Now, time for a few questions. Is the color a priority? Are you more interested in video, or the camera? Why that camera? It turns out, she really wanted purple, but only found red in the model; video wasn't the highest priority. When I explained that the review indicated poor video quality, she was convinced that it wasn't such a great choice. But, I had enough info to continue the search.
This is my approach with Christmas wishlists, and from there, I do my own research. Price may play a role, but enough poor reviews make a good price worthless. A good source of reviews is Amazon (Top Rated Point and Shoot Digital Cameras
), where electronics pages include a place to search bestseller lists, new releases, and top ratings, based on customer data.Keep in mind that a majority of tweens like "cool" features in gadget gifts, whether it's the sleek look of a CoolPix camera, or a specific bright color (green digital cameras for tweens). I don't like to spend an excessive amount of money on a tween interest, such as a digital camera, unless I'm certain that the interest is serious. My tweens tend to dive into some interests, and leave others behind rather quickly. More advanced equipment is only pursued when I see the interest being pursued. Until then, I start with less pricey models that still provide good enough performance that the investment in the gift is of value to both me, and my tween. The best camera for a tween, after all, is the one that they will actually use!
