If you are interested in buying one of your parents a new high-end Sony camera, how do you know whether or not it has elder-friendly features? Given that each senior has different concerns, there is no one straightforward answer. Have no fear, though. ElderGadget is here to provide an overall snapshot of the digital camera market as it pertains to the aging population.
Now, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of digital cameras on the market. Obviously, we don’t consider all digital cameras to be elder-friendly. Far from it. For our purposes, we are are going to deal with only digital point-and-shoot cameras because they happen to be the camera brand of choice for most casual photographers. These compact gems are generally small enough to fit in a pocket so you could capture vacations and birthdays on camera. And it’s usually simple enough to upload pictures from point-and-shoot cameras onto your computer to email these priceless memories to friends and family.
We ventured out into the retail-sphere to test out digital point-and-shoot cameras and believe that our findings will be of some interest to you. But before we proceed, we thought we’d let you know…
…What Seniors Should Look for in a Digital Camera
- A camera with five or more MPs (megapixels). The higher the number, the higher the resolution. And the higher resolution, the higher quality prints you can produce.
- An LCD screen that is larger than 2.5 inches because any size smaller than this makes it difficult to check whether you’ve captured your ideal shot.
- An optical zoom lens with at least a 3x zoom (meaning that the subject appears three times closer to you).
- Simple to use.
- An ergonomic design, which entails easy to press buttons, large buttons, a grip for your hand to grasp and an easy-to-use scroll wheel.
- Basic features like digital image stabilization, which prevents your photos from coming out blurry.
- A competitive price.
Taking these factors into account, ElderGadget has compiled a list (in no particular order) of the Top-Five Point-and-Shoot Digital Camera for Elders. Enjoy.
5. Fujifilm FinePix Z33WP 10 MP Waterproof Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom
There are plenty of reasons to love this camera. First of all, there is a nice big grip on the front of the camera, so your hand can have somewhere comfortable to go while you are taking photos. While the buttons are soft, they are also incredibly easy to click, so it doesn’t take a lot of effort to physically take the picture. Best of all, this camera is equipped with “Blog Mode,” which automatically re-sizes your photos for you if you want to email them to loved ones or post them on a personal blog. The 10MP, 3x zoom and 2.7 inch LCD are all pretty standard. For a camera that runs less than $160, there is really nothing to complain about.
We understand why someone might not instantly fall in love with this Olympus. The scroll wheel on its back is hard to navigate and the buttons are a tad small. But this tough camera is custom made for the traveler and can do wonders for the clusmy. It’s shockproof, shakeproof, crushproof and freezeproof. It comes with digital image stabilization, and runs around $250.
3. Canon PowerShot SD1200IS 10 MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 2.5-inch LCD
This is one of the best (and most popular) all-around digital cameras on the market. And it’s no surprise why. The camera has nice large and easy to press buttons on both the top and the back, all of which more than compensates for its lack of a natural hand grip. Rest assured, Cannons as a brand are known for their high picture quality. The camera also has a reliable image stabilization system to counter shaky-hand syndrome. If you are a first time photographer though, use Auto-mode because the custom setting might come off as a bit confusing. You can find this camera for around $190.
For our purposes, the beauty about Sony digital cameras happens to be Easy Shooting Mode. Basic instructions are displayed on the LCD screen, which provides beginners a sense of confidence while taking pictures. More specifically though, the Cybershot DSC-S950 is rather inexpensive (usually around $130), but still comes with a 10 MP, 4x Zoom, 2.7-inch LCD screen and a SteadyShot digital image stabilization.
1. Kodak EasyShare C180 10MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom and 2.4 inch LCD
Kodak cameras are known for their ease of use. So it makes sense that there is nothing too fancy or confusing about the EasyShare C180. Our main complaint with this camera is that the LCD screen is a tad bit small, running at 2.4 inches, but the other basic features are up to snuff, with 10MP and 3x Zoom. The scroll wheel on the top of the camera is the easiest to grasp scroll wheel we found, and there aren’t that many buttons on the back of the camera that you must deal with. Did we mentioned you can purchase this camera for less than $100?
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
My wife likes to take a lot of pictures while we are going down the road at 65 or 70mph, what camera is best for this and under $500.00 ?
Great question! Thanks for the challenge. There are many factors that can come into play taking a picture from a fast moving car. You will have to experiment with ISO/Shutter speed combination to capture the “feel” you want. A good stabilization system will also help. A smooth road and a steady hand are important as well. While I havn’t tried it myself recently, I have read reports that a shutter speed of 1/2000 to 1/2500 should do the trick, but you should try it for yourself before you buy, as the clarity of the picture has a lot to do with the individual that takes it. As far as specific cameras under $500, you might want to look at the Canon Powershot SX110 IS (Shutter Speed up to 1/2500) which sells for $220 – 250, or the Sony Cybershot DSC-h20 (Shutter Speed up to 1/2000) which sells for $240 – $270. For a more inexpensive model, you can try the Sony Cybershot DSC – 950 which sells for around $130 and has both stabilization and shutter speeds of 1/8 to 1/2000. I hope this helps you. (I am including below some links to some additional articles which may help you as well.) All the best, and have a safe trip, EJ from ElderGadget.Com
Additional articles:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/125645/how_to_buy_a_digital_camera.html
http://www.illustratedphotography.com/photography-tips/basic/shutter-speed
http://www.illustratedphotography.com/photography-tips/basic/perfect-exposure
http://photography.about.com/od/camerabasics/ss/ShutterSpeed_6.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shutter_speed
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shutter_(photography)