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If the kids are serious about photography and are willing to put the effort into it, then yes an old DSLR is an excellent choice. The older models are also rath

If the kids are serious about photography and are willing to put the effort into it, then yes an old DSLR is an excellent choice. The older models are also rather unforgiving and require you to master manual control, a proper grip, etc. Plus they will be able to shoot in RAW and learn how to develop and process their images. I learned on an old Olympus DSLR that had poor metering and slow AF and thus trained me to judge exposure and focus by eye. The poor dynamic range also forced me to sometimes shoot (manual) HDR and properly develop the RAW images to get the detail out of the highlights and shadows. A lower resolution sensor meant that I had to get the framing correct as opposed to cropping later in post. However a kid might also find the DSLR difficult to use without the gratification of instant results (the cheap point-and-shoots have suprisingly good auto modes). They also might find the size and weight annoying to bring along - and choose to leave the camera at home. Honestly even as someone who likes photography there are many times when I choose not to bring the DSLR for that reason. I think it really depends on whether they want a camera to take snapshots, or want to get into the finer technical and artistic aspects of photography.

blagie 5y ago
I'll mention: What's being discussed is a hobbyist device. It's a particular bad hobbyist device, since it doesn't actually give any room to tinker and explore. It's a all pre-baked. A dSLR isn't a great bring-along device; that's a cell phone. They're surprisingly competitive at this point. An RX100-style camera will also outperform even a modern dSLR with kit lens as well, in auto. The dSLR will only inch ahead once you buy lenses (or other accessories like lighting). A dSLR is for when you want to pursue photography as a hobby. If you're going out for a walk in the park? Cell phone. If you're going out in a walk to find and shoot photos of animals? dSLR. Taking photos of the kids? Cell phone. Setting up lights for butterfly lighting and posing kids? dSLR. It's like skis -- you don't take them along unless you're going skiing, and if you compare them shoes, they'll seem awfully impractical as a transportation device. I'll mention: For focus, you can buy classic split prism focus screens and retrofit them into most dSLRs. At least a few years ago, they were like 20 bucks. That's a really nice weekend parent-child activity.
- digitallyfree 5y ago
  Well you just gave me a nice weekend activity to get a split prism screen installed in my DSLR! I like to use vintage manual lenses and miss the ease of focusing I had when I used my old (film) Canon A-1. I've looked at DSLR focusing screens in the past but they were expensive and custom made, didn't know they were mass produced now.
  - blip54321 5y ago
    Check eBay. There are plenty. I will state the obvious, but it's a helpful obvious: 1) Any spec of dust will be super-visible. Trying to clean dust off once you're done is painful; you'll usually just make more of a mess each time. It's a lot easier to do it right the first time. Go really overboard here. Wash your hands AND use gloves of some type without lint AND use tweazers. Make sure the environment is impeccably clean. Vacuum, dust, etc. the room. Wash the table. If you've got a HEPA air filter (and with COVID + pollution, it's not a bad idea), move it into the room. Go wild. 2) Use a dSLR you don't care about. If you're who you sound like you are (an old-time photography nerd), you probably have a 15-year-old one you never use which sells for $100 on eBay. Use that one. I did this with my favorite dSLR, which was from 15 years ago. It's obsolete, but the controls fit me like a glove. When I finished, the metering was messed up -- it consistently over- or under-exposes in auto. I don't know if I broke something, or perhaps if it just failed at some point before I started (it'd been sitting in a drawer for maybe a decade now; I didn't test it much beforehand). I didn't break anything (else?), but it would have been really easy to do so. These are fine, precision, delicate parts. Don't use a $2000 modern model. I use it as a full manual camera now, and it's a heck of a lot of fun.

blagie 5y ago

I'll mention: What's being discussed is a hobbyist device. It's a particular bad hobbyist device, since it doesn't actually give any room to tinker and explore. It's a all pre-baked. A dSLR isn't a great bring-along device; that's a cell phone. They're surprisingly competitive at this point. An RX100-style camera will also outperform even a modern dSLR with kit lens as well, in auto. The dSLR will only inch ahead once you buy lenses (or other accessories like lighting). A dSLR is for when you want to pursue photography as a hobby. If you're going out for a walk in the park? Cell phone. If you're going out in a walk to find and shoot photos of animals? dSLR. Taking photos of the kids? Cell phone. Setting up lights for butterfly lighting and posing kids? dSLR. It's like skis -- you don't take them along unless you're going skiing, and if you compare them shoes, they'll seem awfully impractical as a transportation device. I'll mention: For focus, you can buy classic split prism focus screens and retrofit them into most dSLRs. At least a few years ago, they were like 20 bucks. That's a really nice weekend parent-child activity.

digitallyfree 5y ago
Well you just gave me a nice weekend activity to get a split prism screen installed in my DSLR! I like to use vintage manual lenses and miss the ease of focusing I had when I used my old (film) Canon A-1. I've looked at DSLR focusing screens in the past but they were expensive and custom made, didn't know they were mass produced now.
- blip54321 5y ago
  Check eBay. There are plenty. I will state the obvious, but it's a helpful obvious: 1) Any spec of dust will be super-visible. Trying to clean dust off once you're done is painful; you'll usually just make more of a mess each time. It's a lot easier to do it right the first time. Go really overboard here. Wash your hands AND use gloves of some type without lint AND use tweazers. Make sure the environment is impeccably clean. Vacuum, dust, etc. the room. Wash the table. If you've got a HEPA air filter (and with COVID + pollution, it's not a bad idea), move it into the room. Go wild. 2) Use a dSLR you don't care about. If you're who you sound like you are (an old-time photography nerd), you probably have a 15-year-old one you never use which sells for $100 on eBay. Use that one. I did this with my favorite dSLR, which was from 15 years ago. It's obsolete, but the controls fit me like a glove. When I finished, the metering was messed up -- it consistently over- or under-exposes in auto. I don't know if I broke something, or perhaps if it just failed at some point before I started (it'd been sitting in a drawer for maybe a decade now; I didn't test it much beforehand). I didn't break anything (else?), but it would have been really easy to do so. These are fine, precision, delicate parts. Don't use a $2000 modern model. I use it as a full manual camera now, and it's a heck of a lot of fun.