camera for my father

On Sat, 06 Dec 2008 04:27:21 -0800, steph wrote:

Hi group,

My mother wants to buy a digital camera for my father as a gift. And my
task is to choose one!

My father is 68 years old and he doesn't like computers and technical
gadgets. He likes photograpy, but he only used to cameras with film up
to now - has never used a digital one. I know, if he gets one that's too
complicated, wigh cryptic menues and too many useless functions, he'll
never use it and it's going to be a waste of money.

So basically I'm looking for a camera that somehow resambles an old
analog camera, that is a camera with automatic exposure and focus, with
view finder (not ony a screen on the back) which produces fotos of
decent quality. price should be around 300€. so far i didn't find any
model that fits my needs. any ideas?

thanks,
stephan

Sounds like he 'needs' a film range finder.

"ray" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 06 Dec 2008 04:27:21 -0800, steph wrote:

Hi group,

My mother wants to buy a digital camera for my father as a gift. And my
task is to choose one!

My father is 68 years old and he doesn't like computers and technical
gadgets. He likes photograpy, but he only used to cameras with film up
to now - has never used a digital one. I know, if he gets one that's too
complicated, wigh cryptic menues and too many useless functions, he'll
never use it and it's going to be a waste of money.

So basically I'm looking for a camera that somehow resambles an old
analog camera, that is a camera with automatic exposure and focus, with
view finder (not ony a screen on the back) which produces fotos of
decent quality. price should be around 300?. so far i didn't find any
model that fits my needs. any ideas?

thanks,
stephan

Sounds like he 'needs' a film range finder.

Agree, nothing wrong with film, no cards to worry about, no need for a
computer or learning how to use on, shoot away, drop the film off and a few
hours later there are your prints.

Ï "Pete D" Ýãñáøå óôï ìÞíõìá
...

"ray" wrote in message
...
On Sat, 06 Dec 2008 04:27:21 -0800, steph wrote:

Hi group,

My mother wants to buy a digital camera for my father as a gift. And my
task is to choose one!

My father is 68 years old and he doesn't like computers and technical
gadgets. He likes photograpy, but he only used to cameras with film up
to now - has never used a digital one. I know, if he gets one that's too
complicated, wigh cryptic menues and too many useless functions, he'll
never use it and it's going to be a waste of money.

So basically I'm looking for a camera that somehow resambles an old
analog camera, that is a camera with automatic exposure and focus, with
view finder (not ony a screen on the back) which produces fotos of
decent quality. price should be around 300?. so far i didn't find any
model that fits my needs. any ideas?

thanks,
stephan

Sounds like he 'needs' a film range finder.

Agree, nothing wrong with film, no cards to worry about, no need for a
computer or learning how to use on, shoot away, drop the film off and a
few hours later there are your prints.

Seconded. I encouraged my godmother (65) to continue using her film camera,
and my sister's godmother (82) to get another film camera P&S when her
current is completely toast. While my godmother has a laptop, she needs
"private lessons" for almost everything, and I think a digital camera would
be a major stress. There are ,many film P&S going for less than 100 euros
now. Using a digital the way you used a film camera misses all benefits, and
if you just print the photos and burn a cd at the local photo lab will be
much more expensive thatn the usual flow with your own computer (which you
will have anyway and not just for photos, unlike traditional darkroom
equipment.



--
Tzortzakakis Dimitrios
major in electrical engineering
mechanized infantry reservist
hordad AT otenet DOT gr

Pete D wrote:

Agree, nothing wrong with film, no cards to worry about, no need for a
computer or learning how to use on, shoot away, drop the film off and a few
hours later there are your prints.

My mom's about 80, and as un-technical as they come, but using a
computer to send e-mail, web-browse, and use the digital camera, is
something she's able to do, and all her friends of similar ages are also
able to use computers to the extent of importing digital pictures. The
Kodak camera with the dock really simplified things for her and her
husband. I was amazed when she managed to attach a photo to an e-mail.

Of course my brother and I provide lifetime free technical support. Up
until 9:00 p.m. ET she calls him. After 9:00 p.m., west coast technical
support takes over and she calls me.

Our favorite tech support scenario is when we ask my stepfather "what's
on the screen now" and he reads us _everything_ on the screen;
'copyright 2007, Microsoft Corporation, all rights reserved... .'

On Sun, 07 Dec 2008 11:40:12 -0800, SMS
wrote:

Pete D wrote:

Agree, nothing wrong with film, no cards to worry about, no need for a
computer or learning how to use on, shoot away, drop the film off and a few
hours later there are your prints.

My mom's about 80, and as un-technical as they come, but using a
computer to send e-mail, web-browse, and use the digital camera, is
something she's able to do, and all her friends of similar ages are also
able to use computers to the extent of importing digital pictures. The
Kodak camera with the dock really simplified things for her and her
husband. I was amazed when she managed to attach a photo to an e-mail.

Of course my brother and I provide lifetime free technical support. Up
until 9:00 p.m. ET she calls him. After 9:00 p.m., west coast technical
support takes over and she calls me.

Our favorite tech support scenario is when we ask my stepfather "what's
on the screen now" and he reads us _everything_ on the screen;
'copyright 2007, Microsoft Corporation, all rights reserved... .'

Good Lord. As someone over 70, these posts make me feel like I should
follow the other elephants to the graveyard.

I moved to a P&S when digital became popular, bought a dslr when they
became affordable, have been using Photoshop for several years, and
provide "technical support" to both of my children. It's me asking
"What's on the screen now?". I just bought a laptop for my son - a
gift - and I downloaded and/or installed the programs he'll be using
because he's less proficient at this than I am. My son uses a
camcorder, but I edit the results into movies.

My business background is not in IT, but I can read a book or a
manual, follow a tutorial, and search for solutions on the web as well
as anyone.

I do admit that I have never opened FaceBook or MySpace, sent a text
message, been able to figure out "textspeak", or ever had the desire
to add Bluetooth to my mobile phone. Nor have I played a computer
game since my son embarrassed me at Pong yonks ago.

Some of us old folks manage.

As for the comments about the choice of cameras, the OP should buy a
P&S for his father. It doesn't make any difference that it is
different from film or won't offer any advantages over film for him.
It doesn't make any difference if he never does more than point and
press the button. His wife wants to do this for him. Indulge her
wishes. Sometimes you do something just because it will make someone
feel good. It's not always about practical.






--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida

tony cooper wrote:

My business background is not in IT, but I can read a book or a
manual, follow a tutorial, and search for solutions on the web as well
as anyone.

There are some people that are terrified of plunging in and trying
things. I'm actually quite pleased that my mother and stepfather haven't
thrown up their hands and given up.

Of course there was that transition from WordPerfect for DOS to Word for
Windows, when my mother went back to her electric typewriter for a while.

tony cooper wrote:


Good Lord. As someone over 70, these posts make me feel like I should
follow the other elephants to the graveyard.

grin
Tony, I do think some of these youngsters don't really understand us.
No wonder we are so cranky. To them it is a wonder we survived so long!
/grin

My wife got her first camera for Christmas at age 69, a Nikon L6 point
and shoot. Two months later we went to Florida for Christmas. She shot
in the neighborhood of 2000 photos in 6 months of everything. Closeups,
telephotos, flowers, butterflies, birds, everything. She very quickly
out grew that camera, so I bought her a Panasonic TZ3. She has over
8000 shots on that that and is ready to move to a DSLR but doesn't want
the bulk. What is interesting is that we joined a local Photo Club that
has monthly contests and she has won or at least placed in most that she
has entered. So I have to agree with her, its not the camera.

My advice to the OP is to buy both of them digital cameras. Spend some
time teaching computer skills necessary. You may find that your folks
are capable of learning, especially if there is interest.

"How many pictures of a sunset an you take?"
"As many as I want, they are all different!"

Clair

On Sun, 07 Dec 2008 11:40:12 -0800, SMS wrote:

Pete D wrote:

Agree, nothing wrong with film, no cards to worry about, no need for a
computer or learning how to use on, shoot away, drop the film off and a
few hours later there are your prints.

My mom's about 80, and as un-technical as they come, but using a
computer to send e-mail, web-browse, and use the digital camera, is
something she's able to do, and all her friends of similar ages are also
able to use computers to the extent of importing digital pictures. The
Kodak camera with the dock really simplified things for her and her
husband. I was amazed when she managed to attach a photo to an e-mail.

Of course my brother and I provide lifetime free technical support. Up
until 9:00 p.m. ET she calls him. After 9:00 p.m., west coast technical
support takes over and she calls me.

Our favorite tech support scenario is when we ask my stepfather "what's
on the screen now" and he reads us _everything_ on the screen;
'copyright 2007, Microsoft Corporation, all rights reserved... .'

Folk can certainly accept and use new technology. But the OP indicated
that his father is reluctant to do so - that changes the equation.

On 7 Dec 2008 21:26:40 GMT, ray wrote:

On Sun, 07 Dec 2008 11:40:12 -0800, SMS wrote:

Pete D wrote:

Agree, nothing wrong with film, no cards to worry about, no need for a
computer or learning how to use on, shoot away, drop the film off and a
few hours later there are your prints.

My mom's about 80, and as un-technical as they come, but using a
computer to send e-mail, web-browse, and use the digital camera, is
something she's able to do, and all her friends of similar ages are also
able to use computers to the extent of importing digital pictures. The
Kodak camera with the dock really simplified things for her and her
husband. I was amazed when she managed to attach a photo to an e-mail.

Of course my brother and I provide lifetime free technical support. Up
until 9:00 p.m. ET she calls him. After 9:00 p.m., west coast technical
support takes over and she calls me.

Our favorite tech support scenario is when we ask my stepfather "what's
on the screen now" and he reads us _everything_ on the screen;
'copyright 2007, Microsoft Corporation, all rights reserved... .'

Folk can certainly accept and use new technology. But the OP indicated
that his father is reluctant to do so - that changes the equation.

No, it doesn't. The OP said his mom wanted to buy him a camera. You
don't tell your mom that she can't buy a gift for your father because
it's too technical for him. So what if it's never used the way it
should be use? So what if it goes with the ties, shirts, after shave,
and all of the other gifts that were never used? Let mom have the
pleasure of doing something for her husband that she thinks is right.


--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida

tony cooper wrote:


No, it doesn't. The OP said his mom wanted to buy him a camera. You
don't tell your mom that she can't buy a gift for your father because
it's too technical for him. So what if it's never used the way it
should be use? So what if it goes with the ties, shirts, after shave,
and all of the other gifts that were never used? Let mom have the
pleasure of doing something for her husband that she thinks is right.


More than likely he indicated he was interested in a camera to his wife
and she relayed it to their son.

Clair