What camera for a mom

[sunnyVan]

My wife's friend saw pictures of my wife and my son on FB and it makes her want to buy a camera to take pictures of her daughter.

Instead of telling her to buy a 6D and a sigma 35, what should I tell her? Her budget is $500. No experience with DSLR. She wants to do both indoor and outdoor photography. She's open to any camera brand. Perhaps a refurbished SL1 and a 50 1.8?

 

[Zlyden]

DSLR? With prime lens? To someone with no experience?

If she does not want to spend few months to get 'the experience', maybe it will be easier with EOS M with 18-55 + 90EX kit? (Or some other small mirrorless camera with built-in flash?)

(Unfortunately, for great indoor pictures, the simplest/budget solution is 6D with Sigma 35 (or Canon's cheaper 40 or 50) )

 

[Drizzt321]

What about a decent m4/3 system camera? Or a good 'prosumer' fixed lens system like the Canon G-series or other similar from Nikon or others? I suspect if she ends up with a camera with too many features readily available she'll be overwhelmed. Or even better, get her a used 50D or 60D, and a Intro to DSLR 101 at the local camera store or community college?

 

[sunnyVan]

I personally don't know her at all. I don't want to give her a whole lecture about how difficult it is to do indoor photography. Maybe I will tell her that for her budget she can hire a professional for a session. I'll tell her that if she doesn't have a big window at home it's gonna take a lot of learning to achieve something decent with a flash.

 

[Don Haines]

I would point her at an SL1 with the 18-55 kit. You can start off in "green box" mode and as experience builds you can start into some of the more challenging modes.

It should do far better than a p/s camera and gives her room to grow.

 

[AcutancePhotography]

Well the camera is just a tool and it is important to match the proper tool with the proper task.

If this person has not expressed any interest in photography as a hobby, but has expressed interest in taking/posting pictures of her kids, a good quality point and shoot should work for her.

Ask her about portability. Does she want a camera she can carry around in order to catch the shot she wants, or is she looking for a camera for more formal photography at holidays? I don't think there are a lot of mothers who want to shlep around a DSLR while trying to manage kids.

I don't think any SLR would be a good choice unless this person has expressed a desire to "learn photography"

Many people have no interest in learning photography but have an interest in being able to take pictures. A significant difference.

To some, the photography is the interest. To others the photograph is the interest. Different interests require different tools (cameras).

 

[sunnyVan]

Well the camera is just a tool and it is important to match the proper tool with the proper task.

If this person has not expressed any interest in photography as a hobby, but has expressed interest in taking/posting pictures of her kids, a good quality point and shoot should work for her.

Ask her about portability. Does she want a camera she can carry around in order to catch the shot she wants, or is she looking for a camera for more formal photography at holidays? I don't think there are a lot of mothers who want to shlep around a DSLR while trying to manage kids.

I don't think any SLR would be a good choice unless this person has expressed a desire to "learn photography"

Many people have no interest in learning photography but have an interest in being able to take pictures. A significant difference.

To some, the photography is the interest. To others the photograph is the interest. Different interests require different tools (cameras).

Very true.

 

[Slyham]

Coming from someone who started for a similar reason I will give my two cents. I have a T1i and I am never happy with my indoor images unless it is taken with my 50 1.8 II or with my flash bouncing off the ceilings or walls. Unless she wants to learn a little bit about photography she will be disappointed.

Maybe you could explain what you do to take those shots that she likes. If she seems interested, she might be up to a prime lens or flash. If not, I would recommend a high quality point-n-shoot.

 

[Random Orbits]

I would point her at an SL1 with the 18-55 kit. You can start off in "green box" mode and as experience builds you can start into some of the more challenging modes.

It should do far better than a p/s camera and gives her room to grow.

+1. The EOS-M is a nice camera, but it stinks at tracking moving objects, especially if her daughter is younger.

 

[sunnyVan]

I would point her at an SL1 with the 18-55 kit. You can start off in "green box" mode and as experience builds you can start into some of the more challenging modes.

It should do far better than a p/s camera and gives her room to grow.

+1. The EOS-M is a nice camera, but it stinks at tracking moving objects, especially if her daughter is younger.

I have no experience with Eos M. Is it at least faster than p&s? For mirrorless cameras, perhaps sony is a better choice? I know too little about mirrorless.

 

[Random Orbits]

I would point her at an SL1 with the 18-55 kit. You can start off in "green box" mode and as experience builds you can start into some of the more challenging modes.

It should do far better than a p/s camera and gives her room to grow.

+1. The EOS-M is a nice camera, but it stinks at tracking moving objects, especially if her daughter is younger.

I have no experience with Eos M. Is it at least faster than p&s? For mirrorless cameras, perhaps sony is a better choice? I know too little about mirrorless.

It's typical of p&s, which is not very good. Other mirrorless offerings by other companies are better but are also pricier. The AF tracking of the M is its Achilles heel, which is why people are waiting to see the M with the 70D's dual pixel sensor technology. IQ-wise, it's like most Canon APS-C offerings. For 300, it delivers a lot of bang for the buck.

 

[dgatwood]

Does anybody build a full-frame point-and-shoot? Because that's what would probably be ideal for someone like that—a camera that's simple to use, but has a big enough sensor to be mindless in auto mode even when taking shots indoors in crappy light.

I was shooting photos of our wind ensemble dress rehearsal last week, and my jaw hit the ground when I realized that my old crop body used to struggle to get usable photos of folks in the seating area with the house lights on, and my 6D didn't even flinch with the house lights off, lit only by the stage bleed. It is nice not feeling like I'm limited by my gear for a change—no more constant dud shots because of having to use too slow a shutter speed.

 

[Drizzt321]

Does anybody build a full-frame point-and-shoot? Because that's what would probably be ideal for someone like that—a camera that's simple to use, but has a big enough sensor to be mindless in auto mode even when taking shots indoors in crappy light.

I was shooting photos of our wind ensemble dress rehearsal last week, and my jaw hit the ground when I realized that my old crop body used to struggle to get usable photos of folks in the seating area with the house lights on, and my 6D didn't even flinch with the house lights off, lit only by the stage bleed. It is nice not feeling like I'm limited by my gear for a change—no more constant dud shots because of having to use too slow a shutter speed.

There is, it's called the Sony RX-1. More or less P&S size/shape, although fixed 35mm prime, it does have a FF sensor and has gotten pretty good reviews, in general. Problem is cost, >=$2k. OP's budget is $500ish. Plus "it doesn't zoom" will mean the Mom likely won't like it because it's not at _all_ what she's used to.