Um, digicam for 65 year old mother in law?

[Ben Rubinstein]

My Mother in Law when asked, requested a digital camera for their Ruby Wedding Anniversary present.

She is not what you call technically minded. Seriously not! I don't know anything about the digicam market. Basically what I've been told to look for is something very very simple, not too big or heavy (i.e. not a bridge type camera) but not flimsy either not complicated, no funky stuff, just a simple good camera that you press the button and it does the rest. 5-6 megapixels should be all that would be needed.

Oh and not too expensive please, it shouldn't be necessary to pay loads for that kind of spec but more to the point people, it's my mother in law, no need to get drastic! :-)

[Clayton Lofgren]

Being a non-conformist I don't use Canon equipment, but it is hard to beat deals like this-
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/457550-REG/Canon_1288B001_PowerShot_A630_Digital_Camera.html
A bit chunky, but the people I know that use them are pleased. If it was for anybody but a mother in law I would spend a bit more and get IS. In actual fact, outside of niche cameras, I don't see much diference between brands.

[StuartRae]

I'd have thought that IS would be a good idea for an elderly lady. Blow the expense, just keep on the right side of her!

[Asher Kelman]

Being a non-conformist I don't use Canon equipment, but it is hard to beat deals like this-
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/457550-REG/Canon_1288B001_PowerShot_A630_Digital_Camera.html
A bit chunky, but the people I know that use them are pleased. If it was for anybody but a mother in law I would spend a bit more and get IS. In actual fact, outside of niche cameras, I don't see much diference between brands.

Sure, Clayton, that is an exceptional camera at a give-away proce.

I imagine that at the start of the digital revolution, just before the 30D appeared, that camera would have been worth $10,000. Now its $187!!

Ben,

This is perfect but a little chunky if it's for her purse. However, the dial is large and easily set to auto.

If she is a little more handy, then the Canon SD800 is wonderful in that it is slim, fitls in a purse and is image stabilized. My wife has one and it is near perfection for almost everything she needs, including pictures of art to show corporate buyers as well as people and landscape.

Asher

[Kathy Rappaport]

I get asked this all the time because my travel buddies want to take photos and they think if I suggest what to use they will have better images. The Canon 400 series is not bad either.

That Canon series is actually fairly decent. Make sure you get the one with red eye reduction because that is a problem. I personally have the S80 and while it doesn't do RAW, it does a really nice job. the LCD is large and the size is decent to hold - there is a view finder, which is important to me. I hate holding a camera away from my eye.

The Elph series is just to small to hold and I find that there is camera shake with it.

[Jeff Donovan]

For someone who is older, chunky might be easier to hold and shoot with.

[Ben Rubinstein]

In the end we bought a fuji finepix 7 megapixel thingy whatsit. Reason? It has only 3 buttons...

[Diane Fields]

I'd have thought that IS would be a good idea for an elderly lady. Blow the expense, just keep on the right side of her!

HEY, you're talking about my age range (actually a bit younger) LOL. I sure don't consider myself elderly--my 91 yr. old mother is 'elderly'. Not sure how one sees 60 -70 folks in the UK, but I and my husband still hike, garden, keep up 20 acres, continue with our work, etc.

Just a 'tweak' from a woman of 68--who doesn't have 'elderly' in her vocabulary yet *G*. Needed to remind you young folks LOL--that times have changed in regard to ageism. 60s and 70s are still time for very active living and not what elderly is perceived at--at least in my experience. My mother, at 91, is still living on her own, though beside us on our farm now, but drives, walks her dog on our 20 acres, actively takes care of her own small garden with a bit of help.

Hope you don't see this as a rebuke--just a little tap on the shoulder to remind you to look at how times have and are changing in regards to how people actually see themselves and live their lives today.

Diane

Diane

[Diane Fields]

In the end we bought a fuji finepix 7 megapixel thingy whatsit. Reason? It has only 3 buttons...

Not sure what that is, but the Fuji F30 (I think) is a nice smallish camera--bought one for my husband, but we bought a Canon A630 for my 91 yr. old mother and she really enjoys it. She had been using my ancient G1 for several years but it became flaky and we started looking for a new one that would suit. She likes the tiltable LCD AND a viewfinder, so there wasn't a lot of choice. She takes quite nice pics with the 630. My husband has very good luck with the Fuji F30--takes a lot of low light interior shots in connection with his work--but I just don't care for smaller cams, so would, myself, prefer shooting with the Canon.

Glad you found the right one for her.

Diane

[StuartRae]

Hope you don't see this as a rebuke--just a little tap on the shoulder

Hi Diane,

I read the original post as 85 rather than 65. I blame my eyes - after all, I am getting on a bit :-)

[Diane Fields]

Hi Diane,

I read the original post as 85 rather than 65. I blame my eyes - after all, I am getting on a bit :-)

LOL--aren't we all???? I agree about blowing the expense, though, and keeping on the right side of her *G*

Diane

[Ben Rubinstein]

Diane, as much as I applaud your comment, you would have to admit that a sizeable amount of people of that age are still technologically challenged. My mother in law wouldn't know how to switch on a computer for all that she still works half day and is out of the day busy with incredible amounts of charity work every day.