Old digital cameras turn out to be great for kids:

- They come without all the invasive crap of smart phones
- They boost creativity
- They teach user interfaces and controls outside "push shiny moving button"
- They teach basic software concepts like files (yes, knowing about files is a skill) and how to move them around

And probably more.

Coming up next: MP3 players!

#parenting

@buherator I have tons of little brothers. And it is funny that my choices of presents for birthdays were Digital Cameras and Mp3 players.

@buherator same here

@buherator uh great idea, I'll propose that

@buherator

Seriously yes! My 6yo has been playing with a Nikon CoolPix point-and-shoot that takes absolutely terrible photos, but he has a blast with it, and I don't have to worry about any of the concerns around *phones*.

I also put the smallest SD card I could find into it, 1GB, which is way more than it probably had when my sibling first bought it in ~2004.

@buherator
This reminds me of how much fun my young children had with a freebie "Digicam" I got in 2002. It took 320x240 pixel images.
This is probably my eldest child's first selfie!

@buherator This is an excellent idea. I’ve got an old Canon pocket camera sitting around. Lots of lessons to be had. Thanks!

@krypt3ia @buherator I was just thinking this. My daughter can fill up my iPhone with photos and videos in record time. They have no idea what it means to be intentional with the shutter button. Hopefully exploring the files afterwards can help with this.

@krypt3ia Analog has it's own beauty of course. I posted about digital because people around here probably have a digital camera at the bottom of some box that they couldn't make any other use of. Digital is also easier (esp. for kids) and gives opportunities for projects that would be impractical with analog at home (e.g. stop motion).

@krypt3ia But talking about analog, I take the opportunity to share my favorite photo blog that aimed to find a completely black accidental analog photo and collected a bunch of gems along the way (also found a winner, see the latest pic):

https://bestofsemmi.blog.hu/ (Best of Nothing)

@buherator Oh cool fact about camera files. I found out. Pictures taken on a camera have file names, and from the prefix of the name you can find out the camera that has taken the picture.

I found it out watching internet rabbit hole mysteries.

@Tesseks I guess you can get pretty precise model data from EXIF metadata too?

@buherator yeh i think so. Now I remember, i think in the video it explained that some cameras also have the file saved in Unix time. So even if the file info wasn't saved you could essentially figure out when it was taken.

@buherator
Learning about files is a skill that most kids no longer possess and is incredibly important.
@Em0nM4stodon

@buherator @krypt3ia until they discover the smartphone- then they drop the camera and are not interested anymore 😔

@buherator got mp3 player recommendations?

also I’d like to suggest Linux based emulator handhelds, they also teach similar stuff

sorry if being annoying

@sleepybisexual I generally hate to use Apple devices, but iPod Nano is an exception. To make them work you'll pbbly need a replacement battery and fight a bit with disassembly/soldering/reassembly, but that's also a kid-compatible activity. For a more hackable but pricy alternative check out Tangara!

Anyhow, if I'll have time I plan to write up why walkmans may be an even better option for kids!

@buherator iPods cool.

I ba r one of the screen less ones that are uhhh

for music I use an anbernic 35xxsp and the stock music player

@buherator mp3 players really aren't any good as they only play the terrible mp3 format and not opus or FLAC.

Meanwhile mpv plays opus and FLAC just fine.

@buherator Hell, they're great for adults too!

@buherator Also even a mediocre digital camera will take WAY BETTER PICTURES than any smartphone. Bonus points if it can do raw, if they'd be interested in nerding out over photo editing!