Nikon Coolpix 2500
© 2002 Nikon, Inc.
This camera uses a pivotal lens system -- so there is no viewfinder. Because of this, you don't hold the camera up to your eye to take a picture, a feature that throws the first time user for a loop, say your Uncle during that wedding group shot. The good thing about this design is that once kids figure it out, they are forced to focus their eyes on the screen, so it is truly "what you see is what you get." The kit we reviewed, released February 18, 2002, includes the camera, 8MB of memory (or about 24 pictures), rechargeable batteries, and a 3x zoom (equivalent to 37-111mm in 35mm format). A USB wire plugs into your Macintosh or Windows computer. The camera takes great looking pictures and has a durable battery. The main drawback is that of all the cameras we reviewed, this one has a menu system that is complex, and it is easy to get stuck in a loop. Here are the notes from the comparison chart, following our tests with children. Resolution/Capacity--2 Megapixels, 8 MB removable storage, or 24 pictures Batteries--good Light Li-ion battery comes with separate charger and has good power (outlasting the other cameras) Transfer process--good Responsive? --fair Preview--good, but too short Quality--good Menu Design--fair Features Mac/Windows 3X optical zoom, Quality lens.
$380, Win, Mac
Teaches: creativity, photography, language, art