Any advice on Point-&-Shoot cameras to help a CHILD love dig

[AnneS]

I want to get my 9-year-old daughter interested in digital photography, and need advice on which point-and-shoot camera to get her.

She currently has zero experience with photography, and I'd like her to just shoot to her heart's content... without either of us worrying about how much film she's "wasting" -- hence my decision to go digital.

I'd like something simple and straightforward that she will have a GRATIFYING beginner's experience with... but NOT alot of bells and whistles that might confuse her or turn her off.

I want to get her HOOKED on photography, then move her up to a more complex camera as her ability and interest develop.
Also we want to print, but no larger than 5x7".

Am considering:

Kodak EasyShare CX 6230 (2.1 MP, 16 MB, 3x optical + 3.3 digital = 10x Zoom)
HP PhotoSmart 435 (3.3 MP, 16 MB, 5x digital Zoom)
HP PhotoSmart 635 (2.1 MP, 16 MB, 3x optical + 4x digital = 12x Zoom)

Any thoughts on these three ?
Any OTHER recommended entry-level point-and-shoot cameras that I should consider?
I don't want to spend more than $150.

Many thanks in advance.

[normc]

I have grandchildern at that age. Every so often they use my wife's Nikon775 and have great fun with it. They are young and very bright but until they start asking some adult type questions like how does a camera work etc. and how can I photograph birds, I am not about to buy them a camera? You could be disapointed with your efforts as they might just consider it another toy?

[thkn777]

My daughter (close to 7) has a analog point'n shoot camera for some years(!) now and the whole family enjoys her fotos as well as the ones taken with our SLR.

So no point denying you and your daughter that fun. For a 9 year old girl I'd go not for the very basic, but a little more advanced one.

Why? Because it's HER camera then. And IF she comes to love it she won't throw it away too soon - believe me.

What I would care for:

• Robust AF or even fixed focus [/*]
• Programs: Landscape (outdoor), People (family), Sports (Pet, playing and stuff), Night (a 9 years old will have such opportunities) and FULL AUTO [/*]
• long battery life time (so no hassler for her to recharge too often) and go for AA-compatible [/*]
• automatic lens cover [/*]
• small optical zoom (something to play with and it has its uses after all) 3x around 30-90mm is enough (my SLR has 50-70mm!) [/*]
• NO digital zoom neccessary: you know the quality issue and it hurts her bad if she stood still, did everything right and the d**n picture is blurry! [/*]
• craddle for easy reload and recharge

[/*]
My choice based on price would be a Canon A60. Robust camera with potential for further exploration. Picture quality is good based on personal experience. Steve has a review for it.

Good luck

P.S. According to pricegrabber.com they sell it for $99 plus shipping. That leaves some cash for rechargables, a recharger and a bigger memory card.