Initiating your kid into Wildlife photography

Wildlife photography—when taken seriously—is an expensive hobby. Even an entry-level camera paired with a decent lens can easily reach the $1,000 mark.

If you search on Amazon, you'll find a flood of inexpensive, often Chinese-made cameras marketed for kids. But let’s be honest: I haven’t come across a single one that delivers decent image quality—whether in still photos or video—despite their impressive claims about megapixels and 4K resolution.

So, what should you do if you have a child under 10 years old who’s starting to show a real interest in wildlife photography?

The answer lies in the second-hand market. If you're patient and avoid jumping on the first deal you see, you can find older bridge cameras for under $100.

I’ve been searching for a decent camera, with a good zoom and the shape and feel of a DSLR—something that’s really important when buying for a 10-year-old who’s constantly watching you use your gear and already has a sense of what a "real" camera looks like.

After some research, I’ve narrowed my options down to two Fujifilm models (Amazon links do not represent the best price for used cameras):

•     The Fujifilm S4200, with a 576mm zoom
•     The Fujifilm S8200, with a 960mm zoom

You can find more technical details about both cameras here. 

I'm not claiming these are the best options out there—if you have any recommendations, feel free to leave a comment below.

Keep in mind that for a kid, a camera is, among other things, a toy—and toys tend to take a fair amount of abuse. That’s the main reason why, in your first attempt to introduce them to more serious photography, you probably don’t want to spend more than $100.

Depending on how long the camera lasts (and how interested they stay), you can always move up to a higher price range with better features and image quality later on.