Ted's Top 5 Best Cameras for Kids & Teen Beginners

We all love to see our kids develop interests and hobbies as they grow - but we might not feel confident lending them our beloved mirrorless camera when they express an interest in photography; maybe this is because we've seen what happens to their Lego and soft toys. Luckily, Ted's Cameras has a terrific range of beginner and child-friendly digital, instant and waterproof cameras to choose from, which will give them something constructive to do this school holidays. Once they have their camera in hand, our creative indoor photography ideas for kids will keep them inspired and shooting all break long.

Read on for our pick of the best 5 cameras for kids and young photographers. Whether you're after a basic compact digital camera that they can use to capture happy snaps of their friends as they play, or a retro-styled film camera to encourage their artistic side to flourish, Ted's Cameras is a great place to shop for your child's first camera. If you're still deciding on the right type of camera, our Digital Camera Buying Guide and Instant Camera Buying Guide are great places to start.

1. Pulse DC44 Digital Compact Camera

The Pulse DC44 is a high-quality, simple-to-use compact camera that is the perfect first camera to find beneath the tree on Christmas morning. Your young one can enjoy stunning 44MP stills (interpolated from the 5MP Sensor) and Full HD videos, so their very first images will be looked back on with astonishment in years to come. Using the easy-to-reach w/t button, users can enjoy a versatile 16x digital zoom range, while framing is easy on the bright LCD screen.

The Pulse DC44 is available in three colours, so you can decide which one is the perfect fit for your child, to make their dreams come true. There is a built-in LED light that lights up shots to make them bright in clear indoors and at night, while a huge range of special effects are available for adding character and depth to your little one's early portfolio. This child-friendly camera runs on a lithium rechargeable battery, so you won't have to worry about stocking up on spares over the Christmas break.

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2. Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 Instant Camera

Instant photography is always popular among families with small children. Instant cameras make great gifts and they are perfect for capturing the joy that comes with discovering photography and watching an image magically appear before your eyes. The Fuji Instax mini 12 instant camera is one of the most popular and easiest to use, making it a great first instant camera for kids. This camera comes in a range of cool colours to match different personalities, and it features a dedicated selfie mode to help users frame themselves with accuracy - two features that make it a perfect camera for tweens. For a closer look at the full Instax range, check out our Fujifilm Instax Cameras Compared guide.

The Fuji Instax mini 12 instant camera comes in a compact frame that smaller kids can comfortably hold. Capturing high-quality pocket-sized instant images, which develop in around 90 seconds, is as simple as looking through the optical viewfinder, pointing and shooting. If you'd like to explore more options beyond the Mini 12, our roundup of the best instant and film cameras in Australia covers the full range of top picks for 2026.

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3. Ilford Sprite 35 II Film Camera

The Ilford Sprite 35 II film camera is designed to help people rekindle their love of film photography, but if your kid gets one this school holidays, it may just be their first love. Film photography encourages creativity by reintroducing some of the limitations that digital cameras have. Want a black-and-white image? This needs to be decided before you load the film, which teaches your child to think ahead and make conscious decisions. This model, in fact, comes with a roll of high-quality black and white film as a bonus! To learn more about getting started with film, take a look at our Beginner's Guide to Film Photography.

The Ilford Sprite 35 II film camera is compatible with a wide-range of readily available 135 film and it also runs on easy to find AAA batteries. This film camera couldn't be easier to use - you really just point and shoot; the lens is a fixed 31mm focal length, focus is fixed, and there is a simple flash to help you photograph indoors.

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4. Kodak PixPro FZ55

The Kodak PixPro FZ55 is a basic compact digital camera, which is portable enough to encourage your youngster to take it with them on all of their adventures. Once they find some fun that they just need to capture, they can choose between 16MP stills and brilliant Full HD video.

The Kodak PixPro FZ55 includes a built-in flash, so even if it is dark and gloomy outside, your junior photographer can keep themself amused by capturing plenty of happy snaps, which can be stored on an easy-to-find SD memory card. For simplicity, this Kodak camera is powered by a lithium rechargeable battery, so you won't be bugged constantly to head to the shops for spares.

A 5x optical zoom lens that starts at a wide-angle equivalent focal length makes it easy for users to frame all subjects near and far, while it's a breeze to compose and review results on the 2.7-inch LCD screen - this saves your child from the heartache of missing that once-in-a-lifetime shot, when their photography career is just starting to take off. To learn more about the full Kodak PixPro lineup and how the FZ55 compares to other models, check out our complete guide to Kodak PixPro cameras.

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5. Kodak M38 35mm Camera

This lightweight and unassuming film camera looks a lot like a disposable camera, but it doesn't end up in the bin when the first roll is done - it can be used again and again. The Kodak M38 35mm camera is a great first film camera for kids, being amazingly simple to use and encouraging some of the key learning points that come with film photography - this includes choosing the right film for each occasion and being patient as you wait for the film to be developed before you can see your results. Not sure which film to buy? Our guide to the best 35mm film can help you pick the right stock for every situation.

The Kodak M38 35mm camera is compatible with a wide range of 35mm films, including colour and black-and-white options, while for best results we suggest 200 and 400 ISO film stocks. This film camera can take well-exposed images indoors as well as outdoors, thanks to a simple-to-use flash that can be turned off and on, while your young one will be encouraged to discover the tactile side of photography, thanks to manual film winding and rewinding - they also have to get used to using an optical viewfinder for composing their shots. For a deeper dive into getting the most from a film camera, our ultimate guide to film photography is an excellent next step.

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