1 week Ago
As technologies continue to collide, cameras for kids become more and more like camera phones , compared to the point-and-shoot cameras of yesteryear. The myFirst Camera 50 is a prime example: effectively, it's a tiny 4-inch tablet with a custom Android operating system that runs the camera and editing features. There's a 20MP rear camera, and for young content creators there's also a 16MP rear-facing camera and a built-in soft selfie light.
This might sound like a lot of technology for a child to manage, but with the camera designed to be used by children aged from 5-12, the controls are simple. There are just three buttons: the power button, a button to turn the light on and off, and the shutter button. The shutter button acts like one on a ‘proper’ camera, with a half-press focusing and a full press taking the photo.
There are, of course, the usual onscreen controls, such as another shutter button and the ability to touch the screen to focus. There's even the usual slider to adjust exposure. Holding down the onscreen shutter button switches to video recording, and while there's no optical zoom, there is the option of a 1x, 2x, or 3x digital zoom.
The camera is powered by a 2,000mAh built-in battery that's claimed to have a life of up to 240 minutes. In practice, how long it will last depends on what you're doing with the camera, but in the hands of a child, expect it to last a few days before it needs charging via the USB-C socket on the side. Although the myFirst Camera 50 couldn’t be described as a tough camera , it does have a rubberized plastic finish that will help kids grip the camera, and there is a nice pronounced grip.
Personally, I would also add a screen protector, as kids will be kids and the camera will get dropped. Within the box, you should find a wrist strap and lanyard so that kids can hold it safely, but these items were missing from my review sample. What kids really want from their cameras these days is the ability to edit images and add photos and stickers, and the myFirst Camera 50 offers this and more.
The custom Android operating system that powers the camera also enables image-editing features. There's a good selection of different filters that can change the color and brightness of images, as well as a few different effects, such as Fisheye, Cross Process, and Vignette. There's also the option to draw on images or add stickers – kids love stickers.
The small array of cartoon stickers proved particularly popular with my children, who enjoyed adding sunglasses and random slices of watermelon to their photos. Older children will also enjoy the myDiary journal feature. This can be password-protected so that children have some privacy.
It allows them to save voice notes alongside images and videos, and then it presents these in a calendar view so that kids can look back on their adventures without needing to have a social media account. Something else that can be saved to the myDiary are the AI-generated videos. The user selects a series of photos or videos, and the camera uploads these to a server which analyses the content and edits it to create short video complete with music.
I found that it did this chronologically, and I’m not entirely sure how much true AI goes into the process, but it does an okay job of creating short highlight videos. (NOTE: When I was writing this review, there appeared to be a bug with saving the AI-generated videos to the camera and uploading them to myFirst Circle). Those who are more hands-on can use the built-in templates to load their photos and videos, then have the video edited and music added.
It's a basic introduction to video editing and is easy to use, although it may be too basic as your child gets older. One of the key selling points of the myFirst Camera 50 is its integration with the myFirst Circle messaging service. Once you've connected the camera to a Wi-Fi network you're prompted to download the myFirst Circle app and link your camera to an account.
Once set up, photos and videos can be uploaded. Parents can invite family and friends to download the app, and can authorize who's able to see their child’s posts and interact with them. It is a great way to teach children about social media, and about what they may or may not want to share.
It's also great for grandparents and other family members to see what the children are up to and keep in touch with them. It also works with the myFirst Frame Live or Doodle, which are Wi-Fi-enabled digital photo frames; when new photos or videos are uploaded to your myCircle account, they will be shown to those within your circle on the digital photo frame. Again, this allows for a passive way for friends and family to share moments almost in real time.
I found the process of setting up the Wi-Fi on the camera, and also a myCircle account on my iPhone, straightforward. The app feels rather basic and simple, which is largely by design to make it easy to use. It feels safe and secure, as much as sending any of your images to a random server could be.
Personally, I would rather wait until my child is a little older before they start getting too involved in social media, but a device like the myFirst Camera 50 and myCircle app seems like a good way to develop an awareness of the social etiquettes and understanding of posting online. Going back to the image quality of the camera, the images produced are about on par with what you would expect from a cheap smartphone. With good light, colors, and exposure, they look good, although the detail and sharpness of the image do break down when you view at 100% – the deterioration in quality is due to the small size of the sensor and the associated noise reduction.
That said, given that most images will only ever be viewed on the camera, or on a smartphone or tablet screen, they're acceptable. It's a similar story with the selfie camera, with images showing even lower quality when zoomed. The selfie light works surprisingly well, although the soft, warm light can often cause bits of the face that are in shadow to shift to a much cooler color.
Video is a little below par. While the myFirst Camera 50 can record at Full HD 1920 x 1080, there's no stabilization, and footage can be very shaky as a result. Exposure and autofocus also tend to jump very noticeably when shooting video.
Again, though, most children, certainly younger ones, will care little about these technicalities, and will simply be delighted to capture and share their moments. All the images and videos can be saved to the built-in 4GB memory, or to a microSD card up to 128GB. It's worth noting that if you save images to the internal memory you will need to connect the camera to a computer to save them; they can't be transferred to a microSD card or via a Bluetooth or WiFi connection.
Images also can't be downloaded via the myFirst Circle app. Overall, the myFirst Camera 50 is a simple camera with basic features that will keep a young child entertained while encouraging their creativity. Available now in the US, UK, and Australia for $129/ £109 / AU$149 The myFirst Camera 50 is available in Vibrant Blue or Cool Purple colors and comes with a wrist strap, lanyard, and some fun stickers so that your child can decorate their camera.
It's available to buy now and costs $129 / £109 / AU$149. Buy it if..
. Your kids constantly want to take photos with your smartphone The easy-to-use camera is essentially the same as a smartphone camera. If your children are constantly borrowing your phone to take photos or videos, this should offer them some independence, while you can continue scrolling Instagram.
You want to teach your children about social media The secure, closed-loop MyCircle app allows children to upload videos and images, but parents have the reassurance that they can see all of the images, and have complete control over who sees the images. It's also great for family members who don't see your children often. You want to foster child's creativity Not only does the first Camera 50 provide a means of taking photos and video, it also offers the ability to edit images and video, and even use templates to add music and voiceovers, while the diary feature encourages journalling and reflection.
It's great for creative young minds. Don't buy it if..
. You have an older child Although the camera is recommended for children up to 12 years old, I feel that by the time most children reach around 10 they'll probably be ready for something more advanced in terms of features, particularly when it comes to editing photos and videos, areas where the camera is kept simple by design. You have a younger child Although my younger 5-year-old son was fine using the camera and taking photos, some of the editing features were still too complex and caused him a little frustration when he started to use them.
It's something that he will grow into, but I would say around 7-10 years old is probably the sweet spot for this camera. You want the best image quality. The camera is inexpensive, and although it can produce half-decent images in good light it falls behind contemporary smartphones.
If it's important to capture your child's images in as high-definition as possible, let them use your smartphone, or better yet, buy them an entry-level mirrorless camera. If our myFirstCamera 50 review has you interested in instant cameras, here are a couple of other options to consider..
. Fujifilm Instax Pal Not much larger than a golf ball, the Fujifilm Instax Pal is tiny camera that connects to a Fujifilm Instax Link printer via Bluetooth of via the Instax app. Your kids will have the freedom to run around snapping away without staring at a screen, with the fun of seeing the photos later, and printing them off so they can share them with family and friends.
Read our full Fujifilm Instax Pal review Camp Snap The Camp Snap is a modern reimagining of a disposable camera. It's a basic digital camera with no screen; you must transfer your images to a computer to see your photos. This makes it perfect for those who want their children to live in the moment rather than spending time staring at a screen looking at or editing images.
The image quality may not be very good, but for children, the experience and simplicity make up for it. Read our full Camp Snap review My two children aged 5 and 8, both used the camera on holiday I also tried all of the camera's features I set up the myFirst Camera 50 and made all the relevant Wi-Fi connections, before I passed it over to my 8-year-old daughter, who used it while on a few days of holiday. She happily shot family photos, mostly of her brother and me, while doing mundane things like eating lunch.
She also shot some selfies and even a short vlog, needing no assistance from me. I then used the camera on our return. I was able to see how easy it was to adjust the exposure and the overall image quality, and how difficult it was to use some of the more advanced features of the camera, such as social media and video editing and creation.
Finally, I connected the camera to my MacBook and transferred the images so that I could view them on a larger screen and upload them for this review. First reviewed November 2024.
