Anyone able to recommend a digital camera for someone with essential tremor?

In My Humble Opinion (IMHO)
#1

My husband has essential tremor affecting his hands. He’s able to write, type on a full size keyboard, and play guitar, but you wouldn’t want him, say, cutting your bangs. On my old nondigital Nikon, he could occasionally take a sort of not-blurry picture. On our current no-name digital camera, there’s not a chance. Using a tripod really isn’t an option because he’s mostly interested in taking pictures of what the cats are doing, and they may not keep doing it long enough for him to get something set up.

Anyway, I think I’m looking for a camera with optical image stabilization? We just need something fairly basic otherwise, but another consideration would be that the buttons would need to be on the larger size–not Jitterbug phone big, but not tiny. As for price…Oh, I don’t know, whatever it is they cost. If I could get something really workable, I wouldn’t mind paying a few hundred dollars.

Any suggestions?

(I am the infrequent poster formerly known as sweetie pea. curtsies)

#2

I just realized that this might have been better suited to Cafe Society. Mods, I will not feel diminished if you move it.

#3

I’m not going to recommend a particular brand, but some cameras have what’s called “Best Picture” mode. For each shutter press the camera shoots 3 or more frames very quickly. It then evaluates each frame and deletes all but the sharpest one. My Samsung Note 3 phone has that feature and it takes 8 shots in about a second or so. You end up with what it has determined to be the sharpest one.

#4

For SLRs, image stabilization is in the lenses. Just the lens would cost at least a couple hundred, here’s one example of a relatively cheap but decent quality one.

You could get a Canon Rebel and a low-end IS lens for under $1000. Nikon may have something comparable.

I know you are looking for more the grab-shot situation and don’t think the 'pod would work for you but a more economical rig would be a good quality point & shoot camera and get a decent tripod or monopod. A remote shutter release would be even better if the camera takes it. It’s a cost tradeoff.

#5

What will he use the camera for? Indoors? Outdoors? Family? Landscapes? Sports? Flowers? Wildlife?

Image stabilization is definitely important, but the sensitivity may also be a big factor - the larger the lens & the more sensitive the sensor, the shorter the exposure time, and therefore less blur. Beyond that, it’s hard to recommend a specific camera without knowing more about the intended use.

#6

Not always. The Pentax K3 has an in-body image stabilization, which means it has image stabilization with any lens. Some “mirrorless” cameras (interchangeable lens cameras with electronic viewfinders rather than a reflex mirror viewfinder) have in-body image stabilization.

I have a couple of Olympus OM-D cameras myself, and their 5-axis image stabilization system is very impressive. And I love the ability to use image stabilization with a fast prime lens (e.g. 25mm F/1.4). But the OM-D E-M10 with a kit lens is $800, which is on the high end of “a few hundred.” Maybe look for a deal on the recently discontinued E-P5 - still a great camera, same image quality as the current models.

#7

I’m not going to get by for $300 or $400, am I? :slight_smile: Thank you, GaryM and CookingWIthGas. This gives me something to work with.

#8

Indoors. Cats. That’s pretty much it. (There really is more to his life, but that’s what he takes pictures of.)

#9

A while back, I was looking at image stabilization for video for a project that I was doing that needed steadicam-like stability but without the budget for one.

Finally gave up on it and used a fixed camera, but while I was looking, I came across external gyroscopic stabilizers: basically a handheld “tripod” mount attached to a gyroscope to provide very steady images. They were too expensive at the time, but that was years back, and they may be more reasonable now.

Here’s a link to how to build one: http://makezine.com/2012/03/12/how-to-low-cost-gyroscopic-camera-stabilizer/

#10

Would a larger, heavier camera cause more problems? If so, there are some compact cameras with big sensors that should work. Zoom is your enemy, it will magnify any movement at the camera. So ideally you want fast lenses and high ISO - that will mean a faster shutter speed and less blur from movement.

You might want to look at the Cannon G and GX series and the Sony RX100. They’re not cheap ($400-600) but indoors shots of animals is difficult even under the best of circumstances, you want a best chance to get good shots.

#11

Actually, there is some new technology to use gyroscopic gloves for people with Parkinson’s…that might turn out to be the best bet. I’m having a brain freeze about putting in a link, and I’ve got to go get ready for work so I don’t have time to thaw, but…wow…I’d forgotten that I’d heard about that, so thank you for reminding me. They won’t be available in the US initially, but AmazonUK was made for such things. (Well, actually it was made for getting ahold of British import cds, but why not delicate medical equipment, too?)