Old people camera help

[HotHolly]

OK, after taking a lot of time to select the most easy to use PNS camera for my mom this Christmas, I hit a snafu. She can use it, and print off it, but she cannot connect the cable - the port is too small for older folks with shaky hands and not-so-sharp vision. So she hasnt used it much.

Do they make an adapter? Its a little Fugi camera. The port on the camera side is REALLY small. She can plug the computer side in fine.

I thought it was a long shot, but I might as well throw it out there. Suggestions?

[Debbi]

What about a card reader - or would that help at all?

[L Stegall]

Yes, I second what Debbi says. Get her a card reader she can leave plugged into her computer and then she doesn't have to fumble with hooking up the camera. I have similar issues dealing with finding easy to use phones and gadgets for my parents and the card reader sounds like a very easy and inexpensive solution.

[kenw]

card reader might be good, but it's likely a SD card, it will have it's own issues: which end goes in, which side is up, etc etc.

Is the camera connector a USB connector? You might find a more generic USB cable that has a bigger grip area on the camera end.

[HotHolly]

Yes, its an SD card. And a USB cable. Its really hard for her to see which end is the flat end to line up with the camera. Maybe rigging a grip would work and then I can mark which end lines up for her. It had IS in it, which she was really excited about, but if she cant line up the cord, she cant use it. She wants to print and email the photos. So I have to figure out an easy way to get them onto her computer. She doesnt want to ask me for help every time I come over.

[sldi]

This was one of the reasons I picked the Kodak camera with a dock for my mother last year for Christmas. I know that is a little late now though.

[sporkthedork]

Does Fuji (or another company) perchance make a dock for the camera?

[HotHolly]

no, not that i noticed. :o(

im so annoyed. i spent so much time trying to find her the perfect camera and i missed that one detail and now she wont use it.

Im thinking maybe I can cut a pencil grip and glue it onto the camera side of the USB cable. That should be big enough to grip, right?

[gardener]

Would it help to mark the "this side up" on the connector with a red dot or some other marker? Sort of a 'line up the dots on the plug and the camera and plug in' type of deal? Something like a dot of bright fingernail polish might work and you certainly haven't lost anything if it doesn't...

[kenw]

how about those rubber grib things for pencils? slip it over the end. A sharpie (or if you need white: Liquid Paper!) to mark "UP" on it.

wrap clear scotch tape over whatever you mark, it will keep it from rubbing off.

[midlight21]

I could have sworn I saw a dock for a Fuji at the Wolf camera that's closing by my house. What's the model of the camera?

Update.....and I did some searching. The only two dock/cradle's I found were for Fuji's older digital cameras.

Is she pretty proficient at putting the SD cards in her camera? You could get her a few more and have her fill them up. Then you can go over and help her transfer them.

[shawn patrick]

How about an EyeFi card so the pictures upload themselves to her pc?

[venchka]

Color electrical tape. Color code the cable and the camera. "Yellow up"?

Color code the SD card and a card reader.

Stick the Fuji in your purse or give it to your hubby/kids. Buy mom a docking camera.

[shanstu]

I second the Eye-Fi card. Works great for me. Can she navigate the menus to erase the card? That's probably the only caveat...

[acymc]

I agree - one of the cameras with a dock would be much easier for her. I guess some of the Kodak p&s come to mind first . . . but maybe some other brands have docking stations available.