Inexpensive digital cameras for a project - any advice?

[Bethel]

I'm in the planning stages of my final undergrad project for a BA in psych. I have decided on a project that will involve elderly folks. I plan to use basic photography in an art therapy program.

So I am wondering if folks here may have some advice on disposable cameras vs extremely cheap digital cameras.

The disposable cameras would be easiest, and cheapest up-front, but then the time and expense involved in developing becomes a drawback.

Cheap digital cameras - if they are cheap enough - will cut out the expense of the developing, and the time, but they'll have the disadvantages perhaps of being unreliable, hard to use (especially for older folks) and may well produce photos that make Lomo look good.

And so I come here looking for advice.

What do you folks think? If I use digital I think I'll need about 20 to 30 cameras to make this project work, but I might be able to get by with fewer.

[DStanic]

I would suggest something like used Canon A60 2mp that uses a couple of AA batts. Simple controls and you can use small cheap CF card in them. :)

[Persephone]

Just how many people will be involved...?

I mean, you could probably pair up three people to a camera, or something, which would cut down on #s of digital cameras or disposable ones.

[Bethel]

Just how many people will be involved...?

I mean, you could probably pair up three people to a camera, or something, which would cut down on #s of digital cameras or disposable ones.

I'm just at the beginning of planning this. I expect perhaps forty or more folks could get involved, but in groups of perhaps twenty or so. Maybe ten would be a more reasonable number for a group, but I might run two or three groups concurrently. I also expect to send folks home with the camera for a few days at a time, so sharing probably won't work.

In the end I suspect the number of people involved will depend on the number of cameras I can get my hands on.

[Bethel]

I would suggest something like used Canon A60 2mp that uses a couple of AA batts. Simple controls and you can use small cheap CF card in them. :)

Ah, I've been looking on eBay and other sources and it seems the real trick is finding one that still works. I'll keep my eye out for them, though. Thanks for the tip.