Digital photography has made point & shoot faster and easier than ever; it’s also increasingly affordable. Cheap components that still deliver high quality photos have paved the way for a new subset of photographers — children.

TEAMS Design observed how cameras are used by children, and what they saw created clear attributes for them to design around: 

• Children live in the present and simply enjoy the spontaneous act of creating an image.
• Existing children’s cameras tend to be rectangular and awkward to hold; kids often hold their finger over the lens.
• Kids use camera outdoors, while running, jumping, climbing, in precarious environments. The cameras get dropped, and according to Murphy’s Law they fall into a puddle more often than not.
  

These research facts lead to the clear vision that the camera would have to be shaped for small hands, grippy, durable and waterproof. Later ideation provided the idea for the carabiner hook, which meant the child could have the camera hooked onto a backpack ready for that spontaneous moment.

The Bean has seen runaway success in the market for children, and — as a happy surprise — it’s caught on with grown-ups as well. Adults with active, outdoor lifestyles have embraced it as a portable and affordable choice while hiking, biking, and camping.