View Full Version : Camera???
Looking for something light, tough, that takes good (don't have to be great) pictures. Suggestions?
I love my digital cameras, but I don’t think they are a tough as a film based camera yet. Take a look at an inexpensive film camera; you can have almost any photo processing lab make them into digital images. Many offer this service for free with the film processing.
Check out Olympus - they carry several different lines of tough little cameras - drop proof, water resistant. We had a camera from their Stylus line for over the past 4 years - took pictures in the rain, dropped it, dropped it in the water, etc. Love it! Replaced it with another olympus now that the new memory cards are hard for the little thing to read.
Was reading the BPL Reader Reviews and it looks like folks are fond of the Pentax Optio W30. It's waterproof (never heard of that without an external case), and has a decent zoom. Anybody have any experience with one?
Tennessee Viking
01-12-2008, 22:35
Definitely go digital. Film would be way expensive and too much to handle on trail.
Then you want something with AA battery based. Then you just need rechargeables. You will want a pair in-camera, one pair ready to change out. Then another pair or two for extended backup. Some cameras are even set up to charge rechargeable batteries within camera. But you might want to invest in a small recharger.
SD format is probably the cheapest and easiest flash memory format.
If you want a camera a bit advanced. I would go for the Canon line.
Fuji if you want something cheap yet better quality. Only problem is that the Fuji XD format is a little more expensive. The only problem I had with mine is that if you tend to drop it a lot, the lense motor can lock up if dropped, and be a pain to pop back in.
If you want something on the cheap inexpensive side, Kodak is the way.
The old Sony's were awkwardly balanced, but after the redesign many people love them. But they are bit more expensive for same quality as Canon and Fuji. And then Sony tends to make their cameras a bit more complicated. They have their own battery pack which makes battery change out a problem. Sony's Memory Stick is format is expensive.
_terrapin_
01-13-2008, 00:31
Any of the Canons or Nikons should do nicely. No need to spend a lot of $$.
Then you just need rechargeables. You will want a pair in-camera, one pair ready to change out. Then another pair or two for extended backup. Some cameras are even set up to charge rechargeable batteries within camera. But you might want to invest in a small recharger.
I agree that batteries are more practical rather than a chargeable cartridge that some cameras have. However, I think all those extra batteries you suggest are a little excessive! Just get one set of lithium batteries - they are pricey but lighter and last much longer. No backups needed, because lithiums last forever and if they ever do run out you can simply buy more in town. Much easier than carrying 6 batteries at a time!
River Runner
01-14-2008, 00:58
Camera models seem to change so quickly these days, that it's hard to recommend anything if you don't have an almost new camera.
My philosophy is go with something light and moderately priced. I just pick a middle of the road camera that I like the style and size of. I've used Olympus, Kodak, and Canon. They all seem to last equally. Long enough that I'm ready for a newer, lighter model. :D
Even if it only lasts for a year or two, it is probably still cheaper than an equivalent film camera, considering the cost of film and processing photos. (Not to mention the cost of organizing prints in albums, photo filing boxes, or whatever and the space cost of storing the albums and boxes of photos). Digital is a great bargain!
And I concur with quassar. Lithium batteries are very nice on longer trips. For everyday use I use Nimh rechargeables. Something else to think about - if you ever forget to recharge a proprietary battery (or don't have access to a charging source), it's nice to be able to use AA's.
Look at the Olympus 790SW. It is small, light, waterproof, shockproof, and freezeproof. I have the older version the 720SW and have been very pleased with it. Obvoiusly it doesn't take as good of pictures as a SLR or anything, but it is a darn tough camera just made for backpacking.
I normally carry a Digital SLR Canon Rebel but I just bought a Canon A570IS for a cheap price. It is being discontinued but who cares
Painted Turtle
01-14-2008, 12:02
As you already see there are a lot of cameras out there. All good.
One thing I would recommend is go to DPREVIEW.com You can compare cameras side by side. There are a lot of reviews both professional and non professional. This site will answer a lot of questions for you.
As a side I am looking at the new Canon G9 but I use RAW and CS2 not for everyone. Also if someone recommends a camera to you go to that web site and read the reviews.
Lithium rechargeables vs Nihm. Worth the extra $?
I must also add, I prefer digital with a large memory card on the trail. Film is just way too much to deal with on the trail. I'm currently using a Nikon Coolpix L15. 8.0 megapixels, 580 shots on Lithium, 160 shots using alkalines. 4.4 oz before batteries and SD memory card. I paid less than $150 for it new.
ofthearth
01-14-2008, 15:19
I'm looking at either a Canon powershot sd850is or an Olympus stylus 790sw (think I got all the numbers right).
Things I'm weightning
the Canon has a 1120 ma battery as opposed to the Olympus 740 ma battery
the Canon lens projects when the camera is on while the Olympus does not
and the Olympus is waterproof (though I usaully carry cameras in a zippy)
both are around the same price and have similar features. leaning toward the Olympus as I'd carry a spare battery regardless.
Any thoughts, suggestions, personal use appreciated
thanks
ofthearth
I get around 100-150 shots per charge with my Olympus 720SW, but I carry a spare just in case. I think the 720 and 790 use the same battery and are almost identical cameras.
Ramble~On
01-15-2008, 16:14
As is usually the case...the second you buy one there will be an upgraded, whizbang, super-duper model put on the market to make the one you bought look silly!:rolleyes:
Superlight, small digitals now have higher megapixels and memory has come a long way. Before long there will be 12+ MP, umpteen+ optical zoom, credit card sized digital cameras. The cameras available now make the compact digitals of five years ago look like Stone Age relics.
I can't tell you what's right for you but my next pack camera will be:
Small, light, inexpensive ($200 or less), not use AA, waterproof, large LCD screen, 10+MP and will allow for manual shutter/aperature...built in filter features (cooling/warming)would be nice too:-?.
_terrapin_
01-15-2008, 16:34
The cameras available now make the compact digitals of five years ago look like Stone Age relics..
I disagree. There's been surprisingly little real progress in sensor technology these last few years. More megapixels, sure, but with it, more noise -- because the sensors aren't any bigger. (Except in DSLRs.) In fact, the average sensor size appears to have decreased a bit; "1/1.8" used to be the norm but now it's gone down to "1/2.5."
Mostly what we're getting is more whiz-bang stuff, like image stabilization, and more miniaturization. I don't see any significant advances in optical quality or latitude -- except maybe in DSLRs, and there only because of the larger sensors. It's a bit disappointing, really.
I have had an Olympus Stylus 740 for the past year, and just replaced it with a Canon SD950is. I got the Olympus with hiking in mind because it was water resistant and light and compact. However, I dropped it one of the first times I used it and broke the battery door, which was extremely flimsy. I duct tape it shut and it still works fine, but that kind of throws the water resistance out the window. I also found with this Olympus that regardless of the ISO settings, the pictures come out fuzzy and grainy. Outdoor pictures in sunlight are washed out, even in the "beach and snow" mode with the brightness turned all the way down, and the flash is painfully bright and makes people look washed out. I have gotten some pretty good pictures with it, but most of them leave a lot to be desired. I got a new camera because I just don't feel that I can trust it to record the important memories and scenery of my upcoming thru-hike.
I haven't used the Canon on a hike yet, but the picture quality for home use has been excellent so far. I've taken a few pictures of sunsets that were amazing, and flash pictures of people turn out clear and with natural colors. I've also found that it does quite well in low light without a flash. It is small and compact and it has a titanium body that seems very sturdy, as do all Canons in the Digital Elph line. The only thing about them is they do not use AA batteries. My solution to this was to buy an extra battery for $13 and have a backup with me, and have the charger in a bounce box waiting in town. The batteries of this kind seem to last much longer than AA's, too (at least in my experience), and they are smaller and lighter than AA's. The SD cards are pretty cheap and I got a 2GB one for around $20 that holds over 1000 pics on the medium-high quality setting. That's a lot of rolls of film.
I don't know if any of this is relevant for you, this is just my personal experience with those two brands.
To my mind, nothing beats personal recommendations but this site is worth a poke around http://www.dpreview.com/
Some of the reviewers might be a bit up their own a...errm... over critical but those are easy to spot
I have been going through the same process as DawgU and Canon Ixus seems to be a good bet
wrongway_08
01-15-2008, 19:13
The water proof cameras are nice, I have the 790 seires. Decent photos but you cant use aa batteries, only rechargable.
I spent $300.00 on mine and am now thinking of buyn a regular aa battery ditigal. They are a lot lighter, battiers are easier to get (no recharging) and cost is only around $150 - $175 for a good one - really nice photos compared to the $300.00 water proof one.
Just my 2 cents.
Was reading the BPL Reader Reviews and it looks like folks are fond of the Pentax Optio W30. It's waterproof (never heard of that without an external case), and has a decent zoom. Anybody have any experience with one?
_terrapin_
01-15-2008, 19:29
My two Canon digicams have both served well for backpacking. The G2 accompanied me on a 136-mile/10-day section in Vermont. I carried an A620 from Bear Mtn. down to southern VA. Nothing special about either of these. I'd vote for using a camera that takes standard batteries (like the A620.) But it wasn't a huge issue with either camera. The A620 went six weeks on one set of NiMH AA cells, and the G2 did that Vermont section on one charge (it uses a BP-511 LiIon battery.) I own a Canon 10D (DSLR) but I don't take it on serious backcountry hikes.
turtle fast
01-15-2008, 20:03
The wife just bought the Kodak Easy Share c173....inexpensive, lightweight, and runs off of AA batteries which are available everywhere. We had to get something that ran on AA batteries as our expensive lithium powered Panasconic was not conducive for the trail or foreign travel. In our experience outside the US rechargable batteries are almost useless and the odd size battery for cameras are hard to come by....use AA powered cameras overseas we learned the hard way in Turkey.
AllenGregoryIV
03-24-2008, 18:20
I bought my Pentax Optio W10 about 2 years ago and it has gone through hell and is still working great. I bought it on sell for about $150 and have been really happy with it. The newer W30 is 7 mega pixels instead of mine which is 6. The only problem is that it does not take AA batteries which can be very annoying I just always have to remember to bring my charger on every trip but the battery life is very good. It is waterproof and very resistant to drops.
drivebyjustin
03-24-2008, 19:13
dslr people...how are you carrying your cameras so that they are reachable without removing your pack? i havent found a good way but i love my dslr and dont think i can give up the image quality for a point and shoot. thoughts?
I'm using the Olympus 790SW as well. It's light, tough, and waterproof, but the pictures tend to be grainy and washed out. I suppose it's a trade off...
Battery life seems to be fairly normal compared to other point and shoot digitals, I would recommend an extra battery just in case.
Would I buy it again? Well, probably not. Why, you ask? The first thing I should have looked at was the image quality instead of the whizz-bang marketing of the toughness. I would probably choose a Canon ELPH instead and keep it in a ziploc bag.
I would suggest doing what I did for my thru. I used disposiable cameras. They don't cost much and are available everywhere. I used about 15 or so. My pictures are great. Folks don't believe that they were taken with a disposable camera.
When the camera was used up, I would send it home and my wife would develope the pictures. She then could see some of what the trail was like.
Kerosene
04-23-2008, 10:21
I'd second using a disposable, although I'm not sure I'd do that for a full thru-hike. The pictures are pretty good, although you lack zoom. If I recall, they weigh in at around 5 ounces; maybe a little less.
taildragger
04-23-2008, 10:27
As you already see there are a lot of cameras out there. All good.
One thing I would recommend is go to DPREVIEW.com You can compare cameras side by side. There are a lot of reviews both professional and non professional. This site will answer a lot of questions for you.
As a side I am looking at the new Canon G9 but I use RAW and CS2 not for everyone. Also if someone recommends a camera to you go to that web site and read the reviews.
Really good camera as far as point and shoots are concerned. Still prefer and SLR but size and weight makes this a good compromise
kytrailman
04-23-2008, 11:06
Fuji Fine Pix- Rugged, compact, batteries easily obtained, and awesome pics.
desdemona
04-25-2008, 00:39
I disagree. There's been surprisingly little real progress in sensor technology these last few years. More megapixels, sure, but with it, more noise -- because the sensors aren't any bigger. (Except in DSLRs.) In fact, the average sensor size appears to have decreased a bit; "1/1.8" used to be the norm but now it's gone down to "1/2.5."
Mostly what we're getting is more whiz-bang stuff, like image stabilization, and more miniaturization. I don't see any significant advances in optical quality or latitude -- except maybe in DSLRs, and there only because of the larger sensors. It's a bit disappointing, really.
I see zero difference in picture quality between my new Canon Powershot and my older Nikon 880. The advantages are things like this:
The Canon is MUCH faster (might be Canon vs Nikon thing though-- as I have heard Nikon's are slower.
The Canon has no lens cover, the lens covers itself electronically.
There are electronic noises for the camera going on and for it taking a picture. I can't believe how often I have thought "I wonder if I actually took the picture".
Weight is about half pound lighter (and this is for AA vs lithium batteries).
Very large LCD screen to look at pictures. You can actually show someone pictures with the screen. (OTOH, don't keep doing this on the trail, it's a good way of wearing down batteries.)
The controls are a bit more intuitive right out of the box.
Don't at all regret getting my Powershot and it is a great camera (I think A560?)
--des
Pokey2006
04-25-2008, 04:43
how are you carrying your cameras so that they are reachable without removing your pack?
I bought a cheapie camera case at Wal-Mart, with a loop on the back. Then, I put a small carbiner on the loop, and used that to attach it to my shoulder strap. It comes off the pack easily at night, so you can play with your pics in your tent before going to bed. It also moves easily from my backpacking pack to my daypack to my running hydration pack to my fanny pack, etc., depending on what I'm doing that day. The camera case I had was big enough to carry a couple of spare batteries in it, too.
You can also attach a larger camera bag (for the truly serious shutter bugs) in front of you, by clipping it on with two carbiners, one on each shoulder strap. Takes the weight out of your pack, and puts the equipment right in front of you, so you can grab the camera quickly when you see a good shot.
Pokey2006
04-25-2008, 04:46
I should note that the shoulder strap idea works best for compact little point-and-shoots; the bag-in-front idea works best for "real," or traditional, sized cameras.
I'm using the Olympus 790SW as well. It's light, tough, and waterproof, but the pictures tend to be grainy and washed out. I suppose it's a trade off...
Would I buy it again? Well, probably not. Why, you ask? The first thing I should have looked at was the image quality instead of the whizz-bang marketing of the toughness.
I have the Olympus Stylus 600. I also have the same opinion as you. Photo quality can be ok, but no consistency. Also, it is difficult to tell if your shot was good or not until you load it onto a PC. Disappointed.
I'm using the Olympus 790SW as well. It's light, tough, and waterproof, but the pictures tend to be grainy and washed out. I suppose it's a trade off...
Battery life seems to be fairly normal compared to other point and shoot digitals, I would recommend an extra battery just in case.
Would I buy it again? Well, probably not. Why, you ask? The first thing I should have looked at was the image quality instead of the whizz-bang marketing of the toughness. I would probably choose a Canon ELPH instead and keep it in a ziploc bag.
Got one of these lil guys myself and LOVE IT! I never noticed any grainy pics at all. I got a none refurb off Ebay and it was only $175! I did the disposable last year on a AT section. Not to bad pics. I just like to see my pics instantly
deeddawg
05-04-2008, 18:40
dslr people...how are you carrying your cameras so that they are reachable without removing your pack? i havent found a good way but i love my dslr and dont think i can give up the image quality for a point and shoot. thoughts?
Lowepro Topload holster attached to left shoulder strap with a carabiner, then a small carabiner attaching a bottom ring on the Lowepro to the lower portion of the left shoulder strap. Keeps it from swinging around and the camera is always handy.
I carried a Canon 20D with 17-85IS lens this way for 11 days at Philmont and the pics from the top of Baldy were worth it.
hopefulhiker
05-04-2008, 21:24
I found that replacable lithium AA or AAA worked well.. I could interchange between the little Mp3 player and other electronic stuff.. I used the digital with the SD cards and would mail them back...
Was reading the BPL Reader Reviews and it looks like folks are fond of the Pentax Optio W30. It's waterproof (never heard of that without an external case), and has a decent zoom. Anybody have any experience with one?
I love my Optio W30 (http://www.amazon.com/Pentax-Optio-Digital-Camera-Optical/dp/B000LXZYKW/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1213470017&sr=8-1): light weight, portable size, good battery life, sand and water proof. It is water proof for 10m or less; dirt and sand have destroyed more of my cameras than water.
I have four cameras and I'm thinking of selling the extra Optio W30 (like new) for gear money. I also have an Pentax Optio S5i (http://www.steves-digicams.com/2004_reviews/optios5i.html) which is a great pocket size camera.
Another great camera for the trail is the Panasonic TZ4 (http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMC-TZ4K-Digital-Optical-Stabilized/dp/B0011Z6D86/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1213470861&sr=8-1): great Leica lense, wide angle for shooting breathtaking vistas, a 10x zoom lense, compact size. It uses a rechargeable battery. If you want to use AA batteries, the Fugi FinePix S700 (http://www.amazon.com/Fujifilm-Finepix-Digital-Camera-Optical/dp/B000NOUP0S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1213471132&sr=1-1) is comparable but is more bulky.
Casio Exilim digital line. some are only 1/2 inch thick. I have one that is about 4 years that is a 5 megapixel, the newer ones are 10 megapixel. I LOVE THIS CAMERA for traveling and hiking.
john gault
06-17-2008, 19:38
I took a panasonic DMC-LZ2 and secured it to my shoulder harness, always ready to take a pic. Not the smallest camera, but it has outstanding zoom capability. All my pics in my gallery were taken with this camera. http://www.steves-digicams.com/2005_reviews/lz2.html