Digital Camera, iPhone, or Both for Pics?

[Rayo]

Should I...

A) Digital camera, 2 batteries, flexi-tripod (8 oz.) + iPhone, case, charger (8 oz.) = 16 oz.

Use regular camera and upload pics to computer every couple days. Seems more cumbersome, but the battery is more of a sure thing and more pics can be taken. Not sure if it's better to whip out a digital camera for pics than an iPhone in terms of security and shady folk seeing what I have in terms of snatchable valuables... Also, the digital camera is older, but small and light, with about a 4 megapixel quality (same as iPhone) and will help preserve phone.

B)iPhone, case, charger = 8 oz.

It'd be great if I could use the iPhone for pics in addition to blog and phone. I'm just worried about battery power and security... I have no problem being selective with photos as I'm not a huge photo snapper anyways. Is it possible to connect to internet w/ 3G? I only mean to do so for blogging, not surfing. I'm thinking of getting a burlier case for the iPhone and leaving the digital camera at home. Maybe a case with one built in charge...

Any ideas? Thanks for feedback!

[RWheeler]

If all you're using the phone for (or, intend to use it for) is photos and blog updating, then you can leave it in airplane mode for a vast majority of the time. Take pics at will, then write up some draft of your blog entry. Once you want to post it, turn off airplane mode, push out the blog update, then turn airplane mode back on.

Also decreasing the brightness of the screen will greatly increase battery life.

Seems like that may be a good option for you.

[The Cleaner]

Although there are apps to shoot zoom pics nothing replaces the glass lense.IMO the iphone takes good close-up shots,optical zoom(glass)digital zoom shots will look grainy.Unless you have a back-up power source for the iphone using it very much will quickly drain the battery.I'd take a good digital camera for pics.I carry my iphone and my Canon Powershot...lithium batteries will last a long time in the Powershot....

[ChinMusic]

I am a photo hobbyist. I have all sorts of camera equipment and often carry over 10 pounds of camera equipment on backpacking trips.

My plan for hiking the AT is to ONLY bring my iPhone 4S with me. The thing takes pretty good pictures and for the most part your AT pics are going to be of the social variety and not epic landscape shots.

That said, I plan on taking my good stuff with me on the last day, should I be fortunate enough to make it to Big K.

[Slo-go'en]

The thing takes pretty good pictures and for the most part your AT pics are going to be of the social variety and not epic landscape shots.

Humm, I have very few social pictures and many epic landscape shots... But from what I've seen of others that use a iPhone camara, it does take reasonably good pictures.

[Theosus]

I like a digital camera for pics. Even if you bought a new one decent ones can be had for less than $150. They usually power up faster, the batteries last a lot longer, and the zoom is a heck of a lot better. I have an iPhone and sometimes its camera takes a while to come on. Add a lot to that time if you turned it off to save the battery. Mine seems to suffer in high contrast situations, worse than a point and shoot. I used my wife's nikon 3100 coolpix last week. It fits great in the hip pocket, come on fast and takes darn good pictures.
I'm thinking of buying her a new one so I can take that one.
The cons of taking both are that younow have another charger to carry. At least the iPhone has that tiny cube and lightweight plug wire. But if it came down to it, I'd rather accidentally drop my coolPix in the creek than my iPhone, or leave it on the table or a rock. Those darn phones are costly.

[Wuff]

Last year I brought both, and once I figured out Airplane mode as mentioned before, I was just using the cell phone. The weight savings were worth it for me.

[RWheeler]

But if it came down to it, I'd rather accidentally drop my coolPix in the creek than my iPhone, or leave it on the table or a rock. Those darn phones are costly.

Pretty much the same reason I'm leaving my smartphone behind. Instead, I'm bringing a cheap prepaid phone and a point-and-shoot camera that does what I need it to do. Combined, they're still worth less than a quarter of the phone itself.

[msupple]

If all you're using the phone for (or, intend to use it for) is photos and blog updating, then you can leave it in airplane mode for a vast majority of the time. Take pics at will, then write up some draft of your blog entry. Once you want to post it, turn off airplane mode, push out the blog update, then turn airplane mode back on.

Also decreasing the brightness of the screen will greatly increase battery life.

Seems like that may be a good option for you.

That's exactly what I plan on doing with my Droid Incredible. I will either carry and extra regular battery or buy an extended life battery which according to Verizon will double your length of charge. With 3g it's so easy to email pics and text and access social networks etc. I'm leaving in a month and am just starting to figure it all out.

They also sell a recharger that will recharge a Droid four times but it's heavier than I care to carry. I think the extended life battery is the way to go....one charge....no swapping out batteries. One person told me that he used his Droid with one extra battery and only had the phone go dead one time all the way to Maine. He took pics and journal with it.

[blackbird04217]

The thing takes pretty good pictures and for the most part your AT pics are going to be of the social variety and not epic landscape shots.

Humm, I have very few social pictures and many epic landscape shots...

I'd agree with Slo-go'en here, I have a lot of awesome landscape shots. Perhaps the mid-Atlantic region provides less opportunities, but they still exist. I have a sunset shot over the James River that looks pretty awesome.

[Wise Old Owl]

(A) is a smart phone matched full sized against a (B) 8 MP Digital from Nikon full size... Nothing has been changed or adjusted - Both were in Auto and I can assure you the flowers are Orange.

[Mike2012]

In 2000 I drove across the country and regret taking sup par pics as I was trying to cram hundreds of them onto a 32mg card. I'm bringing a quality camera and a phone with cam for the many uses those have these days.

[Wise Old Owl]

Should I...

A) Digital camera, 2 batteries, flexi-tripod (8 oz.) + iPhone, case, charger (8 oz.) = 16 oz.

Use regular camera and upload pics to computer every couple days. Seems more cumbersome, but the battery is more of a sure thing and more pics can be taken. Not sure if it's better to whip out a digital camera for pics than an iPhone in terms of security and shady folk seeing what I have in terms of snatchable valuables... Also, the digital camera is older, but small and light, with about a 4 megapixel quality (same as iPhone) and will help preserve phone.

B)iPhone, case, charger = 8 oz.

It'd be great if I could use the iPhone for pics in addition to blog and phone. I'm just worried about battery power and security... I have no problem being selective with photos as I'm not a huge photo snapper anyways. Is it possible to connect to internet w/ 3G? I only mean to do so for blogging, not surfing. I'm thinking of getting a burlier case for the iPhone and leaving the digital camera at home. Maybe a case with one built in charge...

Any ideas? Thanks for feedback!

Part of gee something is wrong here... I have a Nikon Coolpix added a 8 gig chip... and its still taking pics and holding the 1st charge from Dec 26 last year. I think I am up to 200+ and I backed them up - but my point is one charge will get you almost all the way thru the AT and hold the photos. No Charger - just take the cable - first usb will recharge it. 5 oz package and Wide 10x zoom.

Motorola Smart Phone 4 oz package 1 oz charge cube.

It is possible to upload at 3g and send photos again don't have to.

By the way this isn't a third world country - your "valuables" are not worth snatching...

[Rayo]

Thank you everyone for the advice. I may start out with both camera/phone and send my camera home if I turn out to not need/use it. Any suggestions on rechargeable cases for the iphone 4?

Motorola Smart Phone 4 oz package 1 oz charge cube. It is possible to upload at 3g and send photos again don't have to. By the way this isn't a third world country - your "valuables" are not worth snatching...

Yes, I know it's not a third world country, but people do get robbed in the US and on the AT. I was just trying to test people's feelings on the subject. I appreciate your reassuring observation.

[BrianLe]

"But if it came down to it, I'd rather accidentally drop my coolPix in the creek than my iPhone, or leave it on the table or a rock. Those darn phones are costly."

Each to their own. Of course YMMV here, but FWIW I used a smartphone as my only camera (and journaling device, and, and ...) on three thru-hikes now, with no damage. The only problems I recall were just various bugs in the software/hardware that I had to figure out how to work around once in a while.

OTOH, my most recent smartphone got wet on a snowshoe trip recently and the microSD card had (for some reason) to be reformatted as a result. Go figure. So stuff can happen. I still didn't lose any money on this, just had a lot of hassle to reformat and then reinstall a lot of stuff, but would have been a much bigger issue had this happened on a long trail.

Still. If it did, I could likely buy a disposable camera along the way along with note pad and paper if I had to. I'll continue to take a smartphone along with me on backpacking trips of any length, and use it as my only camera.

[QiWiz]

I was pretty happy with an iPhone 4 on my 3 week hike last year, in terms of uploding pics and journaling. See trailjournals.com/QiWiz - last page has link to photos. All taken with iPhone. No zoom to bring wildlife in closer, but other photos and macro worked well.

[Hooch]

If you hike with poles, I recommend a StickPic. Love mine!

[wawatea]

http://www.amazon.com/New-Trent-IMP2.../dp/B004ALUK0A

[RWheeler]

If you hike with poles, I recommend a StickPic. Love mine!

+1 on the Stick Pic. Also, Trekmount is a great camera mounting device, for poles or branches.

[Rayo]

http://www.amazon.com/New-Trent-IMP2.../dp/B004ALUK0A

thanks guys, helpful stories, links, insight.