Digital Cameras For Pictures of Mountain Views

[Anumber1]

What is a good all around digital camera that can take quality pictures of summit views? I know some cameras now have panaramic stitch modes where you can take one photo and it will automatically be displayed on screen so you can line up your next shot.

What is a good digital camera for pictures of mountain views?

[The Old Fhart]

You might want to read these 3 WhiteBlaze threads on digital cameras. They cover a lot of options.

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=31627&highlight=digital+camera

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=20743&highlight=digital+camera

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/showthread.php?t=27249&highlight=digital+camera

[Pedaling Fool]

I think it's hard to beat Panasonic brand cameras for an affordable camera that takes good pics and not too heavy/bulky. All my pics in my gallery was taken with a Panasonic DMC-LZ2, no longer available, but they have updated models.

Many of my pics were taken from a far way off, such as the owl in SNP, he was really far, but the zoom capability of the camera is really good.

It's not waterproof, but I just carry a showercap and put over my case when it rains. My case is attached to my shoulder strap using a bandana, use to clip it, but the dangling got irritating.

[JERMM]

I'm with John G. on the Panasonic cameras, and using a shower cap for a case cover is a great idea. thanks JG

[rafe]

FWIW, I bought my wife a Nikon S200 at Costco last week. It's amazingly tiny, takes great pictures, and weighs a bit over 4 oz. About $175 as I recall. The only downside is that it takes a proprietary battery, so on a long hike, you'd need to take the charger with you as well.

[Tennessee Viking]

What is a good all around digital camera that can take quality pictures of summit views? I know some cameras now have panaramic stitch modes where you can take one photo and it will automatically be displayed on screen so you can line up your next shot.

What is a good digital camera for pictures of mountain views?
Also look into a tripod, or camera pole if you want something lighter. Tripods will help give you a lot with panoramic views.

[Ramble~On]

I'll throw another vote out there for Panasonic digitals. Their Lumix cameras come with a Leica lens, have built in warming and cooling filters, have manual shutter and aperature all in a fairly small/light package. 12x optical zoom with digital makes for 48x zooming! The built in optical image stabilizer isn't bad but is far from the best.
Sony has some pretty amazing, similar cameras. These may be more than what most people would want but I don't like "point and shoot" cameras that do not have manual control over focus, aperature and shutter.

[weary]

I'll throw another vote out there for Panasonic digitals. Their Lumix cameras come with a Leica lens, have built in warming and cooling filters, have manual shutter and aperature all in a fairly small/light package. 12x optical zoom with digital makes for 48x zooming! The built in optical image stabilizer isn't bad but is far from the best.
Sony has some pretty amazing, similar cameras. These may be more than what most people would want but I don't like "point and shoot" cameras that do not have manual control over focus, aperature and shutter.
I agree with those who are recommending Panasonic Cameras. Mine is a DMC-FZ7. At 13 ounces on my scale it is heavier than many will want to carry, but it is an amazing camera with 12X optical zoom, and scores of point and shoot modes, as well as much manual control as anyone could want.

As far as mountain scenes from trail summits and ridgelines, those are more dependent on the photographer's skill than the make of the camera. No camera duplicates the human eye, The eye focuses on the dominant part of the scene. The camera captures everything, often resulting in a blah photo.

Sometimes it helps to use a frame of vegetation, or a person, or maybe just a big rock, in the foreground to help focus the eye to the important part of the picture. And try to shoot early in the mornings when shadows help provide focus of the scene.

The advantage of digital is that you can try again and again until it comes out right.

Mountain views, btw, are often best when taken half way up a mountain, rather than the ridgeline.

Back to the camera. Most better Panasonics that I've seen have eye level viewfinders and the industry's best anti shake control -- importantant on windy summits and for those of us whose ability to hold a camera rock steady has deteriorated over the decades.

Last spring I shot a useable photo of a grizzly several hundred yards away with a hand held Panasonic shooting at 48X, as well as numerous "close ups" of bald eagles.

Weary

[JERMM]

Here's something you might want to consider to go with you cameras. I've been using a Joby Gorillapod for over a year, great little tripod to have. It will grip tree limbs. posts, rocks, just about anything you can wrap the flexible legs around. It allows you to be in your photos w/o having to hold the camera at arms length.

http://www.joby.com/
http://www.rei.com/product/742238

[partinj]

Hi i have Canon 540 great camera i is a 6meg pix all you really need to take great pictures. Fuji also the 600 and 820 will take the xd and sd cards so you got two choices of cards alsop canon and fuji take normal AA batterys. I took a lot of pictures with my 540 all turn out great oh yet Canon also has a 530 to less tech then the 540 and 5meg pix.
:sun

[Pedaling Fool]

...I took a lot of pictures with my 540 all turn out great oh yet Canon also has a 530 to less tech then the 540 and 5meg pix.
:sun
Let's see 'em, put them in your gallery. I love looking at pics.

[Mad Hatter 08]

Also look into a tripod, or camera pole if you want something lighter. Tripods will help give you a lot with panoramic views.


when i was at "the store" a few weeks back i saw a leki pole with a cork nob on the top that you could screw off to expose a camera mount.

[Ramble~On]

Here's something you might want to consider to go with you cameras. I've been using a Joby Gorillapod for over a year, great little tripod to have. It will grip tree limbs. posts, rocks, just about anything you can wrap the flexible legs around. It allows you to be in your photos w/o having to hold the camera at arms length.

http://www.joby.com/
http://www.rei.com/product/742238

they came out with an SLR model that will hold a pretty amazing amount of weight.
I tried it with an EOS body, heavy lens and flash unit..it held firm...good investment.
an advantage of having a camera that offers manual controls is that you can manually set the shutter, aperature and focus..a release cable and tripop will allow you to take sharper zoom "telephoto" shots and will allow for creative shots of waterfalls etc.