tinydancer

Here's the link to the PRE-release 'review' of the Fuji in Digital Photography Review:

http://www.dpreview.com/news/1002/10...ries.asp#specs

Long2travel, I looked at that plug and it looks amazing! thanks. I'm sure I'll be getting that one for this trip.

cary999, Yes, not getting excited about it just yet. But at least I have pretty much decided to stick with a new point & shoot maxi. My wrists feel better already! I'll only look into the the T2i if none of them seem to be good enough. My G10 wasn't bad, but it was older technology and hopefully the recent improvements in these p&s's will be significantly better.

We shall see.

tinydancer

Did find some reviews after all:

http://www.productwiki.com/fujifilm-finepix-hs10/

fourwheelinit

Too bad about the SX1, I chose that one vs SX10 because it records video in HD but SX10 was my next choice. I took about 6 sets of batteries plus the rechargable because the ability to recharge isn't also available and you don't always have time to recharge. Yes it's weight as you travel but remember you are throwing them away as you go.
cary999 is right about low light situations since they are not rated well there. Also, even with just 18X zoom, the high end of the zoom is a little 'finicky' if yo will so I can't imagine what 30x is like.
I also took point and shoot Canon for backup. There is sometimes when I just want to not have to worry about it..like on the plane.
If you want to see stills and videos from the SX1/SX10 types of camera, my trip report is at http://eastafricanadventure.shutterf...elinitsjournal.

long2travel

TD & 4W, I haven't looked at any reviews but my sister in law stopped by with her brand new SX20 IS she bought for a trip. It appeared identical to my SX10 in form factor but is 12MP instead of 10 and I think it did HD video. Still has the 20X optical. Pretty reasonable too (around $350) at BestBuy. Might be worth looking into.

long2travel

4W - six sets! That's heavy. Maybe if I never stop looking through the camera I won't need to worry about the expense and weight of binoculars.

cary999

If you use AA throw aways, use the Lithium type (not Lithium ion). They give reasonable useful life compared to alkaline. Bad news is they cost twice as much, good news is they are noticeably lighter weight.

And TD, please let us know what you decide on.

regards - tom

tinydancer

Thanks tom! Yes, I definitely plan to be back with results, but don't expect any decisions before mid April at least. Haven't done anything other than research rechargeable AA's on this site (which only confused me more as they keep talking battery talk over my silly little head:

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/...d.php?t=243651

If you boys (I assume) want to talk battery talk, that's the place to do it! If you figure anything out, let me know because right now they all look the same to me since I'm not an electrical engineer.

You have to register to participate.

fourwheelinit

It's great that they've included HD with the SX20! They were charging an arm and a leg for the SX1 with it.
long2travel - yeah..I think I was just really nervous about being able to have a place to charge the batteries but it ended up that we had a place 90% of the time. I ended up using the non-chargeables just to get rid of the weight.
Anxious to hear about the new camera! Let us know.

cary999

For AA rechargeable use Sanyo Eneloop. Here there are at Amazon (not so widely available, you may have to look a little for on the shelf). http://tinyurl.com/ygwmku2 . Note the almost 1000 very positive reviews. But more so this is the battery most recommended when the when asked on the camera site dpreview. http://tinyurl.com/ycreser

As for charger, a small one is good for travel. Many times the charger comes with a set of AAs (not Eneloop). That's ok, get it and a set of Eneloops, you need two sets of rechargeables anyway.

Again for throw away AAs use lithium type. Here they are at Amazon - http://tinyurl.com/yesz6wo . Get the Eneloops, those lithiums and a few camera cards from Amazon and you will not pay shipping nor sales tax.

Next problem

regards - tom
ps - and yes I am a battery nerd and always curious about new technology like NiZn. http://tinyurl.com/yhnpn6l . These are most interesting at 1.6v.

tinydancer

Thank you tom!

If I do get the FinePix, I'll get the Eneloop w a charger, and also some extra disposables.

see you guys later!

TC

It seems you've heard from all the Canon fans. Here's a different view. We just returned from several weeks in Tanzania. I bought the new Pentax K-x. Its a great camera -- intuative to operate, with amazing low light and video capabilities. 4 AA batteries lasted forever. I think we burned two sets in nearly a month. Took over 3000 photos and some video.

We took two lens: Pentax-DA 1:3.5-5.6 18-55mm and the Pentax-DA 1:4-5.8, 55-300mm.

Could not be happier with the outcome. Photos from trip at www.tonna.zenfolio.com

TigerPhotog

tc, where in TZ did you see the wild dogs ? Nice !

TC

Selous Safari Camp, Southern TZ. That was an awesome day -- wild dogs and 5 week old lion cubs.

tinydancer

TC - thank you so much for sharing your photographs! They are just wonderful. Did you have a special housing for the underwater shots? Just gorgeous, really. You've influenced me enough to where I'll put the Pentax on my 'to compare' list!

TC

The underwater photos were shot with our old Sony Cyber-shot, 7.2 megapixel, "Super SteadyShot" DSC-W80. It has a little 3X zoom and an underwater housing. We've had it for years for snorkeling and SCUBA. Takes decent photos in good light and clear water and fair movies. I'm sure there is much better, but this was a very inexpensive way to get into underwater a few years ago when we bought it. Its also a nice little pocket camera for times when I don't want to carry along something big to a family event, etc.

Glad you enjoyed our TZ photos. It was an amazing trip. I had worried that we wouldn't have enough lens power for the birds, but that didn't prove to be the case -- at least, in January in Ruaha and Selous. We were so close to birds; at times I felt I should have been using a macro.

Good luck with your shopping and your adventure.

Laurie52

In my 2 travels to Africa, 2009 and 2010, I did not take the fly in safari because with the camera gear, I was afraid of the weight restrictions. My carry on bag, with mostly just camera gear, is 29 pounds alone. I've not seen any specific information about what a person is charged for extra weight. My checked bag was 38 pounds.

A person can get hooked on Canons. I used my AE 1 for 30+ years. I now take my Canon XTi and my husband's EOS Digital Rebel. That started as a back up plan for problems, but I find now that I keep the 18-55 lens on it and long lens on mine. Initially, I used the 70-300 IS. First trip, I also added the 1.4x extender to it. That did give me some autofocus problems. Actually, the best shots I have from the trip on both cameras are using manual focus. This trip, I decided to get the 100-400 IS L series lens. It was what I wanted in the first place, just didn't want to spend the money. I thought the other was great, but this one is fantastic. I did take the 70-300 along as a back up. I also carried 4 batteries for mine and 3 for my husbands. This past trip, I stayed in Kenya for all 3 weeks, last trip, both Kenya and Tanzania. The new lens is considerably heavier and I took a wrist brace along, which I found very helpful, even with the sand bags for the roof.

Since I was going by ground, and weight was not restricted, I also took a 10" netbook computer along. My guide and I spent hours looking at photos taken during our drives. Guess with all the conveniences, I'd have to charter my own plane if I was going to do a flying safari.

TC

In Southern TZ, flying Coastal Air from camp to camp, our camera gear was never questioned as part of our weight restriction. Our clothing duffels were weighed. I think we might have been over the actual restriction by a pound, but no one said anything. We carried a Lowepro camera "backpack" right on-board, dropped it in the back of the plane on the floor as we were told and off we went. No worries. I will also say that with the Pentax, K-x we didn't use any support procucts -- not even a bean bag, this time in Africa. The anti-shake, stablizing, features on newer cameras are so wonderful that we had no problem hand holding.

tinydancer

TC - What do you mean when you said the Pentax camera was 'intuitive to operate'? Easy? Natural? Also, do you remember which brand AA batteries you were using?

TC

tinydancer: I meant that if one is using the camera without prior experience, the controls were rationally marked, placed, and the functions labeling was easy to understand. One could leave everything in full auto mode and get quite lovely photos. I was also able to get wonderful action shots -- birds in flight, elephant charge, hippo bellowing -- with the full auto action mode. It was just no muss, no fuss -- flip the little lever to the setting marked with a man running and the camera would take care of the rest. I also like the weight and feel of the camera. The hand rest positions were extremely natural for my hands as was the placement of all the control buttons and dials. The change of a lens is very easy and quick. I loved the fact that I could use the camera with or without the screen view (saving battery power by not using this most of the time), however, the screen is large and the glare factor on it is minimal. I also love that I can use the zoom feature while shooting video with the camera. A big plus over the little Sony Cybershot video feature. We have a digital video camera which we left at home. Just couldn't justify the extra weight. This Pentax, takes as good, if not better video -- although that does burn up A LOT of memory.

The camera currently has 4 <i>Energizer, Ultimate Lithium AA</i> in it, so I'm guessing that is what we were using in Africa. We haven't been home long enough to have changed them. Do make sure you have the freshest batteries you can buy. The first set we used didn't last long. They came with the camera when we bought it. I was really worried then that we were under prepared. However, the new batteries that we had purchased lasted forever. I think the first ones were probably old as the hills and we weren't thinking enough to toss them. Good luck with your search.

live42day

I took my Canon Rebel XT with 70 zoom and loved the results and the camera. My husband had the powershot so it was a good combination. WHen you are on Safari and looking out the roof they had sandbag type 'pillows' to rest your camera on so that there was not a problem with the camera getting heavy as mentioned above. I just took this camera to India too and loved it. Two lenses, the zoom and the regular 35 which i find is adequate.
I brought two batteries but found that the battery lasted days. You get used to the 'no viewfinder' and that uses less battery power without it too.
I also highly recommend using a lens filter and always having lens cleaner with you on safari as they get very dusty.