Camera
 

I think it's time for my husband and I to get a new camera for our December trip to Paris. We are not (repeat, not!) very good with cameras. Any suggestions? Our kids will be with us so I think it's nice to get some good closeups. You know, our daughters gazing at the Seine in awe!

You can get a decent point and shoot camera with a zoom lines for under $300, even under $200. Olympus and Canon both are both recommended.

A workman is no better than his tools. <BR>I never thought being poor with a camera was a good excuse to buy a cheap camera and take several hundred poor pictures. <BR>You come home from the trip of a lifetime with 100 muddy looking pictures with poor depth of field and weak composition and what do you have? Something you are not real proud of. <BR>I had rather buy a first class used single lens reflex camera with a good zoom lens that ranges from slight wide angle to telephone and learn to take decent pictures than to waste several hundred dollars on a poor camera and several hundred poor pictures. <BR>If you are going to the expense and the effort, why not do it better and take some pictures you are proud of?? <BR> <BR>Using a camera well is not an arcane science restricted to a select few. <BR>Using a camera excellently requires training and study, but anyone of average intelligence can learn to use a good camera and obtain good results. <BR>I did. <BR> <BR>

<BR> <BR>I carried a "Point n Shoot" Olympus in my briefcase for years and in fact, wore it out. I replaced it with another Olympus but with a short (115mm)zoom lens and love it. The zoom really helps with composition and the relative mild 115mm length does not produce camera shake like a longer one might with a light camera. It fits easily in a pocket and is easy to use. <BR> <BR>Rich

Hi Pat, I would recommend a 345mm with a zoom from 28mm to 80mm like the Olympus stylus. I find that I need wide angle much more often than a long distance zoom lens. I also take 2 cameras, my Olympus (that I bought last year) and my old Cannon A1 with 3 lenses. I again use the wide angle much more often than the telephoto zoom lens. I keep 100 or 200 speed film in my Canon and 600 in my Olympus (for inside shots.) The Olympus comes with a small holster that you can put on your belt and a strap that you can also hook onto your belt(to stop thieves.) <BR>Regards <BR>Art <BR>

Pat-Whichever camera you decide on, make sure and experiment with it before your upcoming trip to Paris. Go to the park, zoo, museum-anywhere-and shoot some 'practice' shots to familiarize yourself with it. Have fun!

Take a look at the Nikon SLR cameras. www.nikon.com Hopefully, no one will get hacked about my submitting the Nikon site. <BR> <BR>Also, Even though I like to do some hikin' in the Berner Oberland and wallis area of Switzerland, I still hang a Sony digital video cam around my neck. I know all the climbing and hiking purists hate that, but sooooo what. <BR> <BR>I come home with a great video diary of each trip. <BR> <BR>BTW, who is Rex? And why is everyone so wound up about him?

Hi Pat, <BR> <BR>We recently went to Italy with a Canon Elph 370z. I loved it! It uses APS film which is super easy to use. The camera allows you to change film mid roll as well as taking 4x6, 4x7 and panoramic shots. It's also very small and unobtrusive. I took 14 rolls of film during the trip thinking I would end up throwing out half of the photos but they all turned out great. The new 400 ultra film works really well in low light and I was able to take pictures without flash in some of the museums. Another nice feature is the "slow synchro" - it allows you to take great night shots. If you'd like, I can email a couple of photos we took with the camera so you can get a sense of the quality. <BR> <BR>Mary

A fariend recently bought a digital at Costco with the understanding that she could return it if she did not like it for whatever reason. That may be the way to go. Buy a small light camera which you can put in your pocket with a zoom. We have a cannon sureshot which is great and each of our kids have been given gifts of similar cameras - one a nikon and the other an olympus and they all take equally good pictures. Also try a 100 and 200 speed film and see which you prefer. The salespeople at some of the camera shops often make things real complicated and confusing - read consumer report.

What is going on here??? I just typed a long reply and it is nowhere. Buy a small camera that fits in your pocket. Try 100 and 200 speed film before you go. buy where you can reuturn and try the camera out. a zoom is great. we have a cannon sure shot and our kids have a similar type olympus and nikon. All take great photos.

Bea wrote:&gt;&gt;Also try a 100 and 200 speed film and see which you prefer. &lt;&lt; <BR> <BR>The ASA 200 films today are probably better than the ASA 100 films of 10 years ago. Grain structure and color saturation is great. <BR> <BR>Using a 200 film will insure that depth of focus is deep. <BR> <BR>

I would like to make a point about APS film. <BR> <BR>Whilst it is very slightly easier to load, and smaller to carry, and allows panorama shots, the quality is much much poorer. <BR> <BR>Because the negatives are smaller the grain really shows even on normal size prints and make blowing up your favourite shots to large size a pointless exercise. <BR> <BR>Lastly, as 35mm is still the main stream film choice, thats where all the developments are in terms of new films. YOu have much bigger choice of films, including makes, speeds, special effects etc. <BR> <BR>Oh and also, its usually cheaper to develop your pictures, or it is in the UK anyway. <BR> <BR>Though I prefer SLR cameras, if photography is not your thing, I would go with a good point and shoot with a small telephoto lens. <BR> <BR>If you can get one which starts at 28 or 35mm not 50mm and goes up to about 120mm. <BR> <BR>This will allow you to take both wide angle shots when you want to get a lot in (such as large people groups or buildings) and also to close in on details or to frame you shots, or to miss out that tv aerial by closing in. <BR> <BR>Kavey

First, a film recommendation. Everyone has been talking about 100-200 ISO film, but for Paris in December, I would seriously recommend 400 ISO. I'm on a photography course at the moment, and we were talking about films a few weeks ago. The latest Fuji 400 ISO film is apparently, bizarrely, LESS grainy than the 200 ISO (although 100 is best). I always use 400 ISO - it means you can take pictures on dull days, which 100/200 ISO often can't handle. I even take 400 on holidays to hot sunny places, it really is good enough these days. I have had some of my pictures enlarged to 8x12 inches, and there is still no obvious grain. <BR> <BR>As for a camera - go to a good camera shop and ask them to show you a few cameras, both compact and SLR, and see what you think. SLR cameras do give better picture quality, and if you do get good with one, it will enable you to take pictures you would find difficult or impossible with a compact. The best one for you would be a low-end of the range fully automatic camera, which you can operate in point and shoot mode, just as you can a compact. You can also override the auto and do everything manually if you want to. The main downside is that they are bulkier and heavier than compacts (there is a reason for the name "compact"!) and if you are sure you will never take it off "auto everything" then there is probably no point in having one. Compact cameras can be very good these days, and many have good zoom lenses that enable you to take good close ups. I would stick to 35mm, unless you want digital. Forget APS - films are so much more expensive both to buy and to develop and the quality is less than 35mm, due to the size. Go digital only if you are going to want to transfer lots of your pictures to a pc - the quality just isn't there yet to justify it otherwise. <BR> <BR>Whatever you get, have a great trip, and remember - it's you that takes the picture, not the camera.

I have an Elph which I absolutely love! The pictures are great and I have not noticed any problems with graininess in the photes that I have enlarged to 8-1/2 X 11. <BR> <BR>It's small enough that you can throw it into your pocket or hook onto your belt. <BR> <BR>I have used the panoramic shots quite often and the effect of the pictures is amazing. <BR> <BR>Another camera that I have seen advertised lately is the Kodak advantix where you can see your pictures on a screen after you rake them - so if yu don;t like it you take it again - I think this is an awesome idea. <BR> <BR>Donna

It looks like the camera tips you have received are sufficient without me adding to them. However, I noticed that you mentioned getting closeups of the kids. This made me think of what I feel is the essential tip for photographing people well. Get close, and when you think you are close enough, get closer still. You don't need a zoom lens of any type to take closeups of your kids, unless they are running around and you are sitting on a park bench or something. Just get right up in their faces. A lot of people have trouble with this. How often have you seen people back way up to photograph a friend in front of some monument? The only thing to know is that a wide angle (like 28mm) can tend to make things closest to the camera look elongated or big, such as noses, feet, or heads. So something that at least has around 50mm or higher would generally work better for closeups. This doesn't mean you can't do this with the wider lens though. Include just enough of the Seine in your closeups to know it is the Seine and concentrate on the person. Longer lenses, however, do work great for candids of people you don't know.

Anna and a few others have covered this, but I'd highly suggest 400 speed film. Grainyness isn't much of an issue anymore. And with 400 speed film, you can shoot pictures in lowlight situations (without flash) unlike 100 speed. Also, there really isn't that much difference between 100 speed and 200 speed. Buying 200 speed is sort of a waste. I take 100 speed film to shoot on bright clear days. 400 speed for everything else. by the way, most point-n-shoot cameras (such as Olympus) suggest using 400 speed film. the apeture just isn't as big in point-n-shoots.

Ditto on the 400 speed film. I would do as the last poster said and only use 100 with a point and shoot in bright sunshine. This does not, however, go for all point and shoots. If you get one with a fixed focal length (for example, only 35mm), the aperture should be fine. If you get a zoom, especially a long zoom, the maximum aperture will change when you zoom out. This means that when you zoom to say 100-135mm, the lens will let in a lot less light, requiring slower shutter speeds. This means you are more likely to get blurred photos, especially when the light is low.

I also have to recommend 400 speed film if you're using a point and shoot. The lenses on these cameras are so slow that you want a faster speed film to force the lens into a smaller apeture. Some tips: set your camera to "fill-flash" in the daytime, if people are in your photos. Turn the flash off in bright daylight for other shots...buildings, monuments, etc...At night, use full flash. <BR> <BR>A good camera with a nice zoom is the Minolta Freedom Zoom Explorer. It goes from 28-75. The 28 end will be much more useful in Europe than the 75 end. If you can live without a zoom, the Olympus Stylus Epic is tiny, cheap ($89.00) and comes with a fast, very sharp, 35/2.8 lens. <BR> <BR>Have a great time and take more film than you think you need...and, of course, don't pack it in your checked suitcase...the xrays will ruin it. <BR> <BR>Lots of photos on my website: http://www.jimtardio.com

Good point about forcing a smaller aperture Jim. That is what is so great about an SLR and makes it worth the trouble - lots of control.

If you primary interest is in recording some memories of your trip, not to produce portraits or professional photos, a point and shoot should be fine. At the risk of hearing from photographers who are purists, I would suggest a medium price range digital camera which would allow you to immediately view your photo to see if all the heads are there and that no tress jumped up in front of your primary subject. I carry a pocket size Canon advantix and a pocket size Olympus digital. By using the high quality setting I can almost duplicate 35mm quality with the digital. The immediate review allows me to retake a bad shot if necessary.

Jim Tardio: <BR> <BR>What beautiful photos on your website! What kind of camera do you use? Or do you travel with more than one?

I'm a camera nut. When I travel I take my Nikon, several lenses, a flash, and a variety of film. Unless you are really into photography, I wouldn't recommend that to anyone else. It is a real pain in the butt carrying all that equipment around. My wife carries a point and shoot Minolta with a zoom lens. My daughter carries the Canon ELPH 370z someone else mentioned because she thinks its small size is really neat. Both always use 400 speed film, as it is the most versatile. To be honest, they both take great pictures, sometimes better than mine. Anyway, ignore all the camera snobs and keep it simple for yourself. Get the best point and shoot you can afford, with the least weight, bulk, etc. All the camera companies (pentax, olympus, nikon, cannon) make good ones. For best price check out your local Costco, or try online at www.cameraworld.com

Hi Pat, <BR>I bought the Canon Elph 2 earlier this year & love it. Its the model below the 380z mentioned above & has a smaller zoom (2x) but is much smaller also (& very sleek & sexy!). See the following links for some reviews... <BR>http://www.epinions.com/elec_Cameras...2?tk=TB003.1.1 <BR> <BR>I've never had any problem with the quality of my photos some people seem to think you do with APS. I love the different size pictures you can take & also that I can change films mid roll - I'm planning on swapping between colour & B&W for my upcoming trip to France. <BR>Whatever you decide just make sure you have a chance to practise with it before your trip. <BR>Cheers...

I agree with Mary who posted a reply earlier in this thread. The Canon Elph line is a super value for quality of pictures and the convenience of its compact size. I owned a Canon Elph APS camera for a couple of years and just bought the Canon Digital Elph and get great results. The APS version of the Elph can be had for roughly $200. Great overall package for the price. You can check some photography websites to get reviews as well. Good luck in making your selection. Have fun in Paris! <BR> <BR>Corey

I got a Cannon Elph "Powershot S100" Digital camera recently and will be taking it with me to Ireland, London and Paris. <BR>Do any of you have one and do you have any tips/advice? <BR>Thanks! <BR>Patti

I also strongly recommend 400 film. You are going to be wswitching between indoors and out. Lat year, on our trip to Israel, I took all 400 film and everything turned out great. I had lent a roll of film to a friend and he returned a 100 speed roll. All my photos in the caves at Rosh Hanikra were ruined, even those taken at 4 or 5 feet distance with a flash were too dark. I still haven't forgiven him.

Has anyone tried Fuji 800 film? What were your results? <BR> <BR>Thanks

With regard to the digital camera you need to consider the storage limits of the cards and the possible need to download to a computer to clear the card. And there is also the need to upgrade computers for the digital. That said, on a photography board a poster told of making a vacation CD for his family shooting the pictures at a lower resolution. As he pointed out, at a regular resolution setting you can get acceptable 4X6 pictures if you want. I may take a digital along on my next trip for such a use, but will still bring the SLR and the P&S. For a P&S with good features and good zoom, consider the Pentax IQZoom series. As far as APS systems are concerned, I think the film and processing is expensive for what you get.

I like Fuji 800 pretty well. Mostly, I have used it for well-lit indoor photography, such as hockey games. I talked to a guy in St. Louis who shoots at some of the Blues games' for a newspaper, and he uses it as well. A lot of wedding photograhers use Fuji NHGII 800 speed film. I have used it at a relatives wedding and was very pleased with the results. The latter is fairly expensive, however, at better than $5 a roll at discount camera stores. A lot of the time when I use a high speed film at home, I go with black and white. TMAX 3200 is great. It will give you more grain than lower speed films but not too bad. You can shoot it at a range of speeds from well below 3200 to well above. I generally shoot at 1600 with good results. Great in lower light. If you ever try this film, take it to a place that knows what it is doing because the lab must process it for the correct setting. A P&S camera generally won't give you an option and will shoot the film as 3200. <BR> <BR>A little off-topic, some of my favorite print films are Kodak Supra 100 and 400, Fuji NPH 400 (try shooting at 320 if you can), and Superia Reala 100. The latter two are particularly good for photos with people because they are lower in contrast. Reala is very sharp and creamy in appearance. I use it for a large number of my travel photos now, at least in sunny weather. It is generally considered not quite as good in overcast conditions. Another great thing about Reala is that at discount stores like B&H in New York you can get it for $2 and something a roll. Most camera stores around here don't sell it.

I took some great shots with my daughter's Nikon N60 setting it on Auto focus. I, too, know nothing about light meters, f-stops etc. so I used the camera like a point and shoot. I'm very happy with the pictures. My main suggestion is to bring a disposable with you as well in case you want to ask a stranger to take a group shot of your family. Never hand over your good camera to a stranger!

dan, thanks for the in depth reply. I just purchased my first slr camera and I am open to Any kind of help.

Dan, I'd love to try the 800 speed film but I'm wondering how to shield the film at airport xrays, in the event that they refuse to do a hand search of carryon luggage. (It's happened before.)Any ideas?

Sue <BR>I've used 800 speed film on three trips that required the hated x-rays. No problems so far. Even took some b/w 3200 over twice before using. It was still good. <BR>

Don't forget, whatever camera and film you use, do not use your flash when around artworks. <BR>

Hi, Pat! <BR>You may compare the pictures on my webpages...Portugal, I used a point and shoot camera with 200 speed film. In Austria and Czech, I used a Canon Rebel, with different lens and 800 speed film outside and 200 inside. <BR>I strongly recommend that you purchase your camera now, take lots of pictures in a variety of situations, and take the films to a GOOD developer. Processing is as important as the camera and the person taking the pictures. <BR>Think about a camera class and picking some books up from the library on composition and lighting. Lighting is the most essential ingredient in a picture and the least discussed. <BR>Good luck, let us know how you fare! <BR>Gloria <BR>

Pat...It would help if I gave you the address to my webpages, aye? :) <BR> <BR>Portugal <BR>http://albums.photopoint.com/j/Album...a=12472324&f=0 <BR> <BR>Austria/Czech <BR>http://albums.photopoint.com/j/Album...a=12407636&f=0 <BR> <BR>Gloria <BR>

Pat <BR>Can't believe how full some people are of themselves. At least one of the posters above was right on. You're goal isn't to become a photographer. It is to preserve memories of your family's trip to Paris. Thus, keep it as simple as possible. Buy any good point and shoot camera and use 400 speed film. The cameras are light weight and any member of the family can take a picture with them. You don't need fancy equipment, film to get the kid of pictures that provide you with memories for a lifetime. Good luck.

For your standard 'travel' photos, do most people prefer Kodak or Fugi film? I'd also like to know if people think the x-rays at the airport (the ones that you walk thru) bother film. Sometimes I can talk them in to a hand check of my film, but many times not.

I'm a fan of Fuji film - my pictures seem to have so much more "punch" when I use it, rather than Kodak. <BR> <BR>As for the x-rays at airports, there was an in-depth study done recently in the UK, as UK airports are generally not happy about hand checking things. Unfortunately, I can't remember all the details of the report, but I do remember that they were fairly encouraging. For film speeds up to 400 ISO, the x-rays were safe for many repeated exposures, so you should be fine, even on a holiday with lots of flights. For faster film, there were some effects, but I seem to remember it still took quite a few exposures to x-rays before there was any effect. <BR> <BR>From my own personal experience, I have twice taken 800 ISO film on holidays where the films went through the x-rays 4 times, with no ill-effects. <BR> <BR>However, you should never let your films go through the x-rays used on checked in baggage, as these are far more powerful. <BR> <BR>Finally, you can buy special bags that are supposed to protect film from the x-rays. If you are unlucky, I'm told, the x-ray operator will boost the strength of the x-ray until they can see through - so no benefit. If you are lucky though, they will just subject your bag to a hand search. I honestly don't think you need to bother with this, though, as I've always just let my film go through and never had any effects.

Here's part of a tip sheet that I handed out to the folk I was traveling with a few years back. Seems that the BBC got zapped by placing film in checked luggage. <BR> <BR>Potential Film Killer The May 1998 Shutterbug Magazine reported a new x-ray device, the CTX500, using technology derived from medical CAT scan devices. This is part of newly implemented anti-terrorist deterrents. It will fog film placed in checked baggage if you are unlucky enough to go through one.