scottdrb

My wife and I are planning our first trip to Europe in May for 16 days - London, Paris + Italy. We are packing very light and bringing my new digital camera ready to store 1000+ pics on 3 memory cards.<BR><BR>Should I lug my mini-DV video camera (along with extra video tapes, batteries, charger and case) overseas along with my dig camera and its charger, batteries and case??? <BR><BR>Has anyone else opted to go &quot;minimalist&quot; as far as video-ing goes and regretted it?? I usually get stuck lugging all that stuff around and also do 90% of the picture taking and filming. <BR><BR>Thanks for the input...

abc

Taking advantage of the last opportunity to be anonymous - DON'T bring your video cam. They are gross and you don't want to lug it everywhere. No one wants to see a guy videocamming his family in front of fountains. YOU don't want to be the guy videocamming your family in front of fountains. <BR><BR>Besides, you want your hands free to enjoy all the things Europe has to offer - great coffee, good hors d'ouevres, whatever. <BR><BR>I personally think it's weird for people to take the time out of enjoying their trips to take video clips - why not just savor the moment? I HATE it when people feel obliged to capture something on film instead of just enjoying the sensation of the place and moment.

tee

My husband is the video expert in our family. On our last trip (Germany, Switzerland and France) I suggested that he might not want to take the camera as it could be a nuisance for him. He said he really didn't mind. We traveled with my sister and her husband and both she and I have been SO happy to have the video. It brings back all the memories so vividly. He carried it in a back pack, which seemed to work well.My sister took her digital camera. I must say we were happy to have both cameras along.

bkf

thevideos will be nicebut having travelleda fair amount i really thinkk the right answer is no. Let your first trip be for holding hands and pointing out beauty and taking a quick digital. the feel will be lost behind the lens.<BR>Take iit on your 3 trip

bkf

the videos will be nice but having travelled a fair amount i really think the right answer is no. Let your first trip be for holding hands and pointing out beauty and taking a quick digital. the feel will be lost behind the lens.<BR>Take it on your 3rd trip

bkf

sorry posted before edit...

Art

I have taken my video camera on most of my trips and befoew videos a movie camera. I have never regretted it, but some people do not like to take them. Some things are better with a video, but most are not. The video camera will capture movements and sounds that a regulay camera will not, but it does add extra weight and bulk to your trip.<BR>

CW

We don't own a video camera, mostly because I don't know what we'd really do with the video except have it on a shelf.<BR><BR>Mostly I have to agree with abc that pictures rarely do a scenic location justice and I also try to remind myself that friends and family aren't really all that interested in seeing the pics or video. That said, I DO like to travel with a good resolution digital still camera. No, we don't take pictures of ourselves in front of things (neither of us really like the limelight). We do like to take photos of landscapes. The reason, more than to show the trip, is that we've gotten some really nice frameable photos from these shots. We have colorful shots of villages in hallways and nooks... and there's this one shot at dusk across Lough Fee in Connemara, Ireland with the fog setting in and the 12 Pins behind... well, I'm digressing.<BR><BR>I think you're on the money with taking extra memory cards. Use the best resolution you can afford if you're shooting scenic and even suspect you may want to print it. You can't improve resolution very well after the fact.

Ronda

We have been to Europe many times and never taken our video camera because I would rather hold my husband's hand and gaze into his eyes and at the sceanery than the red blinkety blink light on a video camera. Enjoy yourself and leave it home. You won't have to worry about it or carrying around the extra weight.<BR><BR>

Snoopy

Take the dumb video camera and shoot some film. Who cares what you look like? If you get some fun footage, it'll be worth it. This question comes up fairly frequently and it always brings out the quasi-profound, psuedo-philosophical claptrap about savoring the moment and not having your eye glued to the video camera . . . Try telling any photo-journalist that he / she hasn't really seen Europe (or where ever) because he / she had his eye glued to the camera. What drivel.<BR><BR>I have DVDs of all of my European trips. I end up averaging about 4 hours of video a week. Plus, I shoot stills, lots of them. My video camera, charger, casettes, digital camera, extra batteries and case in total weigh less than 6 pounds and easily fit into my carry on along with a book, dop-kit, change of clothes, socks, shoes.<BR><BR>For those of you who don't want to take a digital or video camera on your trip, fine. Don't. But don't act like not taking a camera is some sort of profound philosophical position akin to vegetarianism or pacifism.

Bob1

Read Snoopy's post again and you will see why not to mess with video. <BR><BR>I used to take video in Europe and then quit. It was like an enormous weight had been lifted. No longer was I forced to look for good video and get shots. Or get upset when I left my camera in the car and something happened to make good video. I was actually FREE to enjoy the trip! With no lens in my eye! Or batteries to recharge at night! Or bags to carry with gear! FREEEEE!!!<BR><BR>Then.....I won one of those new little bitty Canon Digital cameras and took it with me. Slick unit. Takes video and still. Tiny little thing. Once again I took a video to Europe....looking for shots and never being in any of them. Bags...batteries...lens in the face. Got home and looked at the video once with my wife....I was only in one segment....then put it up.<BR><BR>After 25+ trips to Europe I can say you will enjoy your first trip much more if you take a good still camera and snap a lot of shots with it. You will look at those 20 times for every time you want to pull out the video. Plus, I disagree with the person that never puts "people" in his shots....only great landscapes to frame. You can buy those pictures here in the US. You cannot buy the people shots and they are the ones you will enjoy the most years later. Get people in as many as you can...not to show you were there, but to enjoy in 20 years. That is fact. You will never enjoy some sunset shot or mountain as much as the ones with you and your wife together in Europe.<BR><BR>Video camera? If you do take it...at least have your wife take videos every other day to spread the load and get a balance of people in the shots. Either way....enjoy the trip and do it for yourself...not to film every minute.

fb

I used to use a video camera a lot on vacation when we took our kids. I found over time that we ended up looking at the still photos much more frequently than videos. I took my video camera to Rome once when I went without the kids and 4 years later still haven't got around to watching it. So, if you really think you will watch the videos, then all of the extra hassle may be worth it. I just found that in my case, it isn't.

Snoopy

Bob1 is spot on with his comments. If you consider charging batteries at night a hassle, or if you feel forced to find good shots, if you feel self-conscious holding a camera in public, or burdened by carrying the extra weight of a video camera, and especially, if you only look at your video once, it would be absurd to take a video camera on vacation.<BR><BR>I don't presume to know how scottdrb views any of that stuff. Im not a professional photographer, but my best friend and sometimes travel partner is. He certainly doesn't see taking camera equipment as a pain. It's his life's blood. Nor have I ever looked at any part of travel photography as a hassle, it's fun and a part of the trip I enjoy. Im not sure what Bob1 is referring to when he says read my post and you'll see why NOT to take a video camera unless he is simply saying &quot;one man's pleasure is another's poison.&quot;<BR><BR>I'm guessing scottdrb is simply looking for opinions and ideas that he might not have considered. I have to say, though, scottdrb . . .your second sentence mentions &quot;packing light&quot;, you ask if you should &quot;lug&quot; your camera and refer to &quot;lugging all that stuff&quot;. Just from your verbiage I'd say it sounds like you'd like to leave your vid-cam at home . . . but you are afraid once you get there you'll wish you'd brought it. <BR><BR>Like I said, pack it, take it, and if you end up not using it . . . so what? Is taking an extra couple of pounds really that big of a hassle?

Queenie

<BR>My videocam is the size of a paperback.<BR>I take 2 batteries - when the batteries are gone, I'm done.<BR><BR>Only take the cam to unusual countries (not Europe), and edit the finished video to 10 minutes.<BR><BR>In this way, I've found people very interested to see the finished product.<BR>My only complaint is that I'm never in them!

stragic

I think you should bring the camara-merely for the option of having it if you want it. I always watch the movies from our trips although I admit there are long parts that I fastforward through. On our last trip we did something I recommend-a video commentary. Whenever we were alone-train, hotel room-we would give our comments on the trip and the things we've seen and done. It's like a video journal and we at least thought it was a good idea. You are going to some GREAT places so I would recommend at least having the option to catch it on film. Let us know what you decide and how it worked for you. Have a great trip!