Fodor's Travel Talk Forums

Fodor's Travel Talk Forums (https://www.fodors.com/community/)
-   Europe (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/)
-   -   Which camera? (https://www.fodors.com/community/europe/which-camera-995456/)

sass27 Oct 19th, 2013 05:03 AM

Which camera?
 
I'll be going to london soon I can't decide between taking my dslr or just using my iphone. Thoughts?

ribeirasacra Oct 19th, 2013 05:19 AM

DSLR with loads of lenses. Ipad rubbish

sassy_cat Oct 19th, 2013 05:27 AM

iphone

unless you're a serious photographer and intend to spend time taking photos.

You've been to London before so maybe no need to take photos again...

sass27 Oct 19th, 2013 05:34 AM

Thanks sassy cat! That's what I thought too

jamikins Oct 19th, 2013 05:44 AM

I take my DSLR everywhere and would never rely on an iPhone for our travel photos...but we love photography

greg Oct 19th, 2013 05:56 AM

These are different devices with vastly different value propositions. What values are important to you for this trip? For example, they differ in compactness, ability to email photos right off the device, control depth of the field, white balance control, aperture/shutter speed priority, wide angle, low light capability, etc.
What is the reason for having a DLR when, at least for trip, it seems to be interchangeable with an iPhone?

sass27 Oct 19th, 2013 06:00 AM

I'm taking both just thought i'd ask :) no iphonegraphers it seems

Gretchen Oct 19th, 2013 06:04 AM

There was a young woman who was going to Paris and had a LONNNNG thread of planning, and then posted her Iphone photos as she went. They were terrific==and I consider myself to be a photographer.
On many trips--pre-digital or when digital was so much less--I loved taking my SLR and willingly put up with its bulk. But now--putting something in my pocket is great. Don't have an Iphone (I know, dinosaur), but take a compact digital.

hetismij2 Oct 19th, 2013 06:47 AM

Which camera? The one you have with you. If the dslr and/or lenses are likely to remain in the hotel room because of the bulk and weight it is of no use. The iPhone will go with you anyway.
Personally I take my dslr pretty much everywhere with me, but I do use my phone when it is easier than carrying the dslr.

Tabernash2 Oct 19th, 2013 09:15 AM

The iPhone 5 has an awesome camera, and it's fun to e-mail pictures or post them right away. I take it and my Nikon, because it's lightweight. I do not carry extra lenses when traveling.

sparkchaser Oct 19th, 2013 10:26 AM

DSLR but limit your lens to two.

Phones suck as cameras. Because no aperture control and optical viewfinder.

NYCFoodSnob Oct 19th, 2013 02:05 PM

1. Anyone serious about photography would never ask this question.

If you're not serious about photography, why on earth would you consider carrying extra weight on your trip?

menachem Oct 19th, 2013 02:53 PM

iphone, but maybe buy a stick on wide angle lens for it


i'm serious about photography, being a photographer, and often I just take my iphone with me. the best camera is the camera you actually have on you and use.

dutyfree Oct 19th, 2013 04:59 PM

The BEST camera for vacations is the Canon point and shoot with the telephoto lens(don't have the number handy but the last one we bought was something like a 220?. My daughter takes amazing pictures working down in Antarctica and I have taken great pictures all over the world being a flight attendant with this camera. It fits into a purse or pocket and is lightweight but takes way better pics than an IPHONE because of the pixels and telephoto lens. I think that we have bought a recent one for around $250 at Best Buy?

sparkchaser Oct 20th, 2013 01:41 AM

dutyfree, are you talking about the S95 or S100? Those are two of the best P&S Canons out there.

<i>i'm serious about photography, being a photographer, and often I just take my iphone with me. the best camera is the camera you actually have on you and use.</i>

Do you take it instead of your DSLR because you don't really care to/need to take the best image you're capable of or does the situation not merit carrying around the extra weight?

popov Oct 20th, 2013 04:50 AM

The best cameras for travel are the new mirrorless DSLR's that have only been around for a couple of years. They are much smaller than traditional DSLR's. I like the the Sony NEX cameras with the "pancake lens", which makes it even smaller. It fits easily in easily my coat pocket, hardly bigger than a good sized point-and-shoot but with DSL functionality. It is the way to go, no question.

A note on telephoto lenses. They are basically obsolete for almost all "normal" travelers. Why? Because the resolution of newer digital cameras is so high that you can resize the image much larger and then crop down with little or no visible loss of clarity, at least for typical print sizes. It simply isn't worth dragging a big telephoto lens around anymore for the vast majority of people, who drastically overbuy equipment based on the opinions of a few of the more extreme zealots.

menachem Oct 20th, 2013 05:38 AM

sparkchaser, a couple of years ago i exhibited in Photo LA, and there were a good number of iPhone shots among those, of which I sold most.

I don't use DSLRs, but do own a couple of rangefinder cameras, that are much more travel friendly than DSLR cameras. I remember the time when I traveled extensively with 2 canon 1 Ds bodies, full complement of lenses, strobe kit and tripods. But back then I hired an assistant to carry it for me and fetch me coffee.

Now I travel with a Fuji x pro and 3 lenses and my iPhone. Sometimes I take a fuji x100 along. I've lightened up considerably. I consider the x pro to be the perfect travel camera for my style of working.

The point with the iPhone as a main camera is that you have to see it as a toy camera. And shoot accordingly.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 02:47 PM.