The perfect travel camera?
Jan 24th, 2010, 07:20 AM
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The perfect travel camera?
*** I have posted this thread already in the lounge, but found out that this forum will be more appropriate. Sorry for double posting ***
For all of my life, I have been searching for the perfect camera for travelling. So far, I have worn out more than a dozen cameras, and since my current camera has become outdated by technological advances, I am looking for a new one: the perfect travel camera.
Here are my requirements:
- The perfect travel camera should be as compact as possible. It must fit into a trouser pocket or a breast pocket of a shirt. I want my travel camera ALWAYS with me - in the restaurant, in the theatre, on the beach, in a museum. And I do not want to carry a camera bag. This requirements eliminates all SLR cameras (which I use when I am alone and have time).
- The perfect travel camera needs a wide range optical zoom - starting from at least 28mm (35mm equivalent) to at least 200mm. This requirement eliminates all cameras with less than 8x optical zoom. And it requires an image stabilizer (otherwise a tele lens would be useless).
- The perfect travel camera must deliver high quality images under all light conditions, especially under lowlight conditions (like when I am on a nightly stroll through a city).
- The perfect travel camera must be fairly fast. When I am hiking through the forest and an animal shows up, the camera must be ready within a few seconds. This elimates all cameras which take more than four seconds to get ready for the first shot (otherwise the animal would eliminate me).
So, what is the perfect travel camera?
After reading more than 100 (!) reviews, I have narrowed down the choice to these two models:
- Fuji Finepix F70 EXR which is slim, has a 10x optical zoom and appears to produce good pictures.
- Canon Powershot SX 200 IS, which gets better reviews, especially for image quality, but which is considerably larger.
What is your opinion?
For all of my life, I have been searching for the perfect camera for travelling. So far, I have worn out more than a dozen cameras, and since my current camera has become outdated by technological advances, I am looking for a new one: the perfect travel camera.
Here are my requirements:
- The perfect travel camera should be as compact as possible. It must fit into a trouser pocket or a breast pocket of a shirt. I want my travel camera ALWAYS with me - in the restaurant, in the theatre, on the beach, in a museum. And I do not want to carry a camera bag. This requirements eliminates all SLR cameras (which I use when I am alone and have time).
- The perfect travel camera needs a wide range optical zoom - starting from at least 28mm (35mm equivalent) to at least 200mm. This requirement eliminates all cameras with less than 8x optical zoom. And it requires an image stabilizer (otherwise a tele lens would be useless).
- The perfect travel camera must deliver high quality images under all light conditions, especially under lowlight conditions (like when I am on a nightly stroll through a city).
- The perfect travel camera must be fairly fast. When I am hiking through the forest and an animal shows up, the camera must be ready within a few seconds. This elimates all cameras which take more than four seconds to get ready for the first shot (otherwise the animal would eliminate me).
So, what is the perfect travel camera?
After reading more than 100 (!) reviews, I have narrowed down the choice to these two models:
- Fuji Finepix F70 EXR which is slim, has a 10x optical zoom and appears to produce good pictures.
- Canon Powershot SX 200 IS, which gets better reviews, especially for image quality, but which is considerably larger.
What is your opinion?
Jan 31st, 2010, 04:16 PM
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I have the Canon SX200IS and love it. It easily fits in my pocket so portability is no issue. The image stabilitzation has enabled some pictures I never would have gotten before - including a picture of the Nile from a moving bus. The zoom produces descent, non-grainy photos.
Its obviously not going to substitute for a slr - but you already know that.
if you want to see photos I've taken with it, the ones from my Mediterranean cruise are here - http://kathcoll.shutterfly.com/
Its obviously not going to substitute for a slr - but you already know that.
if you want to see photos I've taken with it, the ones from my Mediterranean cruise are here - http://kathcoll.shutterfly.com/
Feb 7th, 2010, 10:49 AM
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Do you have a good camera shop near you? If so see if they have your chosen models in stock and hold them, take along a card so you can try them out and check the photos when you get home.
Does either shoot also in RAW as well as Jpeg? If you shoot with a DSLR normally then having the ability to shoot RAW is an advantage as you will know.
Ask the shop what other models they have which meet your requirements and try those too. The Pentax X70 for instance, with 24x zoom. though that is probably too big for you.
Take you card home and look at the results. See if you like the photos from one more than the other. Go back to the shop that let you play and buy your camera there - even if it costs you a few bucks more than on the net. Good camera shops are worth there weight and need supporting.
The alternative, which doesn't really meet your requirements I know, is to buy a superzoom for your DSLR and use that. It will almost certainly still produce better photos than a P&S will. Or look at the new Olympus Pen cameras.
Does either shoot also in RAW as well as Jpeg? If you shoot with a DSLR normally then having the ability to shoot RAW is an advantage as you will know.
Ask the shop what other models they have which meet your requirements and try those too. The Pentax X70 for instance, with 24x zoom. though that is probably too big for you.
Take you card home and look at the results. See if you like the photos from one more than the other. Go back to the shop that let you play and buy your camera there - even if it costs you a few bucks more than on the net. Good camera shops are worth there weight and need supporting.
The alternative, which doesn't really meet your requirements I know, is to buy a superzoom for your DSLR and use that. It will almost certainly still produce better photos than a P&S will. Or look at the new Olympus Pen cameras.
Feb 27th, 2010, 06:24 PM
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The Canon SX200IS would probably be the best for your needs. I realize it is a bit largish compared to something like a Canon G11 (which would be a non-starter for you due to your zoom requirements).
Just bear in mind, while they are getting better all the time, P&S cameras and good low light / high ISO performance are somewhat mutually exclusive.
Just bear in mind, while they are getting better all the time, P&S cameras and good low light / high ISO performance are somewhat mutually exclusive.
Jul 11th, 2010, 06:19 PM
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I searched for a long time for a camera that combined functionality and compact size. Check out the Canon SX210.. it 14 megapixel and 14X optical zoom which is ridiculous. You can zoom the camera across a best buy and read the letters on the boxes across the store.
Jul 12th, 2010, 09:28 AM
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Our Panasonic Lumix fits your description. We bought it just before we went to Africa, as a "back up" but the little thing just kept taking the best pictures. Read some reviews. It has a Leica lens. Continues to impress us. We had a series of Canon Elfs and other tiny Canons, but they ALL went bad. This Lumix is still going after heavy use.
Jul 20th, 2010, 04:30 AM
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I thought I wanted a good zoom and spent a lot of time looking at Canon G11s etc and anything with a long nose......but in the end I plumped for the Lumix LX3.
I now find I have no need for a zoom I don't miss it at all.
The Lumix is just about the best camera - digital or otherwise that I have ever owned.
It has a very wide angle lens, but the thing that REALLY grabs me and continues to amaze and delight me is how light sensitive it is.....it just don't use the flash...it's amazing.
THe auto settings are great and I've only skimmed the surface of the manual stuff.
It's small enough to qualify as a compact - smaller than the Canon G11s and I carry on my person full-time.
I did buy some accessories - a telephoto lens and a polaroid filter but I find I really don't use them filter.
Don't be misled by mega pixels - the big numbers are pointless - look for sensitivity and functions that you need.
I now find I have no need for a zoom I don't miss it at all.
The Lumix is just about the best camera - digital or otherwise that I have ever owned.
It has a very wide angle lens, but the thing that REALLY grabs me and continues to amaze and delight me is how light sensitive it is.....it just don't use the flash...it's amazing.
THe auto settings are great and I've only skimmed the surface of the manual stuff.
It's small enough to qualify as a compact - smaller than the Canon G11s and I carry on my person full-time.
I did buy some accessories - a telephoto lens and a polaroid filter but I find I really don't use them filter.
Don't be misled by mega pixels - the big numbers are pointless - look for sensitivity and functions that you need.
Jul 21st, 2010, 12:57 PM
#11
I always only travel with disposable cameras. I absolutely love them. Decent photos, and no monetary value to the equipment. Nothing to lose or have stolen. I do convert them to disc/digital when I have the film developed.
If I were going to purchase a new camera, I'd go with one of the Canon Powershots.
If I were going to purchase a new camera, I'd go with one of the Canon Powershots.
Jul 24th, 2010, 05:55 PM
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THe Powershot range is huge now and there are somer great cameras - I've had digital cameras since the 90s and Canon digital for the last 10 years so buying the Lumix was a big step as I really wanted to continue with Canon - I liked the storage software.
So going for the Lumix was quite a big jump for me and I can't express to highly my admiration for this camera it really is superb in terms of portability and quality of photo. Yes there is a great video function too - I have a 32 inch flat screen TV and the vids look perfect.
As for the adapter and lanes - I think it's nice to know you can do that - although my telephoto isn't up to much, but I personally don't like carrying all that stuff around - I no longer use an SLR - I'm just not a good enough photographer to make use of most of that equipment.
(I now use Aperture as my storage organisation program)
In the end a lot of it is budget - and believe me if you pay the extra for one of the more expensive models, even a rank amateur will notice the difference in picture quality.
So going for the Lumix was quite a big jump for me and I can't express to highly my admiration for this camera it really is superb in terms of portability and quality of photo. Yes there is a great video function too - I have a 32 inch flat screen TV and the vids look perfect.
As for the adapter and lanes - I think it's nice to know you can do that - although my telephoto isn't up to much, but I personally don't like carrying all that stuff around - I no longer use an SLR - I'm just not a good enough photographer to make use of most of that equipment.
(I now use Aperture as my storage organisation program)
In the end a lot of it is budget - and believe me if you pay the extra for one of the more expensive models, even a rank amateur will notice the difference in picture quality.
Jul 25th, 2010, 10:26 AM
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Echnaton--
thanks so much for posting this. i have been thinking along the same lines exactly, and I'm ready to upgrade.
i'm wondering, now, if you have bought your camera yet and am wondering what you think!
thanks!
thanks so much for posting this. i have been thinking along the same lines exactly, and I'm ready to upgrade.
i'm wondering, now, if you have bought your camera yet and am wondering what you think!
thanks!
Aug 15th, 2010, 11:54 PM
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"The Canon SX200IS would probably be the best for your needs. I realize it is a bit largish compared to something like a Canon G11 (which would be a non-starter for you due to your zoom requirements)."
The G11's 5X optical zoom actually equates to a 250mm when comparing to 35mm camera's focal lengths. At the other end, my G10's 28mm is plenty wide.
The G11's 5X optical zoom actually equates to a 250mm when comparing to 35mm camera's focal lengths. At the other end, my G10's 28mm is plenty wide.
Aug 31st, 2010, 07:11 PM
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G!! - is pretty big itself - but it does have a "telephoto" attachment accessory.
The new 3/4 Olympus and Lumix are about the same size if you want interchangeable lens.
The my LX3 has a rather puny telephoto attachment but also the wide-angle and a polarising filter.
The LX£ in "intelligent auto" is incredibly fast - and you'll find you won't need flash in at least half the situations you used to due to the sensitivity of the screen.
The new 3/4 Olympus and Lumix are about the same size if you want interchangeable lens.
The my LX3 has a rather puny telephoto attachment but also the wide-angle and a polarising filter.
The LX£ in "intelligent auto" is incredibly fast - and you'll find you won't need flash in at least half the situations you used to due to the sensitivity of the screen.
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