Most important criteria for a travelling camera

Yonder · Apr 9th, 2009, 20:41

Hello,

I'm going to be embarking on a years worth of travelling, starting with quite a few months in India. I don't know anything about cameras at all, and have been quite happy using a canon I got about 6 years ago until now. I would like a camera that is relatively small but can take good picture. Faces probably more important than landscapes, and definitely a decent zoom. I also hate it when after you've taken one picture you have to wait ages to take another one. Problem is I don't know how any of that translates into camera language. What should I be looking for on the list of criteria a camera meets?

Any help greatly appreciated.

Krle · Apr 9th, 2009, 20:53

All your requirements could be met with Canon Powershot XS110 IS.

Pros: point and shoot type - less expensive than proffesional (DSLR) cameras, it's relatively new - should serve you another 6 years, it has nice face detection abilities, it has both optical and digital zoom, it's pretty small for a camera that uses two AA batteries (AA batteries means easy reloading/recharging - make sure to send them to recycling when done).
I'm buying it before I'm off to India in July.

The only, small, drawback might be "reloading" time when using flash. Without flash it's pretty fast.

Someone might have some other recommendations.

P.S. Make sure to go to local electronic store and try every recommended model before buying!

Yonder · Apr 9th, 2009, 21:30

Thanks for your speedy reply and good advice! I do like canons so it's looking like a good contender. Yes i was planning as posing as a customer in a shop and then going to buy it cheaper on the internet!

geeree · Apr 18th, 2009, 18:01

Good battery life and low price are probably two important features your camera should have. And in these respects the Nikon D40 wins over many point-and-shoots. Its fast reaction time (2.5 frames per second) means it is good for candid portraits and its battery lasts forever! It is a digital SLR camera so with a suitable lens you can have whatever zoom you need. See technical specifications are available on Nikon's site and you can compare it with other cameras on DP Review. The D40 is cheap too. (And if it is hard to find, remember that Nikon has now replaced it with the D40X, which is the same camera with more pixels.)

Haylo · Apr 18th, 2009, 19:50

As you will see, everyone has their own ideas about what makes the ideal travelling camera, price may be the most important factor for some, and irrelevant for others. Battery life and startup times might be worth checking.

To add to the mix, I would add size as a factor, both of the camera and if it's an SLR of the lens(es) you take. The best camera in the world will be useless for travelling if you miss that once in a lifetime shot because you weren't planning to be out for long and you really couldn't be bothered to lug your camera and a set of lenses with you...

Rob_The_Pom · Apr 18th, 2009, 20:27

I think an Olympus E420 would be an excellent choice for you.
It is a good quality DSLR, and is very small.
The added bonus with the Olympus lenses is that their focal length is double a standard SLR without being double the size. If you buy the 'kit' you should get a 14-42mm lens and a 40-150mm lens. That's the equivalent of 28 to 300mm, which is as much as most snappers need. The whole kit would probably weigh less than a kilo.

Cheers

RTP

edwardseco · Apr 19th, 2009, 13:12

1. Lens
2. Lens
3. Lens..

geeree · Apr 19th, 2009, 14:02

Um ... A kit lens is usually good enough for someone who doesn't "know anything about cameras at all" and who has "been quite happy using a canon" point-and-shoot. Don't worry too much about that. :-)

Yonder · Apr 22nd, 2009, 19:16

all very interesting replies. I think you're right that size is an issue. I was considering a 'proper' camera with a big lens, but when i'll be travelling around a lot I want to keep things light and easy. I'll look up all of your suggestions and let you know what I think!

IndyBoy · Apr 22nd, 2009, 21:18

Hi,

If you're looking for something more compact, I'd seriously recommend a Panasonic Lumix.

I'm on my second now, and both have been brilliant. They have Leica lens, which has to be a bonus.

First I had a very compact DMC-FX35, 10 MP with 3x zoom, small enough to go in a shirt pocket. It would regularly go 3 months on one charge, and take over 200 photos. the shutter response was also very quick. In all, a nice little camera.

I now have a Lumix TZ5, its big brother i guess. Its almost as good on battery life, and has a great 10x optical zoom.

I'd probably prefer the compact DMC-FX35 to take to india, just for the convenience of having a miniature camera in my pocket. But seeing as I've sold it, I'll have to take the TZ - which I'm sure will be great for zooming in on crowds and mountains....

It's not the same functionality as an SLR type, but pretty close, and you can still set the ISO, aperture, shutter speed etc.

Enjoy

Yonder · Apr 22nd, 2009, 23:24

I think the Canon Powershot XS110 IS looks really good, but i'm having trouble finding many reviews, and it looks a bit ugly (clearly that's a poor reason not to get it though!).
The Olympus E420 and Nikon D40 look great, but probably too bulky for me.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-Tz7 really interests me, just slightly apprehensive about not having any manual settings - i'm used to changing shutter speed and a few others bits and it would be nice to learn how to do a bit more rather than always rely on preset modes.

So at the moment it's between the canon and the panasonic, but of course anymore suggestions would always be gratefuly received!

Krle · Apr 22nd, 2009, 23:51

I just wouldn't like to be misunderstood - I really do not advocate any of the options and before anything else I think that the most important thing is to go to the store, several times if needed, and to try out every single option you're interested in.

Until the store visit, here's the site for the credible reviews: http://www.dpreview.com/
Here you can compare cameras next to each other and also find some user reviews. Other credible site would be cnet.com.

Yonder · Apr 23rd, 2009, 01:20

I'll certainly do that before I buy anything. It's just nice to see what other people think too, so I can go to the shop with a bit more of an idea than I would have otherwise.

IndyBoy · Apr 23rd, 2009, 01:29

Hi Yonder,

Sorry, I misread your original question in a rush to recommend a camera.

Anyway, as for things that i would think important in a camera for a years travel:

1) Good quality images
2) Small/Medium size (i'd want to have it everywhere, and easy to conceal)
3) Battery life - the more the better
4) 8-12MP (to be honest, i don't think massive pixel sizes make a difference)
5) quick shutter speed (although i think its difficult to get any reliable data here)
6) good quality lens (probably same as #1)
7) great storage capacity - see #8
8) type of storage media - this is either really important or not at all - i would recommend a 16GB SD card (and thus a camera that can take them)- you can plug them into internet cafe's all over the subcontinent, and get the pictures straight back to indiamike.

I haven't included price in the above since in the £100-200 price bracket, you will find a good selection of choices.

IndyBoy · Apr 23rd, 2009, 02:01

The panasonic will operate in several automatic modes, or full manual mode. You can adjust all the shutter speeds/film ISO/aperture etc. Another useful feature is "autobracket", which lets you take three photos, one at your standard settings, one brighter, one darker by a fraction.

Also, for faces, it has a wierd intelligent face detection thing, which try to optimise the settings for focus and exposure on up to 9 faces: http://www.igloonotes.com/wp-content...ds/wppa/48.jpg

its quite star wars - as you pan around the 9 faces, the camera "locks-on" to the faces. whether this helps you take a better photo, i really couldn't say.

the video facility is lovely, but i guess not up to the standard of proper video cameras

Apr 18th, 2009, 18:01	#4
geeree Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Allahabad, India Posts: 47	Good battery life and low price are probably two important features your camera should have. And in these respects the Nikon D40 wins over many point-and-shoots. Its fast reaction time (2.5 frames per second) means it is good for candid portraits and its battery lasts forever! It is a digital SLR camera so with a suitable lens you can have whatever zoom you need. See technical specifications are available on Nikon's site and you can compare it with other cameras on DP Review. The D40 is cheap too. (And if it is hard to find, remember that Nikon has now replaced it with the D40X, which is the same camera with more pixels.) Last edited by geeree : Apr 18th, 2009 at 18:03. Reason: corrected typos

Apr 18th, 2009, 19:50	#5
Haylo Structural Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Middle East and heading Easter Posts: 5,804	As you will see, everyone has their own ideas about what makes the ideal travelling camera, price may be the most important factor for some, and irrelevant for others. Battery life and startup times might be worth checking. To add to the mix, I would add size as a factor, both of the camera and if it's an SLR of the lens(es) you take. The best camera in the world will be useless for travelling if you miss that once in a lifetime shot because you weren't planning to be out for long and you really couldn't be bothered to lug your camera and a set of lenses with you... __________________ The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful - E.E. Cummings, poet (1894-1962)

Apr 18th, 2009, 20:27	#6
Rob_The_Pom Infidel in Chief Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Seoul, South Korea Posts: 1,373	I think an Olympus E420 would be an excellent choice for you. It is a good quality DSLR, and is very small. The added bonus with the Olympus lenses is that their focal length is double a standard SLR without being double the size. If you buy the 'kit' you should get a 14-42mm lens and a 40-150mm lens. That's the equivalent of 28 to 300mm, which is as much as most snappers need. The whole kit would probably weigh less than a kilo. Cheers RTP __________________ There is no God but Dawkins and Hitchens is his prophet.

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Apr 9th, 2009, 20:41	#1
Yonder Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: London/York Posts: 18	Most important criteria for a travelling camera Hello, I'm going to be embarking on a years worth of travelling, starting with quite a few months in India. I don't know anything about cameras at all, and have been quite happy using a canon I got about 6 years ago until now. I would like a camera that is relatively small but can take good picture. Faces probably more important than landscapes, and definitely a decent zoom. I also hate it when after you've taken one picture you have to wait ages to take another one. Problem is I don't know how any of that translates into camera language. What should I be looking for on the list of criteria a camera meets? Any help greatly appreciated.

Apr 9th, 2009, 20:53	#2
Krle Pridruženi član Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Belgrade, Serbia Posts: 29	All your requirements could be met with Canon Powershot XS110 IS. Pros: point and shoot type - less expensive than proffesional (DSLR) cameras, it's relatively new - should serve you another 6 years, it has nice face detection abilities, it has both optical and digital zoom, it's pretty small for a camera that uses two AA batteries (AA batteries means easy reloading/recharging - make sure to send them to recycling when done). I'm buying it before I'm off to India in July. The only, small, drawback might be "reloading" time when using flash. Without flash it's pretty fast. Someone might have some other recommendations. P.S. Make sure to go to local electronic store and try every recommended model before buying!

Apr 9th, 2009, 21:30	#3
Yonder Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: London/York Posts: 18	Thanks for your speedy reply and good advice! I do like canons so it's looking like a good contender. Yes i was planning as posing as a customer in a shop and then going to buy it cheaper on the internet!

Apr 19th, 2009, 13:12	#7
edwardseco Maha Guru Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Land that shakes and bakes. Posts: 5,841	1. Lens 2. Lens 3. Lens..

Apr 19th, 2009, 14:02	#8
geeree Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Allahabad, India Posts: 47	Really? Um ... A kit lens is usually good enough for someone who doesn't "know anything about cameras at all" and who has "been quite happy using a canon" point-and-shoot. Don't worry too much about that. :-)

Apr 22nd, 2009, 19:16	#9
Yonder Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: London/York Posts: 18	all very interesting replies. I think you're right that size is an issue. I was considering a 'proper' camera with a big lens, but when i'll be travelling around a lot I want to keep things light and easy. I'll look up all of your suggestions and let you know what I think!

Apr 22nd, 2009, 21:18	#10
IndyBoy Wandering fool Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: NE UK Posts: 214	Hi, If you're looking for something more compact, I'd seriously recommend a Panasonic Lumix. I'm on my second now, and both have been brilliant. They have Leica lens, which has to be a bonus. First I had a very compact DMC-FX35, 10 MP with 3x zoom, small enough to go in a shirt pocket. It would regularly go 3 months on one charge, and take over 200 photos. the shutter response was also very quick. In all, a nice little camera. I now have a Lumix TZ5, its big brother i guess. Its almost as good on battery life, and has a great 10x optical zoom. I'd probably prefer the compact DMC-FX35 to take to india, just for the convenience of having a miniature camera in my pocket. But seeing as I've sold it, I'll have to take the TZ - which I'm sure will be great for zooming in on crowds and mountains.... It's not the same functionality as an SLR type, but pretty close, and you can still set the ISO, aperture, shutter speed etc. Enjoy

Apr 22nd, 2009, 23:24	#11
Yonder Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: London/York Posts: 18	I think the Canon Powershot XS110 IS looks really good, but i'm having trouble finding many reviews, and it looks a bit ugly (clearly that's a poor reason not to get it though!). The Olympus E420 and Nikon D40 look great, but probably too bulky for me. Panasonic Lumix DMC-Tz7 really interests me, just slightly apprehensive about not having any manual settings - i'm used to changing shutter speed and a few others bits and it would be nice to learn how to do a bit more rather than always rely on preset modes. So at the moment it's between the canon and the panasonic, but of course anymore suggestions would always be gratefuly received!

Apr 22nd, 2009, 23:51	#12
Krle Pridruženi član Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Belgrade, Serbia Posts: 29	I just wouldn't like to be misunderstood - I really do not advocate any of the options and before anything else I think that the most important thing is to go to the store, several times if needed, and to try out every single option you're interested in. Until the store visit, here's the site for the credible reviews: http://www.dpreview.com/ Here you can compare cameras next to each other and also find some user reviews. Other credible site would be cnet.com.

Apr 23rd, 2009, 01:20	#13
Yonder Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: London/York Posts: 18	I'll certainly do that before I buy anything. It's just nice to see what other people think too, so I can go to the shop with a bit more of an idea than I would have otherwise.

Apr 23rd, 2009, 01:29	#14
IndyBoy Wandering fool Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: NE UK Posts: 214	Hi Yonder, Sorry, I misread your original question in a rush to recommend a camera. Anyway, as for things that i would think important in a camera for a years travel: 1) Good quality images 2) Small/Medium size (i'd want to have it everywhere, and easy to conceal) 3) Battery life - the more the better 4) 8-12MP (to be honest, i don't think massive pixel sizes make a difference) 5) quick shutter speed (although i think its difficult to get any reliable data here) 6) good quality lens (probably same as #1) 7) great storage capacity - see #8 8) type of storage media - this is either really important or not at all - i would recommend a 16GB SD card (and thus a camera that can take them)- you can plug them into internet cafe's all over the subcontinent, and get the pictures straight back to indiamike. I haven't included price in the above since in the £100-200 price bracket, you will find a good selection of choices.

Apr 23rd, 2009, 02:01	#15
IndyBoy Wandering fool Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: NE UK Posts: 214	The panasonic will operate in several automatic modes, or full manual mode. You can adjust all the shutter speeds/film ISO/aperture etc. Another useful feature is "autobracket", which lets you take three photos, one at your standard settings, one brighter, one darker by a fraction. Also, for faces, it has a wierd intelligent face detection thing, which try to optimise the settings for focus and exposure on up to 9 faces: http://www.igloonotes.com/wp-content...ds/wppa/48.jpg its quite star wars - as you pan around the 9 faces, the camera "locks-on" to the faces. whether this helps you take a better photo, i really couldn't say. the video facility is lovely, but i guess not up to the standard of proper video cameras