This question may be vague but I’m looking for a camera take on my trip out West. I would like something that would fit in my pack. I’m looking for a camera with a regular to wide angle capability, a macro and is able to take pixes of the beautiful scenery I will experience. I guess between $300 $400.
Another question: At the price would I be better off buy an SLR?
Thanks
First, I don’t know if you will find a good digital SLR for $400. I suggest the Pentax Optio W60. Look at the thread on the Olympus camera.
Mark
Both my wife and daughter have a SONY DSC-W290 Silver Cyber-shot W290 Digital Camera. Here are the camera highlights: 12.1 megapixel, Carl Zeiss 5x optical zoom wide (28mm) lens, 3.0" LCD, Intelligent Auto, Smile Shutter, Face Detection, Optical SteadyShot, image stabilization and 720p HD video.
I think this $229 model is the top of the Sony DSC line (www.sony.com) and there are several less expensive models under this that are probably almost as good.
They have taken literally thousands of pictures on three continents and almost all come out excellent.
I’d get a SLR, the Nikon D40 with a 18-55 (perfect for landscapes), With the rebates that are on now the camera you can get it with lens for under $400. It’s small and light for a SLR. Here’s a recommendation from a top camera guy:
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/recommended-cameras.htm
Pick it up here for under $400!
I’d get a SLR, the Nikon D40 with a 18-55 (perfect for landscapes), With the rebates that are on the camera now, you can get it with lens for under $400. It’s small and light for a SLR. Here’s a recommendation from a top camera guy:
http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/recommended-cameras.htm
Pick it up here for under $400!
i too would recommend the nikon d40 dslr but not around water!!
i would recommend a pentax optio wXX (whatever number they are up to now) or the olympus tough 6000 or 8000. good deals can be had on the olympus 1050 as noted in another post. these will be good for anround water
I love my Pentax Optio WP–waterproof-- Fishing camera. Even takes pics under water. Has more features than I know how to use yet (perhaps ever) and fits in a shirt pocket.
Good camera shopping.
I carry my D40 on the water all the time, but not when wading or tubing. I do carry it when boating or working shorelines. I ususally carry it in an M-Rock camera holster, but if the weather is really rough I will keep it in a Pelican case when on a boat.
Most point and shoot cameras just touch on the wide angle range, usually having a wide end field of view similar to a 27 to 35mm lens in a traditional 35mm format. I find that this isn’t really wide enough, especially when shooting subjects in a boat from inside the same boat. Use a 10-20mm wide angle zoom on my Nikon D40, which is equivalent to a 15-30mm lens in a traditional 35mm format.
A digital SLRs shoot much faster than point and shoot cameras - they focus faster and the shoot when you press the shutter button without delay. Digital SLRs also have superior low light images compared to point and shoot cameras since their larger sensors have less electronic noise and produce cleaner images. Point and shoot digital cameras have good macro capability due to the great depth of field of the small lenses they use. On the other hand, it can be difficult to get decent lighting on macro shots with point and shoot cameras because their simple flash systems do not adjust well for very close subjects and because working distance is often fairly short. I prefer point and shoots with an optical view finder. LCD displays are often difficult to view in moderate to bright sun. Also holding a camera away from the body with the arms is not the best way to try to get a sharp image since this method of holding a camera is inherently unstable. Point and shoot cameras take up less space and are easier to carry. They usually take much longer to recycle the flash.
Don’t be concerned with megapixel. Any digital camera sold today can produce nice 12x18 inch prints. More pixels doesn’t equate to better image quality, especially with the small sensors used on point and shoot camera. Cramming more pixels onto a sensor usually results in more image noise.
At the $300 to $400 price point, whether to get a Digital SLR instead of a point and shoot is really personal preference based on which type of camera provides the greatest utility for you. There tradeoffs, some of which I have mentioned above.
If you think you might be wading, I would suggest an Olympus or Pentax waterproof point and shoot camera. If you do not need water proof, I would suggest something like a Canon SD880, though it doesn’t have an optical view finder, which is a nice little package that is very easy to carry.
If I was going to spend in the $400-$500 range for a fishing camera, I would go with the Canon G10. It fits in your vest pocket, and takes very high quality pictures. On the Luminous Landscape website they did a comparison of this camera with a medium format Hasselblad that cost around $50,000. They had a panel of photo technical wonks test out large prints made with the two cameras. They could not pick out which photos were taken with which camera.
A friend of mine is a very serious photographer and this is what he takes fishing. I don’t think an SLR would give you any quality edge, and they are heavier and bulkier, which is a big deal for a fishing camera.
I have a nikon D80 and canon G9. It is very similar to the G10 that the op recommended.
Both work for me. The G9 is much handier and I don’t worry so much about the $1k lens on the d80 kicking around the bottom of my packsack.
Both the d80 and g9 take excellent photos. The g9 does not work so well in high contrast (noonday sun with water as a background) or low light situations so you must compensate. Other than that it is a great camera that takes wonderful images
(I’ll wade in) …
For 300$ I’d go with a good point 'n shoot waterproof Olympus or Pentax.
The Nikon D40 is a really good deal, but (again, IMHO), you might want a DSLR which is one notch up. Also, a compact is just so darn handy. My Olympus 1030 stays in the vest pocket in all weather conditions.
I fish and guide and then occasionally take a picture. On the other hand, when I go on a photo shoot, I unpack the DSLR which usually travels in it’s Pelican case.
I usually mount it to a mono-pod, but in many cases the tripod comes out too.
True macro isn’t really an issue now. We used to use “Macro” lenses on SLR’s to have an accurate photo on the negative which we could use to measure stuff. With todays lenses, it’s only important to be able to focus relatively close or zoom. Any image handling program can then zoom and crop the image for close-up stuff.
Mega pixels are also less important. All the recent cameras have plenty of pixels.
Google Ken Rockwell’s site to get some very good info on Nikon DSLR’s
Remember to get a decent SD card … they are really inexpensive now and a few Gigs will get you +2000 images in normal mode.
Hey! Have a fine trip our West!
Okay, my two cents worth, I bought a Nikon cool pix P80 in Jan. and love it. The wife just bought a Nikon coolpix L100, new on the market as of April, and she is greatly enjoying it. These are point and shot digitals with a whole range of features. P80 is about $400 and the L100 is about $200. Neither camera is for use in very wet conditions without some sort of waterproof covering but both have been taking some excellent pics, not always because of the operator, in fact a couple are in spit of the op.
Just got back from Victoria BC and both were put thru there paces without a single complaint from either owner. The P80 is 18X optical zoom and the L100 is 15X and they both do some nice macro, landscape, movies, fast action, etc., etc.
Byron, … My brother uses a Coolpix too. I can’t remember the model, but he loves it. I believe it is similar to the P90.
Beauty of those type of camera, … it’s always ready. Small enough to pack anywhere, but sophisticated enough to do some really nice work (even in point 'n shoot" mode).
Just did this frustrating excercise. At your price point you have more options. Here is a nice web site where you can also see the newest camera (INTRODUCED TODAY 6-25-09) W80 Pentax. I would think that the W60 would go on sale soon and maybe you can swoop one of those if you are not one of those new adapter types that needs the latest hottest:
I bought an Olympus 1050, yesterday at less than half what you are considering spending. The best deal in a couple of months or so very well might be the Pentax W60.
Rick
Edited to add some specs on the W80: Notes JIS Class 8 waterproof submersible to 5 m, JIS Class 6 dustproof, shockproof to 1m, coldproof up to -10 degrees
Even though introduced today it will be a little while before it really hits shelves: http://www.pentaximaging.com/digital-camera/Optio_W80_-_Cardinal_Red/
Pre-order: http://www.amazon.com/Pentax-W80-Waterproof-Cardinal-Red/dp/B002ECF3I6/ref=sr_1_1/179-0167850-1393466?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1245949601&sr=8-1 Three bills and you have a very cool camera indeed. If I was spending $300 this is it without a doubt.
I just looked at a Nikon P90. It looks great. Decisions, Decsions! I can’t take it anymore. I’m driving myself crazy.
due to their small sensor size and short focal length, point and shoots take remarkably good closeups, although not technically macro, which is a 1:1 ratio of object to image size.
A macro lens for a dslr will set you back $500 to $1000 which is over your budget, as you were hoping to spend $400 for the camera.
Decisions decisions !!! Lol!!
If it were me … and I had the insight that I have now. … it would be the Pentax waterproof or the Olympus waterproof.
In a while, upgrade to a SECOND camera which would be a DSLR.
The Olympus models are BOMBproof. The pentax, I have no experience so I can’t say. It is as shear pleasure to have a fully waterproof camera. No worries, no hassle. Always on hand. The 830 is discontinued but can be found for really good deals. I have the 1030sw and like very much the picture quality etc.
My DSLR is a D80 with plenty of accessories, extra lenses etc. I grabbed a D80, as it has the in mount motorized thingy, so I can use 3rd party lenses and they still will autofocus (which the lower end Nikon DSLR don’t, so you HAVE TO use Nikkor lenses. That way, my 70-300mm lens could be from Sigma for a couple hundred, instread of a Nikkor for more than double the $$
For a good DSLR, the D-40 is good, but you may be “wanting” after a few outings. The new D-90 is nice to, but wait and get it as a second camera.
The luxury of having 2 digitals, … one compact waterproof and one mid-top end DSLR is wonderful.