How many have a good Digital Camera for photographing their trips?

[TitanMike]

How many have a good Digital Camera they use to photograph their trips or do you just rely on the camera in your phone?

Up until recently I've been relying solely on my phone but realized that I was missing many good pictures both by the time I got the camera "app" up and running or because I couldn't see what I was photographing due to sun on the screen of the camera.

For those who have a good Digital Camera what kind do you use?

I'm thinking along the lines of something in the middle from a phone sized "Point and Shoot" to a more sophisticated DSLR with all the bells and whistles.

Would like something with good Zoom function and good resolution without setting me back the equivalent to a house payment.


What say you all?

[AudiDudi]

Mike - I have what I would consider a decent middle of the road point and shoot that also has some manual control. At 1/2000th of a second, I can stop hummingbird wings. The 35x (840mm) zoom is the same as about a 16 power telescope and I can take a moon pic (840mm max zoom) and actually see the craters. It has lots of macros for shooting things like sunsets. I guess it depends on what you want to do with it.

I'm using a Nikon A900 that fits in the pocket. Photo size is about 6mb. As I recall, its a 20mp camera. I paid under $300 on a good sale a couple years ago so there are likely better cameras for less $$ out there now. It also shoots up to 4k video. Has WiFi connectivity that I don't use.

Hope that helps a little

[retiree]

I use a Nikon D5600 with an 18-55 and 70-300 lens. I also have a 150-600 which cost more than the camera, but I love to do nature photography. Canon alco makes some good cameras. You can also buy point and shoots from Nikon with a large zoom. they give you good pictures but you cannot print them much larger than 8x10.
That said asking that question is like asking what RV should I buy. There are many options and if you don't know what you are doing you could over buy.
I would try to find a local camera shop or a friend that does photography. They would maybe help you without getting you to take a second mortgage. You should find a good outfit for $400-$700.

[dcheatwood]

Happy with our canon rebel 35mm and it's twin digital.

[Radio]

Have a look at the Panasonic Lumix series. Smaller than a typical 35mm digital but every bit as capable. I have the G7 body with a lens that goes, in 35mm format terms, from 28mm to like 350mm continuous. This type camera is called a 4/3 format.

The less expensive end of the line has "bridge" type cameras, pretty capable but you can't change lenses. Gave one to my adult daughter and she loves it.

[-lenny-]

I went down the DSLR road and realized that I just don't have the patience. I now have a Panasonic Lumix FZ 2500 (or 2000, depending what continent you are in) which is known as a bridge camera. It has fantastic zoom, many shooting modes and takes great shots all around. I can wirelessly send photos to my phone, and it shoots 4k video. I think it is about 1.5 years old, not really sure, so there may be a newer model. Definitely worth looking into.

[aeblank]

We have a Canon T4i.
Crazy thing takes 5 pictures a second and is *always* in that mode. It's our only hope of catching our son in the right shot. He's the smallest, yet fastest, one in his class...

[AbdRahim]

Old point and shoot and iPad.

[Jim34RL]

I use both a phone camera for preview a photo and than a Nikon SLR Digital camera with Tripod for my photos needs. I can switch between a couple of lens one being a wide angle and the standard lens plus a small telephoto lens up to 300mm. This lens has the capability of going macro when I need that.

[bsinc1962]

I'm a Nikon pro so yeah lots of photo gear makes every trip. The drawer under the bed is dedicated for it.

[Heffy]

As a retired wedding photographer after 21 years, I've been through more camera systems and iterations than I can remember. I used to shoot medium format film, then 35mm film then Nikon digital SLR, then Leica Rangefinders (film & digital).

I've gotten rid of all that but still want to do the driving myself, so I opted for the Fuji X-Pro2 for my main camera which has an assortment of removable lenses and a Fuji X100F which has a fixed 23mm (35mm equivalent) for my motorcycle camera.

Excellent optics, fast autofocus and offers me the ability to change things up. iPhones are great for a quick snap and post, but for anything worthy of a picture to remember, there's no substitute for a real camera...

[SailorSam20500]

Canon SX280HS. Small, flat, easily fits in a shirt pocket. 4.5-90mm optical zoom lens. Takes great shots. Full auto to full manual settings.

If you step up to a DSLR, seems like a majority of pro's are using Canons. You can tell by the lenses, Canon pro lenses are white...

[CurtPutnam]

I have a Canon 40D (now obsolete) and a few lenses for it. The way you say "good zoom function" suggests to me that either you need to do more reading about the various camera categories or you might be happiest with one the "super zoom" fixed lens cameras.

Serious cameras are not the issue as much as the serious lenses to go with them. It's still a truism that "marries the glass" and not the camera. All mfgs. have multiple camera bodies that will fit a given lens mount.

Fixed lens cameras generally have smaller physical sensors and are therefore more limited by any of quite a few metrics. That said, the newer 1" sensor size cameras appear to be quite capable, For me, the biggest hangup with using non-interchangeable lens cameras is shutter lag - the time between pressing the shutter button until the picture is actually taken.

The following are good resources for gear info:
https://www.dpreview.com/
https://www.imaging-resource.com/
Steve's Digicams - Digital Camera Reviews, Camera News, and Photography Information

Remember that it is not the camera that takes good pictures any more than the pot makes a tasty dish; it is what see, compose and capture, it is the use of light.

One last point: if you want to edit your pics then you will want a camera that shoots RAW format.

[NH Traveler]

I use a Nikon CoolPix S9900, takes wonderful pictures, macro as well as telephoto. My husband is a bird photographer and has very expensive Nikons, but lots of times he borrows mine for just the right shot. I think mine cost less than $300; for his cameras just his new lens (no camera body) cost $4000. My S9900 is small enough to have with me all the time and inexpensive enough that I don't fret about losing it or breaking it.

[peterdequoy]

I went from a minolta srt 101 to (eventually) a Nikon AW130. Its not too adjustable but it is waterproof and rugged enough to drop from a step ladder, and its fairly small. I use it for kayaking, biking, hiking and travelling. Provides a 3x optical zoom and very nice pix. As long as you are happy with it doing what you want its going to be hard to make a mistake. safe and happy travels!

[Cover Dog]

Wife uses a Nikon P900.

[Scheinin]

I use a Nikon D90, more sophisticated DSLR with all the bells and whistles.

You can see my pictures on my blog of my RV travels:

www.scheinin.com

Have been an amateur photographer for over 50 years. As said earlier, it is not the camera, it is the composition. I took great pictures with my Kodak brownie.

[Harry043]

I have a Canon T6s, but what really does it for me is the Tamron 16-300mm lens I use. Puts the Canon 70-300mm lens to shame.

[AquaMan]

I've had(have) the full range of cameras over the years, but now tend to grab one of my little Sony Cybershot waterproof cameras. I think I have 4 of them and they are the size of a deck of cards. I have given them to the kids on trips, been snorkeling, beach, snowmobiling, poolside, you name it, they've been through it. They are beat up, dented, the finish is rubbed off of them in places, and they still take great pictures and video!

[NMWildcat]

We have gone through several DSLR cameras, from beginner types to intermediate. We found I enjoy taking pictures with people in them, and DW likes to take pictures of places w/o people. Don't know what that means
But what we have now discovered, is that neither of us wants to lug around a camera anymore during normal tourist activities.
With advances in the new phone cameras, plus fast camera mode activation (I just twist my wrist twice and it activates via Moto mods), we usually just use our phone cameras anymore. And I have to admit when we put the pics on our website, I really can't tell the difference in quality. And the phone is so much easier to carry around