Good Travel Camera Suggestions?

[blues008]

Hey all,

I'm going on a trip to Southeast Asia in a few months, and I need to buy a camera.

Anyone have any suggestions? It needs to be pretty portable and take excellent photographs. I don't know if digital would be the best thing in this situation.

Thanks!
blues

 

[RaDragon]

I dunno about bringing a digital camera on trips. My sister borrowed my Fuji MX-1200 camera (to her biz trips to Vancouver, Canada; London, England; then visited my Parents in Rome, Italy). She often complained that the camera wouldn't stay 'on' and had battery problems. I think the adverse changes in temperature/environment affected the camera in each time-zone she entered. Needless to say, my digital camera will be 'local' for now

I like to use APS format cameras on trips. They're easy as hell to load, and with the new APS cameras out there, they're tiny. If you need to develop your film while you're travelling, you may be better off w/ a regular 35mm camera. This way, you won't have to worry about finding a film developer who processes 'APS' films.

 

[RossMAN]

What is your budget?

How do you plan on printing out/viewing your pictures?

 

[blues008]

I have a pretty good budget - almost $350-500 if the camera is really worth it.

I won't need to develop while I'm there, but do want excellent quality shots.

Also, I have an old APS camera and I wasn't too impressed with the photo quality. Are they better now?

blues

 

[RossMAN]

First of all I would determine if you want a digital camera or not, then find which model then find the best price.

Here's a good thread to read.

Here is an EXCELLENT DEAL for the Kodak DC4800 for $370 after rebate, check out that thread which also has digital camera reviews and sample pictures. I believe this deal ends today 6/28.

 

[mrCide]

c'mon guys, i always recommend a regular camera for trips..

 

[RaoulDuke]

If i was going to foreign countries, i'd be leary of bringing a digital camera that's nice. Plus the whole power issue. True it's not that expensive to buy an adapter but still a pain, plus you're gunna wanna buy a large storage device that will take pictures from your memory, so that's ~$300 right there. I'd personally go for the APS stuff, since it's cheap and will do just fine.

 

[blues008]

I was thinking about buying a regular camera because I wasn't sure about the picture quality of digital cameras.

Is a 3.3 Megapixel camera's picture quality equivalent to a nice 35mm camera?

 

[RossMAN]

How about this APS camera?

 

[blues008]

Ross,

Do you like the quality of photos using APS?

I haven't seen photos with newer APS cameras.

 

[snakesnfrogs]

Canon SureShot Classic 120--all around good
Pentax IQZoom 928m---especially useful because of the extra range at the wide end
Yashica T4 Super---good enough to use slide film with, but it's a fixed 35mm lens.

 

[RossMAN]

I've always preferred a 3.3 digital camera then again I have printed out maybe 3 pictures out of 1,000 so I'm probably not the best person to ask.

 

[snakesnfrogs]

<< Is a 3.3 Megapixel camera's picture quality equivalent to a nice 35mm camera? >>




it's close if you have a good enough printer, IMO, but that means spending another 300.00 or so on one of the Epson Photo printers---because I think they are the only printers that come close. I've got a Canon BJC-8200, BTW.

 

[ElFenix]

the yashica T4 super is probably the best point and shoot on the market. next is probably the olympus stylus epic.

on the SLR front you could get a Rebel 2000 body and the 50/1.8 lens for under $400. its a reasonably fast lens, much better than you'll get on any zoom, and the whole thing weighs just over a pound. plus a 50mm lens takes pictures exactly like you see them, its not wide or telephoto at all.

whoa i'm feeling deja vu right now... i swear i've posted this same message...

 

[lupin]

what ElFenix said.

the Yashica T4 is said to be the best point and shoot. ~$150, but it's rather hard to find it in the market now.

I own the Olmypus stylus epic, and it's awesome. Should be around $100 now.

If your budget is $350 - $500, get an entry level SLR kit which should include the lens.

 

[Marty]

Go with the SLR, it'd definitely be worth it. Canon makes some good fairly cheap ones, but buying a used camera is often a better option. See if you can pick up a used Nikon N8008s in a camera shop, it will low away anything new you can get for the same amount of cash.

Marty

 

[blues008]

bump.

anyone else?