Conpact trip camera: size a major factor.

[Tony P]

Warthog.

For someone who amongst everything else wanted to carry an axe through international borders/customs (another thread) to save buying an axe locally, I really do not understand a desire to save the amount of space offered by the very small variables of weight and size of compact digital cameras.

My best advice is to use what you have and already know how to operate.

But keep it in a waterproof container if venturing off roads into river crossings or bogs - I know:-((

[Warthog]

Originally Posted by Tony P

Warthog.

For someone who amongst everything else wanted to carry an axe through international borders/customs (another thread) to save buying an axe locally, I really do not understand a desire to save the amount of space offered by the very small variables of weight and size of compact digital cameras.

My best advice is to use what you have and already know how to operate.

But keep it in a waterproof container if venturing off roads into river crossings or bogs - I know:-((

Why assume that everything I buy is geared solely to that trip to Kamchatka?

That is not the case with the axe, and would not be the case with the camera. I ceratinly hope to visit other places in the mean time, locally or otherwise, Ural or Transalp: I won't need an axe for that...

I would like a small, top-pocket camera. My existing digicam is not particularly small, tough, wideangle, HD nor waterproof. In its favour it uses AA batteries, has a reasonable zoom and a view finder, but any digicam with the features mentioned above would it very attractive to any traveller on a bike...

Neither is it only to do with space...To carry it, I need a tank bag, or to keep it in the pannier. Neither is as convenient to use as a camera in one's breast pocket.

[rossi]

Other threads have mentioned the increase in quality that comes from the much larger sensor in a DSLR. There is a big difference in quality however I like to travel light and wouldn't take a DSLR with me while travelling by bike.

I have just looked at the Canon S90 and Lumix LX3 which both have a larger sensor than most compacts, and shoot raw (but the sensor is still a long way short of a DSLR). The S90 seemed a bit flimsy to me. The LX3 felt a bit more robust but still has very small buttons for people with big fingers, or gloves. In the end I went for a Sigma DP1s which has a 28mm fixed lens and DSLR sized sensor in a very compact body. Not everyones cup of tea but I thought I would give it a go. Clifton cameras have them at a very good price at the moment and offered 7 days return if I wasn't happy with it. It should arrive tomorrow. Hopefully it matches up.

Iain

[Flyingdoctor]

That's an amazing price for a camera that's £400 everywhere else. I too am looking at the canon S90. I like my images to be punchy straight out of the camera and the Canon provides this in Vivid, BUT, at £280 for a SLR size sensor compact it may be worth a punt, mmm... Nice find.

[teflon]

Sensor sizes are only important in relation to how many megabytes they are expected to handle. A smaller sensor will generally give good quality with less megabytes - and for the purpose of the picture (something that hasn't been mentioned, but more than likely to be web-based) will be more than good enough. Things to look for are battery life (AA's are preferable in compacts) and an ease and familiarity of handling. Just my thoughts.

[rossi]

Horses for courses. If you want to take a few holiday snaps then a cheap point-n-shoot is perfect. On the other hand, I enjoy photography and have pictures blown up to approx A2 size round my house. To make it worth doing enlargements of that size you need a quality camera. A normal point-n-shoot does not capture the level of detail necessary to enlarge that far, nor does it have enough manual control to capture the right image in the first place. DSLRs and a few top end compacts will also allow you to save the raw output from the light sensor rather than converting it to jpeg in the camera which gives more options for adjusting the picture later on. This saves getting home and finding that a really good shot has been ruined by an incorrect exposure.

The DP1s arrived today. I took it out in my pocket while walking the dog and took a few shots on the moors up the road. I found it very easy to control and it gave excellent pictures, easily as good as my pentax DSLR. Looks like I won't be needing the 7 day return.

[Flyingdoctor]

Rossi, I'd be interested in hearing how you get on with the handling of this camera and the image results after you've used it for a bit as I'm considering one at that price. You don't happen to know how long that deal will last do you?

[Ride Far]

Originally Posted by Warthog

I would like a small, top-pocket camera. My existing digicam is not particularly small, tough, wideangle, HD nor waterproof. In its favour it uses AA batteries ....

AA batteries are a consideration for me as well. I like knowing that I can find batteries anywhere in the world vs. a relying on specialized battery and charger that could be impossible to find in many countries.

I selected the Canon A1000 IS and was very happy with it. It fits neatly in a pocket and delivered some great shots ... heh, it took a winning shot for the 2010 HU photo contest, July 2010 in the calendar.

4x zoom is a little better than most cameras that size. I had a comparable Nikon CoolPix previously and definitely prefer the Canon.

[Warthog]

Originally Posted by Ride Far

AA batteries are a consideration for me as well. I like knowing that I can find batteries anywhere in the world vs. a relying on specialized battery and charger that could be impossible to find in many countries.

As much as I like it, I think I may have to loose the AA option. The likes of the Pentax Optio W80 ticks a lot of boxes, especially HD and wide-angle, but a few reviews I have read seem to be less that conplimentary about image quality. Perhaps it's only relative.

The vast majority of my pics are only on my PC, and of the 10gb of images our Argentina trip generated only 1000 images were really worth printing and they were only 6x4, so probably I'm worrying/pining for nothing!!

After all, a compact will not generate the images of a DSLR, unless you pay big money....

[teflon]

"I won't even attempt to explain diffraction, that really would be techie" - Rossi

Thanks. Like most photographers, I don't need to know.

[Flyingdoctor]

Rossi, I would prefer the DP2 with the 41mm if it was the same price but alas it's £483. Life is ok with a 28mm though, I've used cameras with a fixed 28mm for years previously and it's a perfect length for landscapes and documentary shots. I spoke to Clifton Cameras but they don't have either the DP1s or DP2 in stock. I was going to have a trip down there in the morning to have a look at one. No rush I'm sure they'll have some in soon. If not Bristol Cameras have them for £10 more. Thanks again for the heads up.
I read a report by someone who has both cameras and they say that the focus and write speeds are the same for both cameras, an improvement on the original DP1.

I'll need a 12v charger too, if I get one, so a link to the ebay seller would be appreciated.

[rossi]

Originally Posted by Flyingdoctor

I'll need a 12v charger too, if I get one, so a link to the ebay seller would be appreciated.

Here you go

I have posted a few more pics taken with the DP1, including some riding in Spain with Red Tread at the weekend (A Christmas and birthday present form my lovely wife ). I have put them on Flickr rather than Photobox so you don't need to suffer the banner ads this time.

[rossi]

Originally Posted by teflon

"I won't even attempt to explain diffraction, that really would be techie" - Rossi

Thanks. Like most photographers, I don't need to know.

Actually it's useful to know about even if you don't follow the physics behind it. Cut to the bold at the bottom for what you should remember.

As basic as I can make it, waves (including light waves) bend round corners and spread out in an arc. Light waves are normally affected by this only to a minute degree but if you pass light through a very small hole (like a small aperture) it can become noticeable. As the aperture gets smaller, and the waves spread out more, the picture will lose it's sharpness. This affect is amplified on cameras with small sensors as the image needs to be enlarged further. A typical compact sensor will start to show softening of the image around F5.6, a DSLR sensor around F11, depending on how big you are enlarging your pics

Large aperture = small depth of field but what is in focus is very sharp
Small aperture = greater depth of field but what is in focus is less sharp

[todderz]

Panasonic Lumix FT1

Very good quality, waterproof, dustproof and shockproof, nicely compact. I'm really pleased with mine and it stood up well to a rain, sand, a thorough battering and several bouts of clumsiness on my trip last year.