camera equiptment

[Watson's aunt]

Hi

 

I am planning a cruise to Alaska proably next year. I have camera Canon xl (2) and a bunch of lenses. I am trying to figure out how I can buy a video camera to film special things (carving of glaciers) A still camera will not catch. Plus how to carry all this equipment. It is heavy after a while. I will be on the Amsterdam and will probably have a balcony.

The Video camera will have to be very light.

 

Also on the Amsterdam the have a camera class. where they show you how edit your photo's etc.

my question do you have to bring your own lap top. I have a mac does that maatter? or does cruise line supply the lap tops

 

thanks

 

Mary

[chipmaster]

Camcorders are all so light and small. Go to your local bestbuy and see they have many options for less than 400 bucks. Most have HD, stabilizationk, 15x zoom or more and options to store to flash cards, tape ( getting old ), or disks.

 

When you are looking at glaicer you need to decide do you want to film it, enjoy it, capture a still. IMHO there are so many videos, pictures on flickr, youtube, webshots that you need to think why you are shooting and what you need to capture.

 

Don't get so obsessed in shooting that you forget to take it all in and enjoy the great wilderness!

 

Hi

 

I am planning a cruise to Alaska proably next year. I have camera Canon xl (2) and a bunch of lenses. I am trying to figure out how I can buy a video camera to film special things (carving of glaciers) A still camera will not catch. Plus how to carry all this equipment. It is heavy after a while. I will be on the Amsterdam and will probably have a balcony.

The Video camera will have to be very light.

 

Also on the Amsterdam the have a camera class. where they show you how edit your photo's etc.

my question do you have to bring your own lap top. I have a mac does that maatter? or does cruise line supply the lap tops

 

thanks

 

Mary

[Watson's aunt]

Thank you. I will have to look at those.

 

 

Mary

[pierces]

...to film special things (carving of glaciers) A still camera will not catch. ...

 

 

I cast my vote for still cameras... :D

 

 

You may want to consider a small compact camera instead of a dedicated camcorder. Some of the higher-end compacts cant take 720p or even full 1080 HD video. Models from Sony and Panasonic are pocketable and shoot terrific video in addition to capturing great stills during those times that you just don't want to carry the DSLR.

 

I personally prefer stills to video but when I decide I want a clip, my little Sony HX5V steps right up and delivers.

 

Dave

 

Dave

[dileep]

look at a Canon Vixia HF 20 video camera that stores video to an internal flash drive. Roughly $550 at Costco and weighs less than a pound.

 

As the previous poster said, a Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 is small and takes 720p videos and sells for about $300. Good walkabout camera when you don't want to carry your DSLR. My wife used heres in the zodiacs in Antarctica.

[Watson's aunt]

Hi

 

Thank you for posting such wonderful wonderful photo's. In 1984 I went to Alaska on a world explorer cruise on board the Universe. I had two still camera's one automatic and one manuel. I had maybe 70 rolls of fim I purchased from different stores. I took hundreds of photo's I have a quick finger. I still trying to control. When I got home and developed my photo's. The first two photo's came out the rest of 24 & 36 rolls of film all blank. The money I spent for the film and developing was hugh dent in my pocketbook. The camera's were fine and since I bought the film in at least 5 different stores I knew it was not the film. I was heart broken. I also had a video camera and last year gave it to my cousin with the tapes he was going to convert. You guess it he lost it with my tapes. I am so happy with digital I now know if I am getting pictures. I also carry a small pocket size digital in case I do not want to carry mt big camera's and lens. It good when I want my photo taken by a stranger just look and push button no focusing need.

 

 

Mary

[ColoRockiesFan]

Hi

 

Thank you for posting such wonderful wonderful photo's. In 1984 I went to Alaska on a world explorer cruise on board the Universe.

Mary

 

Hi Mary,

 

I cruised Alaska in 2000 & 2001 aboard the S.S Universe Explorer (through World Explorer cruises). To this day they were the best cruises I have ever taken. I was heartbroken when they went out of business in 2003.

 

Camera note - someone on these boards recommended the Panasonic Lumix GH-1 DSLR. I took this camera and 3 lenses to Alaska with me in July. I was so happy with the results (lighter camera & lenses - my whole camera pack weighed only 6 lbs) & the quality of the pictures, that I sold off all my heavier Canon gear when I got home.

 

Links to Alaska pics:

 

http://travel.webshots.com/album/578172445FqjhPc

 

http://travel.webshots.com/album/578173389KDBloi

[SeattleCruiselover]

 

I cast my vote for still cameras... :D

 

 

You may want to consider a small compact camera instead of a dedicated camcorder. Some of the higher-end compacts cant take 720p or even full 1080 HD video. Models from Sony and Panasonic are pocketable and shoot terrific video in addition to capturing great stills during those times that you just don't want to carry the DSLR.

 

I personally prefer stills to video but when I decide I want a clip, my little Sony HX5V steps right up and delivers.

 

Dave

 

Dave

 

Me, too. I've caught calving on video, but my still shots are much better.

 

Nikon has 1080 HD in their newly released credit card sized P&S, for a very reasonable price, and you would only HAVE to carry one camera that way, unless you want to carry the Canon, too.

[highflyingrealtor]

Dave, awesome series of pic's. Makes me almost want to go north instead of south! :D

[Bescotti]

Hi

 

Also on the Amsterdam the have a camera class. where they show you how edit your photo's etc.

my question do you have to bring your own lap top. I have a mac does that maatter? or does cruise line supply the lap tops

 

thanks

 

Mary

I was on the Amsterdam's 14 night cruise to Alaska in June and they have digital workshops on board which cover everything from basic editing of photos, making a DVD slideshow of your photos, writing blogs, computer security etc. Usually there were 3 classes a day, with most repeated a few times. There are a number of laptops for class use although you have to get there early. Billy ran the classes and he was great. He did a couple of practical camera classes for those interested - shooting panoramas and night photography - but I don't know if he does this each cruise, or if this was out of the norm. The software used was Windows Live so I don't know how much use it would be if you have a Mac. Regardless, the classes were fun and I met other passengers I ended up doing some photo excursions ashore with.

[knittinggirl]

I took a camera seminar aboard Vision of the Seas, but it was mainly about using the scene modes, and nothing about exposure, composition, etc. I think it was mainly to promote their cameras. Also, I checked out a lot of the scene modes, on my new Olympus e-620 studying the settings afterwards, and noticed a lot of the modes simply increase the ISO.