Camera advice for Alaska for complete novice

[petlady7]

Hi

 

Have read some of the posts here on cameras and lenses and am completely lost , we are novices at photography and only own a fuji handheld point and shoot digital camera and other small digital cameras

We would like to know in very simple terms a recommendation for a camera and size of lenses that we would understand in lay mans terms please if possible , and not too expensive if possible as we already have 3 other cameras but none suitable for photographing wildlife at a distance or in focus .

We live in france and cannot find an option to rent a lens

Thank you for any help

[chipmaster]

You havre a DSLR or looking at a P&S?

 

I'd suggest if you aren't planning on making photography a hobby that a superzoom of which a starting point review below would be your best bet.

 

http://www.imaging-resource.com/WB/WB.HTM?view=dp_long

 

Hi

 

Have read some of the posts here on cameras and lenses and am completely lost , we are novices at photography and only own a fuji handheld point and shoot digital camera and other small digital cameras

We would like to know in very simple terms a recommendation for a camera and size of lenses that we would understand in lay mans terms please if possible , and not too expensive if possible as we already have 3 other cameras but none suitable for photographing wildlife at a distance or in focus .

We live in france and cannot find an option to rent a lens

Thank you for any help

[dileep]

Hi

and not too expensive if possible

Thank you for any help

 

What is your idea of not too expensive? A good long zoom point and shoot can run over $500. There are less expensive options too. How about size?

[bukieco]

nikon d7000 and 70-300 lens

[Crew News]

Let me preface my comments with: most animals in Alaska (except eagles and bears) don't pose.

 

If you go on a bear-watching excursion, you will be close enough for just a point and shoot (P&S) camera.

 

You will see plenty of eagles sitting in trees but a nice close up (4-feet) is available on Mt Roberts in Juneau of Lady Baltimore sitting in her cage. The bars on her cage are wide enough to place your camera between them.

 

So now for the animals that refuse to pose for you.

 

If you are not used to handling a camera with a heavy zoom lens, you will lose more pictures than you can make good ones. Those long zoom lenses are so very hard to hold steady and are best with a tripod/monopod. In addition, changing lenses can be time consuming and you will lose some good shots.

 

A point and shoot will let you capture those very wide angle panoramas that Alaska provides and then quickly capture a breaching whale as it dives for food just 100 meters away.

 

A 12 MP P&S camera with a 7X zoom should be fine for a novice photographer in Alaska. I like Canon Powershot cameras and currently have a S100 model that I carry in my pocket wherever I go in Alaska. It is used to photograph impromptu pictures on board the ship. You never know when a good picture might present itself and you should not carry your DSLR. I use my P&S to photograph food, and especially desserts.

 

One of the delays in digital cameras is the time for an image to be written to the storage card. Invest in two fast, high storage capacity, storage cards so that you will experience no delay between shutter press and perhaps record some video as well. Buy a spare battery and keep it charged.

 

Practice with your P&S before your cruise so you will be able to handle bright days, misty mornings, and low-light pictures.

 

Invest in Adobe Lightroom software to make your images look truly professional.

 

As an advanced photographer, I carry two DSLRs (one with 12-60mm zoom and the other with 50-200mm zoom on monopod) for my Alaska cruises.

 

Enjoy Alaska.