Camera advice

[uktog]

In recent years I have used my mobile phone, even though I used to use a SLR with interchange lens, as they became cumbersome for me to carry around. The quality is really very good and you zoom in to a particular part of the photo and then crop.

 

Totally agree this is the best advice for anyone not used to taking lots of photos which I think the OP is. I have an SLR but more and more I am getting as good results from my iPhone

[Duck Duck Cruise]

I agree with J & G. I do love my bridge camera and I use Lightroom for editing, I am deciding on our trip if I should just use my cell phone camera. It takes really great pictures, doesn't weigh anything and I have it on me everywhere I go.

[rabin1]

Thank you for all your help and information. I am more confused than before. I think I will just forget taking a camera but appreciate all of you

Kathy

[rabin1]

rabin1 . . . I believe that there are several Ritz Camera stores in your area. I have found their personnel (although I have not been to a Ft. Lauderdale location) to be both knowledgable and helpful.

 

Forgot to answer you. Yes that is where I bought my last camera. They haven't been in South Florida for years. Not sure they are even still in business. Thanks for the thought

 

Kathy

[T&C Fulham]

Most people cannot distinguish between the pictures taken with a good camera and the pictures taken with a good phone.

 

Seems we have already driven the OP away in a confused state of mind but I challenge the above statement. Good friends of ours have sent us four shots taken on Sunday. Two are out of focus or suffer from movement. One is under exposed. One is what I'd expect most of the time from our pocketable Ricoh. These people take masses of photos on their phone.

 

I have a GoPro but nothing would induce me to take it holiday to take stills.

 

Yes, you can electronically zoom camera shots. Look at the shots with the IMG prefix in this sequence and you'll see the problem.

http://www.tonygamble.uk/Gloriana_2017/index.html

 

Sadly Google is little help when you key in 'camera with viewfinder' as it still produces cameras where one has to rely on the screen on the back.

 

I'll assume that Kathy has abandoned the thought of buying herself a proper camera by now but, if not, I am happy to come up with a few < 500USD suggestions.

 

Tony

[Paul S]

Kathy has mentioned the camera is for a trip to the Holyland. Many of the principal sights are in confined areas where a wide angle lens is desirable. My experience of rare occasions where I have ended up taking photos with my camera or tablet has been that without a wide angle facility I really needed to move further back to get the whole scene but it wasn't always possible. Though clip on lenses are available they are not always practical to use or of a good enough quality to be much more than a gimmick.

 

Despite marketing based on numbers of pixels now available on camera phones, pixel numbers are not the only consideration, or even the most significant one, and camera phones by their shape are much more difficult to hold still without camera shake.

 

It's not that you can't get a good photo with a camera phone, in an exhibition of works by David Bailey that I went to, a whole section was devoted to ones taken with a camera phone. However, it does make it more difficult, and I suspect that he could get a good result from a toy camera!

 

It's unfortunate we have confused/scared off Kathy, but this particular forum was probably not the right place for her to get an answer, and unless you are confident, buying a camera is not something to do in a rush for Black Friday if you don't yet know what it is you want.

[T&C Fulham]

Despite marketing based on numbers of pixels now available on camera phones, pixel numbers are not the only consideration, or even the most significant one, and camera phones by their shape are much more difficult to hold still without camera shake.

 

The problem is that pixels are easier to market. What we want as photographers is less noise, easier GUI and, as we get older, less bulk and weight!

 

Once a photographer nullifies camera shake by (a) the use of a tripod or (b) flash he/she enters a new level of detail. Back in film days it was said that usually the shots from a 5x4 camera were sharper than those from a 35mm was because people put the larger cameras on tripods.

 

I run a classic car concours and one magazine photographer attends with camera about the size of a cigarette packet - but he uses a tripod all the time.

 

I have tried a variety of steadying devices on my smart phone but they all end up by making it larger than our pocket Ricoh.

 

Tony

[rabin1]

Most people cannot distinguish between the pictures taken with a good camera and the pictures taken with a good phone.

 

Seems we have already driven the OP away in a confused state of mind but I challenge the above statement. Good friends of ours have sent us four shots taken on Sunday. Two are out of focus or suffer from movement. One is under exposed. One is what I'd expect most of the time from our pocketable Ricoh. These people take masses of photos on their phone.

 

I have a GoPro but nothing would induce me to take it holiday to take stills.

 

Yes, you can electronically zoom camera shots. Look at the shots with the IMG prefix in this sequence and you'll see the problem.

http://www.tonygamble.uk/Gloriana_2017/index.html

 

Sadly Google is little help when you key in 'camera with viewfinder' as it still produces cameras where one has to rely on the screen on the back.

 

I'll assume that Kathy has abandoned the thought of buying herself a proper camera by now but, if not, I am happy to come up with a few < 500USD suggestions.

 

Tony

 

Tony

Yes please if you could give me a couple good camera ideas that follow what I asked for in my OP. The less expensive the better. I still want it but won;t use after this trip. Between reading here and asking people and listening to the people at the big box stores I am really confused. While I appreciate greatly everyones input. Tony or is Paul I saw your photos they are great.

Thank you

Kathy

[acwmom]

Tony

Yes please if you could give me a couple good camera ideas that follow what I asked for in my OP. The less expensive the better. I still want it but won;t use after this trip. Between reading here and asking people and listening to the people at the big box stores I am really confused. While I appreciate greatly everyones input. Tony or is Paul I saw your photos they are great.

Thank you

Kathy

 

Kathy,

 

I bought this Sony three years ago, and have taken it on three river cruises. I keep it in one pocket, and take the zoom I purchased with it, and put in in my other pocket. (And I have my smartphone for backup) I am thrilled with the simplicity. I also like the fact that it has a true viewfinder-I use it almost exclusively, and feel it really makes a difference. And, as far as Best Buy goes, they don't work on commission, you just need to find the "right" person to help you:-) I did a lot of research before buying this camera, and it has lived up to my expectations.

 

https://www.bestbuy.com/site/sony-alpha-a6000-mirrorless-camera-with-16-50mm-lens-white/1558119.p?skuId=1558119&ref=212&loc=1&ksid=cb170c99-4097-4995-9b71-4e9a90abb800&ksprof_id=14&ksaffcode=pg266415&ksdevice=c&lsft=ref:212,loc:2

 

Robin

[2ndsailing]

I also have a Sony Cyber-Shot with a 20x lens. Love it. I also use my phone for pictures, but I still like the options my Sony give me. Its small enough to fit in my pocket and it takes great photos. I'm not a professional photographer, just someone who likes to take lots of photos on vacation. I get excellent results with this camera.

[T&C Fulham]

OK - under 500 USD new.

 

I really don't want Kathy to have a camera without a viewfinder and Sony seem to be the people who offer one at that price.

 

I see the Sony Alpha A 6000 which has a good sized sensor. You might get one in the US for your price

 

I see the Sony Cyber-shot hx90v.

 

Or you could buy a Ricoh Digital GR second hand and the hot shoe viewfinder - which is the camera I use.

 

Tony

[rabin1]

Thank you

 

Now I know what to look for and appreciate it very much

Kathy

[DrivesLikeMario]

https://www.amazon.com/Canon-18-55mm-3-5-5-6-SanDisk-Accessory/dp/B01MQIFINS/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1511909720&sr=8-4&keywords=canon+t6+package

 

This is a good starter package and an excellent camera. I've found numerous videos on YouTube to help me learn things like how to set the timer, etc. I'm still learning more of the finer points, but it's been pretty easy and when the pictures are blown up in a photo book, they look great!

[J & G]

Good friends of ours have sent us four shots taken on Sunday. Two are out of focus or suffer from movement. One is under exposed. One is what I'd expect most of the time from our pocketable Ricoh. These people take masses of photos on their phone.

 

 

 

I have a GoPro but nothing would induce me to take it holiday to take stills.

 

 

Tony, sounds like you have Kathy some great advice!

 

We are on a similar cruise to that of the OP, but in October. Traveling light and being mobile will be very, very important as we plan some before and after travel. Hence, our phones will be our cameras....convenient, always turned on, and close at hand.

 

A few personal photos make for great memories....maybe I'm not as particular about my photos as some who are giving advice. I've found that we are the only ones who want to see or travel photos. My phone is just fine for that purpose... And it's always turned on and readily available so I don't miss shots while I'm searching for and turning on my camera. (Oh, and our phones are water resistant to a depth of 3 m.)

 

Several years ago, we were fortunate to be guests at a shuttle launch in Florida. We were told by our NASA escort to enjoy the view of the launch not through the lens of our camera, but by watching and absorbing the entire event. He told us that pictures, better than any we could take, would be available online after the launch. We plan to follow that advice on this trip, as well, as we check some things off the bucket list.

 

And, yes, I think it's possible to take bad pictures with almost any camera... that may be why the delete button appears alongside every picture preview. I have to wonder how much picture quality is a function of the camera and how much is a function of the photographer. Let's just say that even with a top-of-line tennis racquet, I was still a pretty crummy player...:)

 

And that's my 2-year cents worth....I now return us to our regularly scheduled program.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Edited November 29, 2017 by J & G

[donaldsc]

Thank you. I will be looking up all of these and then deciding. You guys are thinking exactly what I am looking for and I thank you. One question what does mirrorless mean?

 

Kathy

 

You could have very easily and quickly looked it up with Google - https://photographylife.com/what-is-a-mirrorless-camera

 

DON

[rabin1]

You could have very easily and quickly looked it up with Google - https://photographylife.com/what-is-a-mirrorless-camera

 

DON

 

You are correct and I did look it up easily and quickly. My bad for not thinking before asking............lol

Kathy

[Melissaghoti]

The only good camera is the one you'll carry and use.

Don't worry too much about the bells and whistles; just go somewhere you can handle a few cameras and see what you feel comfortable with. I never, ever used my phone for pictures until a recent trip where I was moving around a LOT and it was sometimes impossible to get to my camera. I'm absolutely amazed by the quality of my iPhone pictures. I've enlarged some and they look good. It's also unobtrusive in situations where that might be important. I'm not going to quit carrying a camera, but I am going to have more respect for people who use their phones exclusively.

The advice about a wider than normal lens is wise. That said, can anyone suggest a lens (or camera) that is wider than normal, but not so wide that it can't be used in most every situation? I've done a little research, but haven't been able to narrow it down to one.

Thanks,

Melissa

[T&C Fulham]

That said, can anyone suggest a lens (or camera) that is wider than normal, but not so wide that it can't be used in most every situation?

 

Yes. The Ricoh GR 2 that, in an earlier post, I said we use on holiday.

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B010DE7ET2/ref=pe_2432761_227021351_em_1p_0_lm

 

Don't be put off by the price if you have a local shop that sells one owner cameras or eBay. They don't drop a lot in price but that is good because if you end up by not liking the camera you can sell it with little loss of cash.

 

Don't be put off by the fact that there is now a GR 4. That is only to keep the marketing department in jobs and there is next to no difference in the cameras.

 

It goes against my recommendation of having a camera with a proper eye-piece viewfinder. If you agree with me you can buy either (a) a hot shoe optical viewfinder and the Voiglander is far better value if you can find one or (b) the ClearViewer which we use https://www.clearviewer.com/

 

If you delve into the specs you will see that the sensor is even larger than the one on the pro Olympus E-M5 that I use for work. That means that in 80% of the times the shots will be sharper - the other times are when you need more light or a different focal length and that is the price of being a pro!

 

Come back with any queries, please.

 

Tony

[nordski]

The only good camera is the one you'll carry and use.

Don't worry too much about the bells and whistles; just go somewhere you can handle a few cameras and see what you feel comfortable with. I never, ever used my phone for pictures until a recent trip where I was moving around a LOT and it was sometimes impossible to get to my camera. I'm absolutely amazed by the quality of my iPhone pictures. I've enlarged some and they look good. It's also unobtrusive in situations where that might be important. I'm not going to quit carrying a camera, but I am going to have more respect for people who use their phones exclusively.

 

 

Melissa

 

 

 

I have a close family member with some serious education in photography and some fancy equipment.

 

Now, she almost always uses her iPhone since, as you point out, it is always at hand, the quality acceptable, and also it has some interesting and useful features. I’ve had to move beyond seeing the phone as just a “selfie” machine.

 

On our last cruise, the on board photographer conducted a workshop on using the iPhone for photos. It was excellent.

 

She suggested that similar presentations might be a regular feature. If they are, I would recommend attending.

[excitedofharpenden]

I know of a certain Azamara Hotel Director who takes some amazing photos with her phone. I’m in the process of changing my mobile and the main criteria for me is to have a very good camera on it.

 

Phil

[upwarduk]

On our last cruise, the on board photographer conducted a workshop on using the iPhone for photos. It was excellent.

 

She suggested that similar presentations might be a regular feature. If they are, I would recommend attending.

I have attended lectures in the iLounge for as long as I remember.

On our TA on Infinity in 2013, I remember the lecturer saying that the quality of modern day phones was so good, that you never need to buy a camera again and that was 4 years ago.

I have replaced my iPhone twice since then, mainly to upgrade the memory, so that I can store photos. So Phil, look for the biggest memory that you can afford.

[uktog]

I know of a certain Azamara Hotel Director who takes some amazing photos with her phone. I’m in the process of changing my mobile and the main criteria for me is to have a very good camera on it.

 

Phil

Me too and like her I have an SLR for the times that I can carry the larger camera but more and more the iPhone is giving even better pics than the canon.

Theres probably a lot more conversation about this on the board specifically dedicated to camera discussions - time to carry the debate on over there as this debate is only picking up the views of a very few Azamara guests. I think thats why they have a dedicated forum for camera discussion elsewhere.

[Paul S]

On our TA on Infinity in 2013, I remember the lecturer saying that the quality of modern day phones was so good, that you never need to buy a camera again and that was 4 years ago.

 

It depends on what you are using your camera for. When posting on social media a camera phone would generally be OK for straightforward shots. It’s not so good for the more difficult photos, eg when shooting the Northern Lights in Iceland I needed my tripod and remote release, a camera phone just wouldn’t do the job. If you want high resolution photos with no camera shake for printing out at larger size a dedicated camera would be a better bet.

My bucket list trip is an Antarctic expedition, and I wouldn’t spend £25K+ for the two of us and then rely on my phone for photos.

[Tonichef]

Hello

 

I need to buy a new camera. I don;t want to spend a fortune maybe less than $500 if possible. Not too bulky, big or heavy. I also need it to be idiot proof as I am not too good at taking pictures.

 

Please help with your advice. I have looked on line and am still confused or should I say more confused. I don;t just want to go to a store and them tell me their opinion. Would like someone in the know advice.

 

Thank you in advance

Kathy

 

 

 

Hi There,

I have been studying this as I need to purchase a camera for my upcoming cruise . I have decided on the Panasonic TZ100, this has a ten times zoom, a one inch sensor, f2.8 lens, 20megapixels. Good for low light shooting. There is even a feature that enables you to refocus a shot after you have taken it.

Hope this helps

Toni

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[rallydave]

Hi There,

I have been studying this as I need to purchase a camera for my upcoming cruise . I have decided on the Panasonic TZ100, this has a ten times zoom, a one inch sensor, f2.8 lens, 20megapixels. Good for low light shooting. There is even a feature that enables you to refocus a shot after you have taken it.

Hope this helps

Toni

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

A heads up for those buying the new "electronic" cameras rather than a Single Lens Reflex, your zoom is running on the internal batteries and consumes a lot of power. Had one for our first Panama Canal crossing and had to change the battery 3 times during the day because of the large power drain from the zoom. Went to Nikon SLR and bought a second battery that I almost never need. Battery works all day and several days later because the zoom is manual.

 

Just something else to consider