who here carries a camera?

KB3UBW said:
do yall have any recommendations for a camera to take to philmont? all that matters to me is that it is durable and uses AA's and not a proprietary battery pack, also Im hoping for under about $300 for just the camera. thanks yall


KB3UBW
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It's getting harder and harder to locate a camera which uses AA batteries. However, i've found the Li Ion batteries to last *much* longer. I know battery availability is important, but i've had to bite the bullet and go with proprietary batteries as well.

I'm not sure, but maybe Olympus has a P&S camera which uses AAs.

There's a nice crop of P&S cameras which are marketed as "hard-use" cameras. I can't remember all the brands/models, but i know Pentax makes one of 'em. I suspect Canon has one and i *think* Ricoh has one as well.
 
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FortyTwoBlades said:
How do you like that one? My camera's sensor died recently and I've been shopping around for a new camera. The S95 is one of the top candidates right now because of the functionality in low light and the degree of control it gives you. It's also not outrageously expensive, but not "low-budget" either.

I'd be using it mostly at close-to-medium range so I don't need a crazy zoom on it--just crisp pictures as one of the things I'd be using it for is basic product photography.
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Forty two, it's the best Powershot I have ever used. Very compact but full of features. Just a great camera overall. They are a bargain at today's prices, much more when I bought mine.
 
Awesome--that's just what I wanted to hear. Thanks for the input!
 
I'm currently using a FujiFilm JV200, the Canon Powershot I have took awsome pics for a point&shoot camera but it has let me down twice...the first time the lens came derailed inside the camera & when you turned it off the lens wouldn't retract & made an awful gringing noise...I sent it back to Canon(it was under warranty) They repaired it & gave it an inside out cleaning...it lasted just over a year & done the same thing again...now it's in my closet in it's factory box as the warranty is no good & it would probably cost me a much as a new camera to have it fixed & shipping. I also have a Nikon CoolPix L100 & it takes good pics & uses 4-AA batteries but it goes thru batteries like crazy ! Thinking about trading it !
Here is a few pics from my Fuji -
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Coaldigger-Does it eat up lithiums as quickly? I'm just curious as I know some of these cameras are hard on Alkalines. How about Nimh rechargeables to help out. I have had good luck w/the energizer Nimh but you have to look at the amperage as they offer different ones in the AA series.
 
The reason I don't post many pics is that I don't even own a camera phone. Never was into the taking pictures thing.
 
jw2n said:
Coaldigger-Does it eat up lithiums as quickly? I'm just curious as I know some of these cameras are hard on Alkalines. How about Nimh rechargeables to help out. I have had good luck w/the energizer Nimh but you have to look at the amperage as they offer different ones in the AA series.
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It's not bad....My Canon Powershot using rechargable AA batteries didn't last as long as the Lithium....the down side is a replacement or extra Lithium battery is $30 for the Fuji. I can't complain....
 
The upshot with Li-Ion is they will always last longer than AA batteries, longer re-charge life, and have a lighter carry weight (per output). The downside is much higher cost, brand specific charger (s), and difficult replacement availability.

Anymore, P&S cameras offer so much in terms of flash capability, pre-set "Scenes", various output types/files and video that Li-Ion batteries are the only way to go because of their high output. I wouldn't let the need to use a propriertary battery deter you from a camera you're really interested in.

In fact, Li-Ion batteries are so common that they're getting easier and easier to find in the major brand cameras. I always carry a second Li-Ion battery w/any of my dSLR's anytime i'm traveling or on an extended photo outing. They're more than worth the initial perceived replacement challenge and cost. Actually, my back-up Li-Ion is an off-brand and was $9 and lasts nearly as long as my camera branded battery.
 
I will usually have a digital camera with me out in the woods. For planned walks where I expect to take nature related pictures, I have been packing my Sony A65 with a couple lenses (and tripod) or a single short zoom and no extra lenses. If I am fishing and in the water from time to time, I will carry a small point & shoot digital for mostly snap shots. I don't want to risk my more expensive cameras. The latest is a Canon Powershot SX150 which I suspect was a mistake to buy due to the reviews I have read following the purchase. It's essentially new and bought on the spur of the moment at Walmart. Will probably be carrying it trout fishing next week on streams. I'll know whether I like it in a week after I see the results.
 
I always carry a camera
It is always in my satchel with me

I have a Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5 with a Leica lens and a 12X optical Zoom and up to a 30x zoom in digital
It was $250 a couple of years ago, they are now about 230

It is small not tiny and very easy to carry
It has an excellent point and shoot software, very sophiticated and also manual controls
Leica is a great lens, which is the heart of a camera
The Litium battery last forever and I purchased a second as backup, it will last hundreds of photos without a recharge
The high zoom is excellent for outdoor photos, to get that bird on a tree, a macro of a plant you can't get to, or a cave across the valley
The point and shoot scene selector is very good with great results
 
mqqn said:
Nikon D40 with SB400 flash unit.

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best

mqqn
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Hey my wife has that camera, I don't have a nice one because i tend to break things technological, I love them, but I break them. So I've got a cheap Black Friday Deal digital point and shoot, I don't even know the brand of it but it turns on quick takes a picture fast and then shuts down quick, also does' have an extended lens or protruding buttons for maximum breaking challenge.

ah, here it is:
13722151.jpg
Vivitar x024,

it struggles with close ups and for some reason you have to take a step or two back most of the time if you want anything within 10 feet in the frame but it works for me, ;)
 
neeman said:
Leica is a great lens, which is the heart of a camera
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You forgot about the sensor. That's also the heart of a camera these days. Lots of cameras out there with great glass but weak sensors. :)
 
I have a Pentax W90. Has taken me a long time to get used to. The Nikon Coolpix cameras I had before took a lot less effort to get decent pics and video, but I killed two of them and a video camera in less than a year, and needed something more durable. As long as it isn't too bright outside, and I can manually set the white balance, it does ok. Battery life sucks, auto mode sucks, automatic white balance sucks, and doesn't deal with glare well, but it keeps on working. It has proven absolutely waterproof, and very tough. I actually torture tested and "demonstrated" this thing when new(at first my pictures were so bad I just wanted to kill it), knocking it off counters onto tile floors, dropping it on rocks and concrete, throwing it in the deep end of a swimming pool while videoing, stuff like that.
Now I've finally gotten to where I can get decent pics if I do my part with the settings. Every time I take a pic for someone with almost any other compact camera in auto, I'm jealous of how sharp and rich the on-screen images look, though. It's just a matter of time before this one gets relegated to rock climbing and kayaking, where the waterproofing and durability trump picture quality. It does take really good underwater video, which I have exactly zero use for:rolleyes:

I'd really like another camera that takes 2xAA like my Nikons did, but also want to upgrade on picture quality, so I think I'll be stuck with another camera that uses Li-ion.
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
How do you like that one? My camera's sensor died recently and I've been shopping around for a new camera. The S95 is one of the top candidates right now because of the functionality in low light and the degree of control it gives you. It's also not outrageously expensive, but not "low-budget" either.

I'd be using it mostly at close-to-medium range so I don't need a crazy zoom on it--just crisp pictures as one of the things I'd be using it for is basic product photography.
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There is one thing about the Canon S95 low light performance you should know. From what I have read; the aperture f2.0 is only with the lens zoomed out to its widest setting. Zooming in gets closer to the other end of the scale, which is 4.9. Still a great camera though.
 
Yeah I've read that too. No biggie for me as my shots trend more towards macro than zoom anyhow. I rarely use zoom at all.
 
I carry a small Olympus FE-360 (now discontinued), it's really compact and weighs just under 4 oz w/ battery- picture quality is good (for a point/shoot)

I've ben eyeing Panasonic's TS4- it's heavier, but shock and waterproof and quality of pics is up from my current camera- I'll probably wait until Panasonic changes the model and then buy it on the cheap :D
 
FortyTwoBlades said:
You forgot about the sensor. That's also the heart of a camera these days. Lots of cameras out there with great glass but weak sensors. :)
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Better a good lens and lesser sensor
(this is according to the Optic guys at work where we magnify by 12K)
 
Oh yes, I agree, but an otherwise excellent camera can still be rendered mediocre by a poor sensor. :)
 
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