The Camera Thread

[Alun]

I've a history of trashing 5 or 6 cameras a year. Through my years of work with Adventure Travel magazine experience told me that I needed to have a camera ready to hand at all times for that 'once in a lifetime shot'.

This meant that when climbing I'd have an SLR clipped onto the shoulder strap of my rucksack and dangling at my side rather than packed away in a camera bag – potching around trying to get at a camera when there's a 3000m drop between your legs and you're hanging on with one arm is not compatible with a long life or taking many shots.

The cameras would get battered against rock and be exposed to the elements but I'd usually end up with the shots I wanted, at the price of trashing the camera.

The same applies to taking shots of biking trips. I need a camera which is accessible - which rules out SLR's which have to be packed away. The best camera will fit in my jacket pocket, have controls big enough to use with (thin) gloves, be robust to cope with the elements and have the necessary components to take a good shot most of the time without me having to adjust the settings.

I want a wide angled lense (24mm is good), snappy start up time and a quick, immediate response between pressing the shutter button and the camera taking the shot. I've recently been using a Casio Exilim EX H10, which produced good quality pics and came with most of the above features but was a little on the flimsy side and died in the dust of Morocco. Right now I'm using the backup camera I took to north Africa - an Olympus Tough 3000 – which is water proof, dust proof and shock proof but has some serious defects.

Has anyone found the perfect motorcycle touring camera?

[Alun]

Here's an update. I'm still out on the trail for the 'perfect' chest pocket camera. As a quick fix for an upcoming Alps trip I picked up a Panasonic Lumix FS10 on offer in Currys yesterday. The nice chap in the store knocked it down to £89, must be end of line.

It's got a 28mm wide angle so it's okay but not what I'm looking for. Any snappers on this site to advise?

I'm sorted with an SLR, it's just a 'catch the moment' camera I'm on the lookout for.

[HfxMedic]

I'll give my two cents worth... The camera may be too big for what your looking to use it for...

My camera is a Canon g10 and I'm in love with it. It is the best camera I've ever owned and the performance/quality/cost ratio is fantastic, imho. If you can find one still in a shop, buy it. If not, the G12 is a likely candidate, but I've never had my hands on one to give sound advice.

[http://www.dpreview.com/news/0809/08091702canon_g10.asp]

Its a smidgen bulky, but its technology is packed in an "old-school" housing and provides a 14.7mp image with tons of options. Only a 5xOz lens but at 14.7mp, who cares

I have some low light shots as well panoramic s that are simply gorgeous. Nevertheless, the only piece of mandatory equipment would be a Gorilla pod...

again, only my two-cents.

[Alun]

Thanks for the info HfxMedic, and welcome to the forum. The G10 (and G12) looks a sharp piece of kit but it's a little on the large side for the specific job I need a camera to do - sit unobtrusively in my chest pocket and be close to hand for those unexpected moments you come across when touring on a motorcycle.

Just checked your profile and that's a fine part of the world you live in – I was just over the water in Newfoundland a couple of years back and that was fantastic riding country. How's about showing us how good that G10 is with a shot of your bike in NS

[HfxMedic]

... halfway through my post I figured that it would be too cumbersome for what you were looking for. But dropped a line anywhow.

Nevertheless, best of luck choosing a camera -there are sooo many good choices out there. Perhaps too many, thus the problem of picking just one?

As an east coast Canuk, I'm lucky to have such wonderful place to call home. I live about 20 minutes outside of Halifax on the shore. Theres plenty to see and do, but much can be said of either Canadian Coast (British Columbia or Nova Scotia) both have wonderful scenery and twisty roads.

I'll drop an intro thread to properly introduce myself and why I'm visiting

[snaphappy]

Not many cameras about that can take what you want it for.

Perhaps you should be looking down the mini digicam route the waterproof shockproof ones, I bought my wife a camera for her holidays and have used it, I hate the quality it gives but, for a snap I have it round my neck on a lanyard. I would if I could get one of the Canon G series, again on a lanyard
A quick search on Amazon kicks out this though which on paper looks pretty good;
The Pentax Optio
[img] http://images.amazon.com/images/G/01/ri ... /cover.gif [img]

[Alun]

Just checked out the Pentax Optio and I like the sound of this wide angle this feature. I'll investigate further. Nice one snaphappy.

The other options include the usual run of pre-optimised settings for photographing night scenes, landscapes, pets and people as well as the Digital Wide - stitching together two images shot in the portrait format to provide one slightly wider 21mm equivalent landscape image than the lens itself will allow

[scouse]

I have been using a new to me Canon G9.

I carried it in a jacket pocket on the Stella this year as it's first big trip away, and even though it is 35mm equivalent at it's widest it kaes some sterling shots.

[03001978]

ALUN,

Although most of the photos that I upload here are with my Canon DSLR, there are a number of them are taken with my little Panasonic Lumix FS15, great little camera. I find it useful when on the bike. I have the luxury of having a "glove box" compartment on the top of the fuel tank so it lives in there so that I can access it quickly. I can also operate the on / off button, zoom and the shutter button with my gloves on (on full auto function). I think the FS10 and 15 use the same layout of buttons.

Slightly off topic, has anyone seen that new Sony Nex 5 camera, I want a little shottie, although I struggle to see how it would replace my DSLR, considering the price is similiar.

REGARDS
CW

[redbikejohn]

i use the panasonic FT1. it's on of those waterproof, crushproof, shockproof cameras. great little camera and it shoots HD video too!