A Relatively Capable, Affordable Travel Digicam?

[Braineack]

So I don't want to go nuts on this camera.

consider the used market?

 

[smoke665]

I have an older Canon PowerShot SD850 that I still use. The quality of the image it takes is really good. At about the size of a pack of cigarettes it's easy to slip in a shirt pocket. I keep it in my bag for those time when we travel that I don't want to carry gear. I have a cell phone that does okay, but I still prefer the little Canon.

 

[Cortian]

So I don't want to go nuts on this camera.

consider the used market?

Definitely will.

I have a cell phone that does okay, but I still prefer the little Canon.

Indeed.

I have an Olympus StylusTough 6000 we bought for on the sailboat we had. Thing actually takes pretty decent photos. Even with our iPhone 6S' relatively capable cameras, that Oly still went with us on vacation.

Haven't made a firm decision, yet. I've been trying to talk myself out of a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300. So far, other than sensor size, it pretty much checks all the boxes. Is even a bit weather- and dust-resistant.

 

[lynxear]

It really depends on what types of pictures you want when you are traveling as far as I am concerned.

I have done a lot of travel in the last decade or so and the last thing I want is to worry about babysitting a lot of camera gear. But if your objective is to sell travel photos or perhaps go to a preserve to shoot nature pics then of course you want to take your best setup.

Myself, I like to just take pictures to remind me of the places and things I see. I am a people watcher and nothing discourages that type of picture taking than out a huge camera c/w long telephoto... you stand out like a sore thumb and depending on the country you could be sized up for a theft opportunity.

I have a Canon Powershot SX20 that has been fine for the most part but I still feel I stand out using this size of camera. I have recently bought a Canon Powershot A3500 at a government surplus store for $30. I find it ideal as travel companion. I can fit it into my shirt pocket or hold it concealed in the palm of my hand. I wish it took loose batteries though as the charger is larger than the camera

I don't take a cellphone with me when I travel... I would never use it.

 

[Cortian]

Excellent observations, @lynxear. As I said: I'm kind of trying to talk myself out of the nearly-a-dslr-sized camera and seeing if I can find something a bit down-sized that'll suit, instead.

Problem is: The two things I've found most lacking, the two things I find myself wanting most, whenever I use smaller cameras, is reach and low-light performance.

 

[chuasam]

Excellent observations, @lynxear. As I said: I'm kind of trying to talk myself out of the nearly-a-dslr-sized camera and seeing if I can find something a bit down-sized that'll suit, instead.

Problem is: The two things I've found most lacking, the two things I find myself wanting most, whenever I use smaller cameras, is reach and low-light performance.

Comparing to a modern phone is setting the standard really low.
My vote is RX100

 

[ac12]

Excellent observations, @lynxear. As I said: I'm kind of trying to talk myself out of the nearly-a-dslr-sized camera and seeing if I can find something a bit down-sized that'll suit, instead.

Problem is: The two things I've found most lacking, the two things I find myself wanting most, whenever I use smaller cameras, is reach and low-light performance.

Reach is even a problem with slr/dslr.
It is easy up to about 200/300mm. After that size and cost of the lens become significant.
With 35mm film, I carried a 80-200 f/4.5 (4x) and my brother a 300 f/5.6 (6x). That was our max in terms of size and weight that we could carry.
Today, you can get an old 500 or 800mm mirror/reflex to take you out further. Which I did. But these are manual lenses.

I think there are a few 10x optical zoom P&S cameras.
But if you are not careful, you start to get a P&S that looks like a small dslr. Then you loose the benefits of a compact P&S.

My sister-in-law's phone performed better indoors than did my P&S, both without flash. That was upsetting.
Though I don't know how large the file size is, nor the detail of the pix.

 

[lynxear]

Again, I repeat. you must decide what you want in a travel camera. I am a sometime bird photographer as well as just as racing photographer on occassion.

I have tried using my smaller Canon PowerShoot SX20is which is a step up from a P&S. I used to have a Olympus Camedia C350 about 15 years ago (my first digital camera)... it was pretty good for its day and I still have it (making sure I purchased 2 extra media cards so it would still be usable today) I took it on several trips and it was a great p&s camera... but there was a 1-2 second delay in pressing the shutter to taking a picture. I was surprised one day when I took a panned shot of a rider on horseback and it actually came out half decent. But I was always disappointed taking bird pictures... damn birds don't pose for 2 seconds very often and they had to be reasonably close. But as a travel camera it was great!

Here are examples of pictures with the Olympus Camedia... the picture of the horse riders was a panned shot that worked.

Not the greatest picture but considering the time from pressing the shutter to taking the picture was 1-2 sec... not bad and it certainly brings me back to the day it was taken.

Here is more of a candid shot with the same camera

Again a decent candid of people feeding Koi in a park

Now here is a step up from a P&S to the Canon PowerShot SX 20

Well what did I gain with this camera? More control of the exposure in a rather shady Mumbai street showing a tailor and key maker at work. I also gained a zoom lens that allowed me to be further away from my subject and more mega pixels and video if I want it. Again a nice reminder of life in Mumbai.

Neither of these cameras would have a chance at taking these pictures.

These are taken with my Pentax ist DL with a Tamron 70-300 zoom. The first is a Northern Harrier about to capture an unlucky gopher and the second are mallards on the wing... both are panned shots.

The Pentax ist DL with the Tamron is still my working camera... I have resisted upgrading to a better camera...so far anyway. But I reserve it for nature and racing photography that I do... I use the Canon Powershot for travel and actually I now have a tiny Canon 1953 that I got at a surplus store recently for $30.00... 16 mega pixels and 5x zoom. Hopefully it will be a great candid camera on a trip.

As I have said before, deciding on what camera you want starts with deciding what you want to do with it.

 

[jcdeboever]

Nikon Coolpix A900.
Nikon A900 Refurbished

Forget it, no view finder

 

[Cortian]

Thanks for the comments and suggestions, everybody.

I'd settled on a Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300. Then I tried to find something, anything, that could beat it for what we regarded an affordable, reasonable price to pay for such a camera. I was particularly interested in a camera that was more pocketable and had a bigger sensor. Panasonic was the only manufacturer that had viable candidates: The Lumix DMC-LX100 and DMC-ZS100. But neither of those is the least bit sealed against dust or moisture. There are many complaints about them getting dust inside or just plain failing after minimal exposure to the elements.

So, yesterday, while we were in the local camera shop picking up my speedlight, I placed an FZ300 on-order with them. (Their price was actually a couple bucks lower than Adorama or Amazon Prime, and I like giving local businesses all the business I can.)

I have big hands and am a bit fumble-fingered, anyway, so something a bit bigger than pocketable has its advantages for me. The FZ300 gets excellent reviews and user ratings, it's weather- and dust-resistant, it has a long enough zoom, and it's an above-average performer in low light.

I suppose I'll probably want a light-weight strap for it. I'll see once we get it.

 

[JonFZ300]

How did the FZ300 work out for you? I have one and love it.