Canada/USA holiday 2012. Need DSLR recommendations for nature photos/video.

maybeshewill · Oct 3, 2011

Hey guys, so my partner and I are heading to the US and Canada for 3 months in June next year. We'll be going to places such as Crater Lake, Acadia, Moraine/Lake Louise (my dream!), Yosemite, Yellowstone, Glacier, Waterton etc. I want a relatively cheap (sub $1000) DSLR camera that is excellent with landscape/nature photography. Something that's not too hard to use, I have 8 months to practice my photography before we head off.

I would also like the camera to be able to take stunning 1080p video, and have good time lapse capabilities.

I have seen the Canon T3i and Nikon D5100 are popular. Are one of these pretty much the best choice for me? If so, would you mind stating which you think is the best for my purposes?

Thanks guys! I would really appreciate any wisdom you can impart on me and I'll be sure to share some photos in a years time when we get back

Big Mike · Oct 3, 2011

Welcome aboard.

Either of those cameras would be fine. The more important choice will be the lens. Most of those cameras come with a 'kit' lens, usually 18-55mm. That is a good 'normal' range on those cameras. Sort of wide at 18mm and a tighter view at 55mm. But for me, especially when shooting those grand landscapes, I like a really wide angle lens. On those camera, that means something like 10-12mm on the wide end. I have a Canon 10-22mm which has been a great lens for me. A cheaper alternative would be the Sigma 10-20mm or the Sigma 8-16mm for a really wide view. You can buy them for either Canon or Nikon, so it wouldn't matter which of those two camera you choose.

I'd also suggest a good quality tripod. You'll want something light, as you'll be carrying it around a lot, try not to cheap out. There are some really nice carbon fiber tripods that are very light yet sturdy, but they are expensive. You maybe don't need a $500 tripod, but budget for something good at least.

Another member, from the UK I think, took a trip to the Canadian Rockies this summer. We helped plan his trip, you can probably find the thread if you search for it, plenty of good info there. I've photographed in the Banff/Lake Louise area plenty of times, so if you have any questions, let me know.

maybeshewill · Oct 4, 2011

Thanks Mike, I searched up the thread and gave it a good read, very informative. We're actually staying at Moraine Lake lodge for 2 nights, so I'm hoping for some nice shots there (it's been my dream to visit Moraine Lake for a long time now). We're also staying 2 nights at it's sister lodge nearby, and taking the hikes so I may be able to take some snaps if the weather permits.

I'll be sure to shoot you any questions if they arise! This will actually be my very first camera, and I have no previous photography experience. I'm hoping to get the camera within the next couple of months and have at least 6 months to go out on weekends and practice my photography so it's somewhat passable for the trip!

kojack · Oct 4, 2011

Have a look at Sony a55 as well. It's more compact than most slrs and has great image quality.

Big Mike · Oct 4, 2011

You're staying at the Moraine Lake lodge? I'm jealous already....I'd love to stay there. I will some day, but it will have to be a special occasion. Usually I just camp.

maybeshewill · Oct 4, 2011

Yeah, we're doing one of the packages. It's the place I'm most looking forward to on my trip so we figured we thought we'd splurge. Most other places we'll just be staying in private dorms in hostels lol, we're both students and not made of money.

I saw you recommended morning shots of Moraine lake, so it's a good thing we're staying there.. makes things a little more convenient. I may try to do a little time lapse of sunrise or sunset there as well, something I've always admired and wished I had the camera to do.

Big Mike · Oct 5, 2011

It will depend on the time of year, but if I remember correctly, Moraine is best shot in the morning, but not too early. The thing about shooting in the mountains, is that it takes a while before the sun actually rises above the mountains....compared to being out on flat land, where it just rises from the distant horizon.

Also, the water on these lakes has the best chance of being still, first thing in the morning. So if you want to (try) to get a shot with glass-like water, it's best very early. And with Moraine and Lake Louise, one problem is that by 9:00 or 10:00 (maybe earlier) there will usually be canoes out on the water, which will disturb the stillness. It can make for a great shot, but too many will probably ruin the shot as well.

If I remember correctly, I think that Lake Louise is at it's best, just a bit earlier than Moraine. So when I'm up there on a photo trip, I'd usually hit Lake Louise first, then drive up to Moraine to see what I could get there.

Even that can be pretty complicated though. Lake Louise is easily accessible, there is a walkway all round the 'front' of the lake. Parking can be troublesome, especially later in the day, but if you go early, you can probably park close and walk right up to the lake to grab your shot. Moraine, on the other hand, requires a bit of a rocky hike to get to the best photo spots. Plus, it's got a much, much smaller parking lot, so if you don't get there early, you may have to park further back on the road and walk in.

Either way, you don't have to shoot them in the early morning, they can both look good for quite a while, but later at night, the sun goes down behind them somewhere, meaning that the mountain faces that you see, will be in shadow.

maybeshewill · Oct 5, 2011

Thanks for the tips Mike, appreciated greatly! We'll be there around the 11th of July, if that helps.

Not entirely photography related (though I'd certainly like to get photos if possible), but how is the wild life at this time of year? Bears are my favorite animal and I would LOVE to see one in the wild (but not too close! haha) while I'm over there. We may end up seeing one in one of the US parks before hand.