URGENT What camera fits my situation best?

Norccer · Dec 18, 2009

Hello,

I am going to be living in Italy for 5 months, and I plan on traveling to a wide array of countries including: Sweden, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, and France. I am also going to be staying with family in Milan and Verona in Italy as well as a very small town of historical importance to my family.

My reasoning for wanting to purchase a new camera is for the ability to take landscape and city images that I can blow up and frame when I get back home. My current point and shoot camera takes alright photos but when I blow them up the resolution is very poor.

I was thinking of getting a Canon XSi and that is actually at the top of my price range. I understand that it is a DSLR camera, and it takes time to learn how to utilize it properly, but I think that I am rather tech savvy being a Computer Science major, and that I might be able to learn quickly.

I just would like to have a camera that will do just as I said:

1. Having the ability to blow up and frame high quality images
2. Landscape / City photos are the top priority, but it would be nice to have a camera that can do everything...
3. Transportation wise it would be nice to have something compact which a DSLR is not, but that is on the bottom of my list. I will take whatever will get the job done.

Also, if possible please post everything that I will need to get with the camera in order to travel with it, etc. I am not really looking in to purchasing an extra lens because that seems like too much of a burden.

I appreciate your time reading this and responding. This is urgent because I leave on December 30th, and I would like to order the camera by this weekend. Thank you!!!

DerekSalem · Dec 18, 2009

Well I have and use an XSi very frequently (try to use it every day) despite having access to higher-end DSLRs (own a 40D, which is mostly on par with the XSi, and have access to a 50D which is my father's). I like the XSi because it's more compact and much lighter while achieving fairly similar results (at least on par with the 40D).

Truth is, I'd say go with an XTi or XS. Since you said the XSi is at the top of your price tier you'll want to drop down a bit so you can get a good tripod, memory card, and maybe a good lens. See if you can find an XSi used for a good price (they're like $450 used on Amazon for body-only) and check on prices for the other things. For taking great landscape pictures I'd say you'll definitely need different glass than the kit lens (although it takes great pictures) and it would be much easier with a tripod (especially if you're taking any dim-light pictures).

Sw1tchFX · Dec 18, 2009

I'd go with the Olympus EP-1.

It's relatively cheap for m4/3rds, 12MP DSLR sized sensor, the kit lens retracts, so it gets even SMALLER, it's a sharp camera, great detail in the images, shoots HD video, IS in body, so any lens is stabilized, you can attach (with adapter) almost any lens ever made, some of the best color for straight out of camera jpegs, and it's not much bigger than a Canon G10/11.

It's not shirt pocket small, but with the 14-42 collapsed, will fit into a coat pcoket, or cargo pant/shorts pocket easy. Not to mention, with the EP1, you won't look like the person who's "out on a mission", and the diminutive size makes you alot more approachable.

I recently got the Panasonic GF1, and after learning and getting comfortable with it, there is no way i'd take my D700 with me if i'm traveling somewhere. It's too damn big and inconvenient for often little improvement in IQ for snapshots, or serious landscape at ISO100.

SO:

IQ very similar to an APS-C SLR,

a fraction of the size,

a fraction of the weight,

sharp, collapsible kit lens,

HD video with stereo sound,

it looks freaking sexy,

you can take it everywhere with you all the time, something that an SLR can't give you.

however, with the slr of course you'll have:

faster af

optical viewfinder,

even if it's slight, better image quality.

more lens variety.

SimpleFoto · Dec 18, 2009

I would recommend the Canon G series cameras G10 / G11 etc. They don't have as large of a sensor as the SLRs but they give you lots of control and have good quality. If you are travelling a lot, size will be one of the most important factors.

If you want ones with an interchangeable lenses I agree with sw1tchFX that the Olypus EP-1 / EP-2 looking very nice.

Norccer · Dec 18, 2009

Thanks guys, the EP-1 looks like an attractive camera that offers me a lot of what I want, but the pricing is higher than the XSi. I completely understand that size will be a factor in traveling, but if it is out of my budget range I just don't see it happening. Keep the ideas coming! I am going to check out the Canon now. Also, I will be moving out of my apartment today so I will check out this thread tonight. :thumbup:

Sw1tchFX · Dec 18, 2009

on b&h's website, there's really only a $130 difference. i dunno, if I was going to be constantly traveling for 5 months, i'd try to stretch that if at all possible, if anything because of size advantages for things such as...packing. you'd need a camera bag for the rebel + lenses. my GF1, 14-45, 20mm, extra battery, AND tabletop tripod, all fit in a bag that's about the size, maybe not quite as long, as a rebel + 18-200mm lens.

that's got some serious merit.

GeneralBenson · Dec 18, 2009

I got a chance to play with the EP-1 for a while and I have to say I wasn't very impressed. I found the image quality to be lacking and generally soft. Also, I'm pretty sure it's not the same size as a DSLR sensor, it's m4/3. I think it's 2x crop factor. So that lens is really 28-84mm.

I would consider the Pentax K-x. It's small and cheap, ~$600 for the body and 18-55mm kit lens. It's has really nice image quality for the price point. The colors are really nice, the AF is pretty quick, it has a quick frame rate at 4.7 fps, shoots HD video and the high ISO blows everything in it's class out of the water. And a big plus about it for travel, is that it runs on AA batteries, so you never have to worry about needing to find power and recharging batteries. You can find AA's anywhere. And you get about 1000 shots per set or lithiums. I've been shooting with one in addition to my K10d and K20d. Both of my other cameras edge it out in image quality, but the K-x is so much fun to shoot with, I find myself grabbing for it all the time. I think it's the best enthusiast travel camera on the market.