Discussion Topic |
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 26, 2009 - 01:14pm PT
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After 4,000+ successful shots it looks like my Nikon coolpix L-1 took the terminal crater, at the hands of a seven year old, last night.
Though I have DLR lust, that is backbuner, at least until I get a new job.
I'm looking for reccomendations for a pocket digital, with all the usual cool sh#t, that uses SD cards and double A batteries,
and has a VIEWFINDER besides the LCD screen
Who likes what?
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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Jun 26, 2009 - 02:13pm PT
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Some of the newer screens are so good you won't miss the viewfinder.
I can stand in bright sunlight with my new Olympus (Stylus 9000) and there's not an angle I can hold it that makes it even a little bit tough to see the screen very clearly.
Good thing, too, because it's another one of those with no viewfinder.
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Barcus
Trad climber
San Luis Obispo, Ca.
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Jun 26, 2009 - 02:23pm PT
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Hey Ya'll,
You can cop all the info you might need on DP review.com.
Marcus
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PhotogEC
climber
Pasadena, CA
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Jun 26, 2009 - 02:40pm PT
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On DP Review, check out the following comparison tool. It lets you specify your exact feature set:
http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare.asp
The Olympus Stylus "Tough" series is nice... they withstand some abuse.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 26, 2009 - 02:48pm PT
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A very usefully tool, just what I wanted, thanks
-"no matches"
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goatboy smellz
climber
goo goo ga joob, ut
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Jun 26, 2009 - 02:53pm PT
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The Canon Powershot series has a lot of bang for the buck.
Most of the stuff I post here is from the A570is.
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kevsteele
climber
Santa Barbara, CA
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Jun 26, 2009 - 02:56pm PT
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Double AA batteries powering a camera will be tough to find - they really do not last that long which is why camera makers have moved to rechargeable cells.
Check out the Canon G9 or G10(wider angle).
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PhotogEC
climber
Pasadena, CA
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Jun 26, 2009 - 03:17pm PT
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I agree w/ kevsteele's comment... wanting AA batteries is going to seriously limit/eliminate choices with newer cameras.
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drljefe
climber
Old Pueblo, AZ
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Jun 26, 2009 - 03:38pm PT
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I have the same needs Jaybro- add "cheap" to your list too.
I have a 3yr old Canon A560.
AA batteries.
Viewfinder.
$175.00
Screen busted. I can still use it 'cause of the viewfinder.
A bit bulkier of a unit, but I'll probably replace it with the same.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 26, 2009 - 04:30pm PT
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Yeah, I'm on the Khanom plan, though I did buy some more rechargables in Josh this spring.
Don't wanna buy boutique batteries unless I have to.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 26, 2009 - 05:36pm PT
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Any one have experience with the Canon PowerShot A590 IS?
Goatboy style edit; D'oh!
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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
Sprocketville
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Jun 26, 2009 - 09:08pm PT
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the panasonic is supposed to be a good tourist camera, light, small. 89 bucks, and with a leica lens.
but no good for nice landscapes.
the digital zoom will amplify noise, so in order to get a good shot from afar, you really need a slr-digi, either that, or set the camera for the largest memory per shot, and crop the heck out of it.
a guy at work who fixes cameras says the sonys are built the best.
cannon is supposed to have the lowest noise ccd's.
but their lens mechanics are questionable, the nylon pinion.
and near the end, i had to bang on the side of my powershot a-20 to get it to work, but i took a ton of photos with that thing.
ebay has 36,000 cameras for sale.
craigs list is a lot easier to navigate for depression prices.
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Jun 26, 2009 - 09:22pm PT
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Canon Powershot SD1100 Digital Elph. This camera is so small it will fit in your climbing pants front pocket or your shirtpocket, and you won't even notice it. Get the biggest memory chip for it, and you can take hours of great video and photos. I'm on my second one. They take tons of abuse but don't drop them!
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Ksolem
Trad climber
Monrovia, California
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Jun 27, 2009 - 12:03am PT
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I got the Canon G10. Excellent, but around 5 bills depending.
The purpose for having a viewfinder is to be able to turn off the LCD so you can shoot more when you are running out of battery...
Forget about AA's. Bad idea there.
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Jerry Dodrill
climber
Sebastopol, CA
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Jun 27, 2009 - 01:44am PT
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I want the Canon G10. Just had a client in a workshop who had one and was making amazing shots. There's an adaptor that lets you use full size real deal filters. 14mp and
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 27, 2009 - 04:00am PT
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i'll look into the Cannon G-10.
That's one reason for wanting a viewfinder, but not the most important one...
Stacks of choices that take AA's! Shake your paradigm, you lazy bones's; when my unit powers out in Kwala lampour, Tibet or Saline valley I can obtain dble a's. Though it is alway possible that someone within shouting distance will have a specific, designer battery, theoretically....
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Karl Baba
Trad climber
Yosemite, Ca
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Jun 27, 2009 - 04:26am PT
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Forget the aa's. I don't think any modern good choice uses them any more. You can buy generics of much better batteries via ebay for cheap. Just buy some extras if you are heading to Antarctica
Peace
Karl
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 27, 2009 - 04:36am PT
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Jeez wally, I don't know....
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Jim Herrington
Mountain climber
New York, NY
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Jun 27, 2009 - 09:31am PT
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The Canon Powershot G10 is the coolest one out there, for the money. Classic styling, not too small, not too big, feels good in the hands, takes great shots, good zoom range, all the right features. It's the best carry around snapshot digital camera (at the moment).
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rgold
Trad climber
Poughkeepsie, NY
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Jun 27, 2009 - 10:57am PT
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I have a Canon SD880. The screen is bright enough to use in sunlight, so a viewfinder is no longer the requirement it used to be. The controls on the SD880 are really well-placed and are bigger than many of the other point-and-shoots; the camera can be used and adjusted one-handed (but make sure the wrist strap is on, it is so small that it is easy to drop). The lens has a good wide-angle setting that is useful in the close quarters of climbing shots, and the price is moderate (a consideration for a device that is likely to be abused).
For photographing while belaying, I find the screen to be more awkward than a viewfinder, because you have to hold the camera away from your face rather than up against it. I've only had the opportunity to use the camera on day outings, and the battery has always been up to the task of the kind of intermittent photography that is typical of climbing days. The battery is small and light and it would be easy to carry several batteries for more extended outings. My older Canon point and shoot ran on AA batteries and feels twice as heavy as the SD880 because of them.
Controls on the SD880 are pretty much limited to choices about ISO and exposure compensation, which is not too much of a problem for a belay camera. Folks who want more control (and are willing to double the price) would certainly want the G10, which is bigger and bulkier but seems to handle very well. It is also possible to install CHDK on the data card and obtain all kinds of control capabilities typically found only on DSLR's. (I haven't done this, at least not yet, but I have a DSLR that I use for everything except carrying on climbs).
The weak point of the SD880, the G10, and many other point and shoots is the retractable lens. It is delicate and is easily jammed by dirt, sand, or other types of grit. Repairs run from around $75 if it can be disassembled and cleaned to twice that if the entire assembly has to be replaced, and of course in the meantime you can't take any photos. Two important cautions are to make sure that the camera case is free of any grit and to beware of situations that might turn the camera on in the case and make the lens try to extend inside the case. On my older Canon, the unwanted lens extension could be prevented by leaving the camera set in the "view pictures" mode, but this option is not available on the SD880. However, the on-off button is small, recessed, and pretty well shielded by the shutter release button immediately next to it, so I think unwanted activation would be an extremely rare occurrence.
The Olympus Stylus cameras and I think those of some other manufacturers have a fixed lens that is not subject to this problem. However, I've heard that other features of these cameras are inferior to Canon's.
By the way, if you are converting from film and were not one of the small minority that processed color film yourself, you probably won't realize that photo processing software is, I think, almost essential for good digital results. You don't have to spring for Photoshop at several times the price of your point and shoot, Photoshop Elements is an extremely capable alternative for far less dough.
Edit: The following Ken Rockwell review, cited by Mal Daly in the other thread on cameras, makes a strong case for the SD880 over the G10.
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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
Sprocketville
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Jun 27, 2009 - 11:06am PT
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they need to improve the cell phone camera so we can have a gps, camera, and phone, all in one easy to drop package.
hey, anybody have the garmin rhino?
radio plus gps?
watch out for the magellan t 300 on sale this weekend at rei for half price, it is a real nightmare from what i read on the web.
reg 149 sale 89, but don't do it!
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Studly
Trad climber
WA
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Jun 27, 2009 - 11:54am PT
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The G10 is awesome, but it is quite bulky to stick in your pocket. With the Powershot SD1100, you can whip it out half way up some wild chimney or jamcrack and get the cool shots that you would never take it you had to dig in your backpack or haulbag. Size matters.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 27, 2009 - 11:14pm PT
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Thanks, guys you've given me a lot to work with.
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murcy
climber
San Fran Cisco
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Jun 27, 2009 - 11:21pm PT
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recommendation: before buying, try them out and in particular try to turn them on and take a picture with one hand.
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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
Sprocketville
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Jun 28, 2009 - 03:41pm PT
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that gray plastic is like teflon, maybe a coat of pine tar?
i mean, when they hit, they hit hard.
you can hear parts rattle.
parts is parts, but not on my sandwich.
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nature
climber
Tucson, AZ
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Jun 28, 2009 - 05:08pm PT
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Jaybro... any progress with this? I'm basically looking for the same thing you are. When you make a decision let me know - I'll get the same thing :-).
The G10 looks great. My price point is $200ish.
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Lambone
Ice climber
Ashland, Or
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Jun 28, 2009 - 07:55pm PT
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I'm really happy with the Cannon G10
sort of a cross between a pocket camera and DSLR.
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Dr.Sprock
Boulder climber
Sprocketville
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Jun 28, 2009 - 08:16pm PT
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i see some noise issues with the big ccd, not an issue if you are outdoors...
"Some people think, "Oh, sensor noise at high ISO. Thats nothing big." It's actually everything; these cameras are unusable in anything other than a brightly-lit environment. If manufacturers would put smaller but more sensitive sensors, they'd deliver great pictures. Unfortunately, all most people care about is the completely misleading megapixel measurement.
A Nikon D40 at the same price will mop the floor with this camera. If you're this close to a DSLR, you should go DSLR, not prosumer..."
"I have always had Canon cameras (since Digital cameras came). However the thing which bothers me more than anything else is the mentioned noise. As soon as the environment becomes slightly dark (and you are forced to go to higher ISOs) photos become useless.
The only reason I might buy an Olympus (or something else) this time is because of the high noise.
The next bothering thing is the Lense movement mechanism which stops functioning (locks) sometimes and your forced to push it manually."
(don't push on the lens, you strip the pinion gear, try a rebbot with fresh batteries first)
"i'm a long time Canon user, but the G10 was the last straw. I just ordered the Panasonic LX-3 and am throwing my G9 on ebay. The noise problem is a killer and I have no idea how the Photography Blog can give such a high rating to a camera that takes bad photos starting at 400 ISO. I thought image quality was supposed to be the most important thing about a camera. Guess I was wrong."
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Porkchop_express
Trad climber
the base of the Shawangunk Ridge
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Im looking at the Nikon D40 or 60. Anyone have any experience with those? I want something that could do professional grade pics but wont HAVE to in order to make it worth buying.
My concern is the lens, as most combos come with 18-55mm and a 55-200mm and I would like to get something that can reasonably be an all purpose lens for entry level stuff.
Is that 18-55 plus a wide angle adapter good to start?
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couchmaster
climber
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Canon makes good cameras, as those recommending the SD880 know. However, you can get the Panasonic, with a 12X zoom, both are 10 mp cameras, at less than a 2oz weight increase (7.2oz for the Panasonic) The G10 weighs 12.3 ounces and although it has 14mp, is only a 5x zoom.
With the current $50 coupon included, Costco has the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 10MP Digital Camera with 12x Wide Angle MEGA Optical Image Stabilized Zoom and 3 inch LCD (Black) for a very sweet $225.00
http://www.amazon.com/Panasonic-DMC-ZS3-Digital-Stabilized-Black/dp/tech-data/B001QFZMCO/ref=de_a_smtd
Stats on Amazon
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spot
Boulder climber
Atascadero,Ca
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I have a Canon G10 - takes amazing pictures with lots of bells and whistles.
Some of the cons (very few)
Viewfinder is almost useless- shows about 80% of what you are going to capture
Power hungry - Takes a couple hundred shots and then the battery dramatically drops off.
Spare batteries are expensive! Canon brand battery is about 70 bucks - off brand is about 50 bucks.
Not very good in low light situations, or indoors (hand held) without an external flash unit
other than that it is A+++ if you don't mind the price tag. I use this camera about 80% of the time and use my Rebel xt the rest of the time for low light and when I want the "feel" of a real lens (manual zoom,etc)
Read the Ken Rockwell review for a pretty honest evaluation.
My daughter has an older A540 that takes AA batteries and it is a decent shooter, and was cheap. I find that the AA batteries are a bonus when you are on road trip with no way to charge the specialized batteries or you screw up and need power now!
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Blitzo
Social climber
Earth
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It's not the camera that makes the photo!
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nature
climber
Tucson, AZ
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blitzo - that's true. but the photographer has no control over how the electronics eventually render the image in front of you.
the G10 is too big for what I want. I want something small. I don't need bells and whistles. Heck, the Kodak I have has taken many awesome shots.
I'm not a pro....
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Slater
Trad climber
Central Coast
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G-10 hands down.
For one, nobody who climbs for real is gonna carry a camera in their pocket (not if you want your camera to last).
I carried my G10 up White Punks in a very sleek PADDED camera bag. I swapped leads with my buddy and neither of us complained having it added to the rack.
It shoots in RAW and it's 14.7 MP!
If you want to shoot wide and crop later, there you go. You can't do that with a smaller MP camera (not if you want to print stuff in magazines).
So yes, if you are not a pro you won't care 'cause you're just going to post online at 72dpi, but if you're serious about your pics and want to do something with them (now or in the future! - i'm using shots I took 10 years ago and using them in publications... thank god I shot slides!), use the G10.
Buy two batteries and use them in rotation. No big deal.
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Ed Hartouni
Trad climber
Livermore, CA
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This thread has been mostly about equipment... really you have to get something that you can use, while climbing, that allows you to make the images you want to make.
First and foremost is figuring out what those images are... then getting the equipment that allows you to make them.
A photog friend of mine creates incredible images from a "give-away" digital camera she received in some sales promotion. It's because she has an idea of composition, color and tone... for a few thousand pixels you don't expect to be able to blow the pictures up into posters... but they are artistic, you can recognize that.
A climbing camera has to have enough useful features automatic to allow you to quickly and reliably get the shot you visualize. If it requires a lot of futzing around then it just isn't going to be useful.
You have to have it available to use, and rugged enough to be part of your climbing gear.
It has to have reproducible characteristics.
Also, dependable...
But in the end, it is just a piece of equipment. The images that are made have qualities independent of the actual picture produced. The Mark Chapman images of the FA of Sentinel Falls would not excite a magazine photoeditor... probably... but are wonderful images of a moment of climbing history. Lost until posted on STForum (though the account is now stale and the images not available see this post).
So get something that fits you most important criteria (probably budget) and learn to use it, this means shot a lot with intention. And then you'll know what to look for in a camera next time... it's an evolving process.
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Banquo
Trad climber
Morgan Hill, CA
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IMHO: For most climbing I like a camera that is cheap, uses AA batteries and is small. I also have a DSLR and a massive tripod for better shots but light and cheap is better for actual climbing. Lately I've been using a Nikon Coolpix P60 which can be had for less than $200 and has a manual setting. Rather than spend for an expensive camera, learn how to take pictures and how to fix them up once you've got them. Tone mapping can reduce global contrast. Layer overlays can make dull photos pop. Unsharp mask will add defintion.
I use GIMP which is a free, open source alternative to Photoshop.
Original
Fixed up
Edit, 7-9-09
The cheap Nikon P60 I mentioned above doesn't have an optical viewfinder but has an electronic viewfinder which I like when out in the sun and the display is invisible. It is the camera I carry on bike rides and climbing.
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nature
climber
Tucson, AZ
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I pretty much took the above advice and got a camera today.
I went with the Kodak CoolPix S560 for $169. Extra batteries are $15 on Ebay for Kodak batteries. or for $10 you can get two no-name batteries. Not sure which route I'll go there.
The advice of get one that you can operate with one hand was the deciding factor (as well as price).
If I drop this camera I'll be sad. If I dropped a G10 I'd probably want to kill myself.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 8, 2009 - 08:40pm PT
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Getting closer to the decision every moment. love those shots one up.
Meanwhile I gotta go get the disposible from this weekends tmeadows jaunt, processed.
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Wes Allen
Boulder climber
KY
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One other thing to think about, is buying used. You can usually get a previous generation camera for around half of the new model. So, you don't have the cash for G10 (I want one as a carry around!), but you might be able to swing a G9. Many times the previous generation will have better features then a new model of a lower model line. And, from what I have seen, the IQ of the older, lower MP models is as good, or even better (higher ISO) then the newer, high MP models. If you are just talking mostly nothing bigger then 8 x 10 or for the web, 4-8 MP is plenty, and you can fit a whole lot more images on a card, and on your hard drive.
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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Just went through this and picked up a Canon SDD990 which is the same Digic IV/14.7mp as the G10 in a smaller package. My constraint is a camera has to fit in a Lowepro Rezo 10 or 15 case to go on my shoulder harness securely.
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tolman_paul
Trad climber
Anchorage, AK
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I like the Nikon coolpix. I've had two. I killed the first one canoing upside down ;-) The latest one has taken thousands of photos and much abuse. There is some sort of damage to the sensor as I see a horizontal line in the images that has the colors off. I'll have to upgrade it.
I used to spend a couple hundred bucks a year developing 35mm film, so the compact digitals paid for themselves many times over.
Just bite the bullet and get one. If you're a costco member, I'd say get one there as they are great about returns. I had a canon that lasted about 1 month, seemed to have gotten some sand in the lens and was fully refunded no questions asked.
I'm also a fan of AA's over the fancy expensive lythiums.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 8, 2009 - 09:45pm PT
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I went to Costco yesterday, they had no cameras with a viewfinder, that will go in my pocket. Oh well, I'd love to buy one there otherwise.
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tolman_paul
Trad climber
Anchorage, AK
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You'll get used to not having a viewfinder, take the plunge, you'll wonder what took you so long.
The only thing I don't like about the older point and clicks is they were slow to record so sucked for action pictures of the kids playing soccer, basketball etc. I'd imagine the current generation records faster.
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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You may have a tough time finding one without a viewfinder.
I can get 2 hours (of continuous "on") and 500 shots out of the Pentax W30 before it's battery burns out. It may have a way to shut off the screen, but I haven't figured that out yet.
The viewfinder on my 6-year-old Olympus Stylus 400 is only a slight improvement over just pointing the damn thing by looking over the top of it (like a shotgun), and firing a burst of shots. Especially if I'm using any zoom at all.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 8, 2009 - 10:17pm PT
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There are stacks of them with viewfinders, I am unshakeble on that feature, you guys wear bifocals? or take photos in the sun? viewfinder is not negotiable.
No way, Tolman,I spent the last three yrs with an otherwise cool, coolpix, with only a screen, that nonfeature eliminated it from any further consideration, and it as an otherwise bomber camera. I probably took 1000 shots that I could not see.
Life is too short...
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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I'm glad you've been able to find a bunch of cameras with optical viewfinders. I'm happy to stand corrected!
My ideal kite-camera would have a viewfinder - because a camera with a viewfinder would almost certainly have a screen-off (battery-saving) feature, zero zoom (or a fixed, non-telescoping lens like the Pentax W30), a shutter-priority feature, so I can set up the camera to work around a fast shutter speed, and an IR remote control, which would allow me to dispense with the mechanical shutter trigger.
No such camera exists, or has ever existed. (I could come close with a Canon + CHDK) Finding camera you can work with is just one of the challenges of photography (yet designing one sounds like a piece of cake!).
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 8, 2009 - 10:47pm PT
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Yeah, that's how it works, Chaz. Figure out what you need then get as close as you can. I have no need for remote control, but I can barely fly a kite!
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nature
climber
Tucson, AZ
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dang... i forgot about the view finder. though... my last camera had one and i used it about 5% of the time.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 8, 2009 - 11:14pm PT
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5% can be everything!
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maldaly
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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Jaybro,
I wear contacts, need readers and my vision, uncorrected is -10.5 in the right and -11 in the left. In other words, I'm damned near blind. I, too, was dead set on finding a digi PHD camera with a viewfinder. The search was grim, however. Nothing with a viewfinder had the other feature set that I wanted or was anywhere near state-of-the-art. While my search was going on the LCD viewfinders got a lot better. Bright sun? Out-of-focus eyes? Weird tourist body language? No problem. I got over it.
Here's what I found. An optical viewfinder is a wonderful thing if, and ONLY if, it has a diopter adjustment. That's what my Nikon D200 and the coveted D700 have. The viewfinders without and adjustable diopter were much less useful than a modern LCD. When I'd try to use those cheap viewfinders without my readers they would be all out of focus. Then when I'd put on my readers (bifocals) I'd get so much light leakage and parallax distortion the view would be worthless.
Here's what I suggest. Go to CostCo or another reputable shop, forget about the viewfinder and buy a modern camera that has the technology you want. Try it out for a few weeks. If you can't live with it take it back and continue your search.
Good luck,
Mal
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 9, 2009 - 12:17am PT
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Thanks, Malcom. I've pretty much been there. Didn't work, ever, for my particular astigmatism, I just want a simple camera with a viewfinder. Though I will also go for a higher end DLR when I sign a new contract. For now most of the Canon A series fits my bill, is that so bad?
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maldaly
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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Jaybro,
I don't battle astigmatism so can't advise there. I'm not familiar with the A series but almost everything Canon makes in the PHD category is pretty good. The Panasonic Lumix cameras have impressed me as well. Don't know if they have any viewfinders.
Mal
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healyje
Trad climber
Portland, Oregon
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The Canon SD990 has a viewfinder - also a criteria of mine. I can't deal with anything but the viewfinder when I'm leading.
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maldaly
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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healyje, you take pictures while you're leading? Cool! That would even impress donini as long as it didn't slow you down.
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Climbing dropout
Trad climber
Vancouver, BC
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Jul 14, 2009 - 06:23pm PT
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I used to drag along a Contax/Ziess film camera back in the day. It was only a fraction bigger than the G10
Now I shoot Canon DSLR's but the camera I use quite often is a camcorder that takes awesome stills. its very compact and lightweight.
Its the Canon HF 10 . Very good low light, compact flash, video rig.
I have been having fun with video and utube for a while. Much more complex than stills though. U also need a lot of CPU/GPU horsepower to grind the AVCHD format it produces when editing.
http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=177&modelid=16186
I am waiting for a dedicated camcorder that mounts my existing set of Canon lenses which is not a DSLR cmos chip like the 5D II is. In my opinion thats the next level of camcorder.
I thought the G10 was good, in good light. Viewfinders are essential on sunny days.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 15, 2009 - 01:32am PT
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I ended upi ordering a used Canon A590IS, Fit all the requirements, on a, pink slipped, teacher's budget.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 15, 2009 - 02:03am PT
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Looks killer, esp the size aspect!
a little beyond what I wanted to pay (without a signed contract) has somewhat limited zoom and that pesky $$ proprietary battery, but could in many ways, be an, ultimate, on the spot, climber rig!
Thanks Malcom,
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Shrug
Trad climber
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Sep 15, 2009 - 01:59pm PT
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I second the Lumix, I've had mine for a couple years. It's been banged around, dropped, kicked, scratched and some other actions I can't think of verbs for right now. And it still takes good pictures.
I got it as a pocket replacement to my SLR.
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nutjob
climber
Berkeley, CA
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Sep 15, 2009 - 04:35pm PT
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What Shrug said. I go cheap because I'll probably drop it or smash it in a chimney. I've done both before.
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Jim Herrington
Mountain climber
New York, NY
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Sep 15, 2009 - 04:38pm PT
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Here's me with mine.
Heavy, but never needs repairs and never runs out of batteries.
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mongrel
Trad climber
Truckee, CA
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Sep 15, 2009 - 05:51pm PT
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Not a specific model recommendation, but I've had a Canon PowerShot S50 for at least 5 or 6 years and used it heavily everywhere from climbing to field work in W. African rain forest. Very durable and super high quality pictures. All the symbols have finally rubbed off the selection wheel on the top and I've scratched in the two that I need to use (auto and manual, forget the other programs). I bought an extra (yes, moderately pricy) Canon battery and rotate them. Between the two, I can photograph with abandon for at least 3-5 days (but need to warm up the camera a bit in a pocket in cold weather, or get very little battery life). The lens and metering on this camera has been outstanding, which will make me either stick with Canon or go Nikon if I ever kill this one.
I'd say, get whichever Canon has a viewfinder and is the largest size you're willing to carry climbing, and call it good. Elph if you need small, or another as recommended in other posts. But I think it's a mistake to limit to AA batteries; even if you do, I think you'll want to get rechargeables anyway.
Banquo - good forum name - can't you employ the editing function that "fixes up" the mood of the image's subject??
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PhotogEC
climber
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Sep 15, 2009 - 06:32pm PT
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Jim - sweet rig. I periodically pull out my 4x5, too. What kind of legs do you have on it?
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Jim Herrington
Mountain climber
New York, NY
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Sep 15, 2009 - 07:22pm PT
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PhotogEC,
I can actually hand hold it in good light...
But in that photo I'm using the tiny but very sturdy Bogen mini tripod. There's always a rock somewhere to sit it on...
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TGT
Social climber
So Cal
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Sep 15, 2009 - 08:37pm PT
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Haven't had the Crown Graphic out in years.
You need cargo pockets in the pants for the film holders too.
On the digital front, my trustworthy Fuji E550 finally gave up after too many years of abuse on my last Sierra trip.
Fortunately it was at the Norm Clyde exhibit on the way up.
I replaced it with the last Cannon A1100IS they had at K Mart
View finder and 2 AA's. Not quite the versatility of the Fuji, and I really miss the "Velvia" setting. The ergonomics are a bit better, even though it is smaller.
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Jaybro
Social climber
Wolf City, Wyoming
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 16, 2009 - 04:14am PT
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Mongrel, the whole point of AA'sis rechargibles, the easiest ones on the planet to replace in times of need.
My friend Jerry, had speed, and Crown, graphics, also a Russian Hasseblad knock off, ($40) wonder whatever happened to that stuff?
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reddirt
climber
Elevation 285 ft
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Sep 16, 2009 - 10:47am PT
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this is a repeat...
My primary criteria for a climbing camera is waterproofness/resistance after water from a random hailstorm in Tahquitz killed the zoom motor on my minolta.
Our household currently has a pentax optio w10 & w20.
Olympus also makes a waterproof/resistant camera but the last I chked it didn't take SD cards, which I already had a bunch of.
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tv
climber
CA
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As a bit of a camera "weeny" wanting something between my Canon 1dMKIII and my Canon Powershot A620. I wanted 1. compact; smaller than digi SLR and 2. versatility of interchangeable lenses, 3. depth of field control and 4 - instant on and instant next shot. HD vid would be a distant 5th priority. I recently purchased the Panasonic GH1. Has HD video, too...IQ doesn't hold a candle to my 1d tank but for the weight it is quite satisfactory. Luminous Landscape (.com) has a page on the camera's video capabilities.
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reddirt
climber
Elevation 285 ft
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if I didn't already have the W20...
I'd consider the Pentax W80
http://www.pentaximaging.com/digital-camera/Optio_W80_-_Gunmetal_Gray/
12.1 Megapixels
12.1 Megapixels for detailed images that can be printed in large sizes.
5X Internal Optical Zoom
5X internal optical zoom in a slim 1 inch body is equivalent to 28-140mm.
Wide angle lens
Wide angle 28mm lens gives an expanded perspective to images, ideal for indoor, landscape, or group shots.
2.5 inch LCD screen
2.5 inch LCD monitor features anti-reflective coating, making it easy to view, even in bright sunlight.
Waterproof
Waterproof design withstands depths up to 16 feet (5 meters) to protect from rain and spills, as well as allowing full underwater photos and video.
Shockproof
Rugged Shockproof design protects against drops of 3.3 feet, ensuring the camera is protected from hard use and the occasional “spills” on dry land.
Coldproof
Coldproof design allows the camera to be used in sub-zero temperatures of -10° Celsius (14° Fahrenheit), ideal for cold weather activities such as skiing and snowmobiling.
HD Movie Capture
Widescreen, HD movie capture records resolutions up to 1280x720 pixels at full-speed 30 frames per second.
Face Detection
Fast Face Detection technology sees up to 32 faces in 0.03 seconds, with Smile Capture and Blink Detection, for perfect portrait shots.
Shake Reduction
Pixel Track Shake Reduction (SR) ensures sharp images in any lighting condition, without adding high ISO noise. Digital SR and Movie SR are also available.
Super Macro Mode
Close focusing, Super Macro mode brings out the details in even the smallest subjects as close as 1 cm.
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Mattq331
Mountain climber
Superior/Boulder/UK
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Big up for the Canon 570is. Compact, 7.1 megapixels, takes 2xAA with the option of an external power supply. It also can take add-on lenses, although the range is limited.
Picture quality is solid, and it has an external view finder which you should never be without if you ever go into bright sunlit conditions. Don't trust those who claim the viewfinder is necessary - you'll need it one day, and curse it if you went without.
I got mine from EBay a few weeks ago for $80.
What's really cool though is CHDK - open source hack software for certain Canon compact cameras - that allows you to unleash the hidden features. For instance, you can set it to take photos automatically every 5 seconds or so, for as long as you want. This makes cool time-lapse videos. You can also boost shutter speed up to 10,000 of a second and down to really ssllloowww speeds as well. Another unusual capability you can unleash is motion-sensitive camera shots. Set the camera to only take a photo when something moves in the frame - good for when the shutter finger is not fast enough - perhaps shots of lightning or taking a not unexpected fall? All this added capability for no cost, and easy to load as well.
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honemasterT
Trad climber
Arizona
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I have an older Canon Powershot S400 that just wont die..
keeps going and going.
Metal body.. optical viewfinder, can hack it with CHDK
4Mp is quite limiting by today's standards though, but
shooting RAW with such a compact cam is kind of a trip :)
Canon has just revitalized the 'S' line
(meant to be a compact version of the powershot "G" series.
no optical VF though baaaah!
The G11 promises to fix some of the G10's shortcomings..
Still own the G6 which had a really nice/fast lens.
Right now, the Pany's are up and coming.. I'd check
these two sites for reviews myself:
imaging-resource.com
dpreview.com
for outdoor adventure stuff, a viewfinder is 'not'
an option IMHO
have been also digging some of the Kodak stuff
lately, but their Z980 is definitely *not* a
compact.. but has an amazing 24x zoom
you can check my photostream out here..
lots of shots from several different cameras
http://flickr.com/photos/honemastert
http://www.timschneider.org
tim in arizona
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Francis
Trad climber
San Francisco
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this is my recommendation to my friends looking for an affordable point and shoot:
Canon SX 200....
This is a sweet point and shoot. Complete manual over ride as well as a TV and AV functions. Nice big glass up front.
No view finder but you won't miss it. I am a prof. photog and while my slr's have them, I use the point and shoot in a different way.
and the AA batteries are not used because of the size. They can pack the juice in a smaller compartment with the rechargeable. If it is an issue with you... like you are going off for 2 weeks then just get an extra battery and make sure it is charged up.
good hunting!
f
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Wes Allen
Boulder climber
KY
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I think we are going to pick up a canon G11 pretty soon (once they are available) to take out with us when we don't want to bring all the gear. Hotshoe for an external flash is a killer feature for me.
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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I got a Pentax Optio W80 just a couple weeks ago to eventually replace my W30 Kite-Camera. Over two hundred flights, a half-dozen crashes, about 14,000 aerial pictures and it's still going strong (the W30), but it is starting to show it's age.
Wind conditions haven't allowed me to do anything besides bench-test the W80, so it's only snapped a couple shots.
Looks good for what I'll be doing with it. The extra mp will let me crop smaller corners of my shots.
Two problems: The socket for the tripod screw is off-set to the extreme edge of the camera. Not a big deal for most users, but the tripod screw is how I attach the camera to the flying rig. I've rigged a "safety lanyard" usung the wrist strap and a snap-swivel, but I would still rather see it better centered.
The other thing it needs is an intervolmeter (sp?) to allow the camera to take shots at intervals. The W30 has one, it'll take a shot every ten seconds until the card is full or the battery is dead. Not the W80 though.
There is no lens cover. You're looking straight at the glass in the picture on Reddirt's post. I wouldn't want to see what the lens looks like after carrying it in my pocket for a season of wandering around the boonies. That's good for me, however. Less moving parts means less to damage in a crash. The W30 doesn't have a lens cover either, and it still looks to be in fine shape. I've been real careful with it (besides crashing it a few times from considerable altitude!)
I really like stuff that can take my abuse and still work, and Pentax's Optio series does that.
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SeanH
climber
San Carlos, CA
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Forget the G10. Waaaay too many mega pixels. Don't be fooled by those big numbers, with the size of the sensors in those cameras it just means more noise.
I have this on order, and hope it lives up to my expectations. You'll notice that even in this brand new model, they've made the move back down to 10MP.
http://www.kenrockwell.com/canon/s90.htm
Also, having used a g9/g10 for climbing, they're nice, and smaller than a DSLR, but not quite small enough, if you ask me.
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Prezwoodz
Big Wall climber
Anchorage
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I have a Canon20d. Its an SLR and you can get one for under $300 these days. If your wanting to go slr I recommend it. Its cheaper then some of the point and shoots!
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Jaybro,...
Canon Powershot A1100
Canon Powershot A460
Kodak Easyshare C743
Olympus fe-25
All 2 AA batteries...
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