Digital Camera Recommendation!

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Messages 41 - 56 of total 56 in this topic << First  |  < Previous  |  Show All  |  Next >  |  Last >>
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
Mar 13, 2012 - 01:39pm PT
The new Sony and Nikon models with interchangeable lenses are awesome if a
tad pricey. There's a new Fuji with a large sensor and very good glass too
but it is around a G note. You pretty much get what you pay for.
MH2

climber
Mar 13, 2012 - 03:06pm PT
mine is probably swimming at the base of Parkline slab right now?

My camera experience in the direction you describe is painful and conceivably helpful.

My first digital was an Olympus C-700. I dropped it down the Bugaboo-Snowpatch col. About a 200 foot ride into a snow backstop. The lens popped out but the glass and plastic pieces were retrieved and everything still worked.

Then I got a digital SLR, the Canon Rebel, and a x10 zoom lens for it. I find the weight okay to climb with, but wouldn't want anything bigger. I use a Lowe Pro case and tie the camera to it but one day the shoulder strap clasp opened somehow and everything plummeted about 50 feet. Camera came out of the unzipped case and camera and lens parted, but the only casualty was a polarizing filter.

I also had 2 of the Canon elph series for stereo, for climbs where weight was more important, and for close-up shots, and, rarely, video. Those cameras worked hard for years until I loaned one to my daughter and lost the other.

I got another Canon elph. This one has HD video but no other improvement. I dropped this camera about 8 feet into a stream where it got about 1/3 submerged. I got it out fast but found water in the battery/memory card bay. After some drying and recharging the battery the camera showed signs of life, or near-death. The coma patient was revived by spending time over a hot-air vent and works ok, now.



Just before the elph was dropped



Camera took this picture by itself from the stream or on the way down



Water inside the lens? Evidence of an afterlife for cameras? On Jupiter?



First image after revival



Back on the job

seth kovar

climber
Reno, NV
Mar 13, 2012 - 03:14pm PT
iPhone 4s
stevep

Boulder climber
Salt Lake, UT
Mar 13, 2012 - 04:44pm PT
I got a Canon Sx230is for christmas. Pretty happy with it so far. Fairly decent pics, good zoom, Hi-def video, and very compact. Batteries are proprietary Li-ion, but they are not too expensive and last quite a while.

This is the third Canon point and shoot I've had in 20 years, and I've been happy with all of them.
HighDesertDJ

Trad climber
Jul 23, 2014 - 07:11am PT
I'm digging around for a decent, compact SLR or point and shoot to take climbing. I'm pretty out of knowing what's what with cameras these days. It's been a couple years since any of these camera threads were updated so I thought I'd ask again.

http://www.amazon.com/Canon-PowerShot-SX510-Digital-Optical/dp/B00EFILPHA/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1406124056&sr=1-3&keywords=10+top+digital+slr+cameras

That looks like it has some good features and is pretty cheap. Anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks.
Chaz

Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
Jul 23, 2014 - 07:18am PT
I don't see anything wrong with that camera, HDDJ.

Canon makes good stuff.

Heavy zoom at 30x. Manual controls.

It'll have a lens cap. so it may be a little slower into action than one without one.
HighDesertDJ

Trad climber
Jul 23, 2014 - 07:23am PT
Alternative would be something like this with some durability.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00728ZC1U/ref=amb_link_366035162_6?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-top-1&pf_rd_r=0B716AQVDA627KN5GS63&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1407617382&pf_rd_i=5538988011
climbski2

Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
Jul 23, 2014 - 07:37am PT
I have the Canon SX260 that I picked up on amazon used for $120. Love it. 20x zoom and very decent wide angle with lots of manual control. That 510 seemed pretty good too. But a bit bulkier. (don't get the newer sx280 it has battery issues.)

Rugged or zoom? Tough call. Probably depends how much zoom you tend to use. For me it is critical in a POS since my phone takes fairly decent pics.

One thing I find annoying on POS is very limited upper apertures. f8 is about max. Since most of my photos are outdoors I would prefer the depth of field and higher apertures. Oh well they are not SLRs I guess.
Chaz

Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
Jul 23, 2014 - 07:42am PT
That Panasonic is the type I use for KAP ( kite aerial photography ). Except mine are Pentax's. Tough cameras. You don't really have to be too careful with one of those.

The lens doesn't extend from the camera, so there's no way it'll get knocked off its track, which is what kills digital cameras in my experience.

You'll want to invest a few bucks in a case or pouch, because that lens doesn't have any built-in cover and it'll get scratched in a hurry riding in your pocket.



A few minutes after I got this shot, the kite crash-landed in the water between the bridge and the dredge on the other side, taking my Pentax Optio W80 with it. I dragged the camera through 100 yards of sea water, and it was still taking pictures! I wiped it dry with my shirt, and I'm still using it today.
HighDesertDJ

Trad climber
Jul 23, 2014 - 09:57am PT
Thanks guys. Any other input is recommended. I have a birthday coming up and I'm hoping to cash in.
Reilly

Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
Jul 23, 2014 - 10:05am PT
It's a cornfusing world out there and it changes almost weekly. Without
knowing yer budget I will just say that:
a. you generally get what you pay for
b. don't get fooled by high zoom ratios - an optical zoom beyond 8:1 is
gonna deteriorate rapidly. The digital zoom feature is generally not
worth using unless yer spying on some dude's wife and her boyfriend.
c. SENSOR SIZE IS EVERYTHING! But it costs, a lot.
d. don't buy a pink camera
climbski2

Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
Jul 23, 2014 - 11:50am PT
I'm not so sure about that anymore on the zoom quality Reilly. This SX260 does surprisingly well at 20x. It is not SLR with high end glass.. but it really is quite good.

Used it's by far the best deal out there easily equalling many $350 higher end POS.. which it was just a year or so ago.
Rudder

Trad climber
Costa Mesa, CA
Jul 23, 2014 - 12:01pm PT
Samsung Galaxy S5 cell phone...
stevep

Boulder climber
Salt Lake, UT
Jul 23, 2014 - 12:04pm PT
Yeah, I've got an SX230 that I'm very happy with.

The other alternative would be to go with one of the small mirrorless options like a Sony A6000, which give you high-quality, lens options, and a small package than a DSLR.
climbski2

Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
Jul 23, 2014 - 12:05pm PT
I have to say no on the cellphones. The best cell cameras are still no match for higher end Point and shoots. They are as good as lower end to maybe mid level ones.
TGT

Social climber
So Cal
Jul 23, 2014 - 12:44pm PT
It's a cornfusing world out there and it changes almost weekly

On the 4th camera since this thread started.
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