I need camera advice

[Padmei]

Hi all.
I've got a crappy p&s fuji camera & am sick of seeing the pics I take come out looking like crap. I realise there is a lot to a GOOD picture, lighting, compsition & all that stuff however all I want at this stage is for a camera to take a clear photo of what I'm looking at.

I've been looking a many ride reports on adv rider (check out the iceland stickied thread as an example) & some of the pics are amazing.

I am thinking of a Dslr if that's what it takes but may settle for a P&S if the quality is there.

I will most likely buy off trademe & my budget will be $300-500.

Any advice will be appreciated including helpful links or reviews of your own camera (please include model if possible)

thanks in advance

[FJRider]

6-10 Mega-pixels will do you ok. The higher the MP ... the more chance of blurred pic's. If you have a steady hand, 10 MP will get you some great pic's. A good photoshop program to help with colour improvements/sizing etc is not a waste of money either.

A few to look at here ...

http://www.trademe.co.nz/browse/categoryattributesearchresults.aspx?mcat=0124-3405-&search=1&nofilters=1&originalsidebar=1&key=443472&page=1&sort_order=price_asc

[Harry the Barstard]

DSLR's are good. I use a Cannon 400D. Its a good entry level one that I mainly brought for when i go skydiving. I fly as cameraman for the lads sometimes but mainly for tandems.

The Canon 1000D is nice and cheap. Its also alot lighter than other modles. By memory i think it is 10.5Mp. What they have done with this modle is to cut out all the real in depth custom settings. You can still change the TV,AV etc and it still has the good old portrait,sceneic or sports presets.

One of the reasons they are better than the P&S's is because of the lens. a 35mm lens will always out perform a lil guy especially in low light conditions.

I could go on for hours, PM me if you require further info but i would start looking at Canon 1000D's

Better living

[cromagnon]

A thing to look for in P&S cameras is the biggest lens size in your price range. A lot of P&S cameras have tiny lenses which results in crappy photos a lot of the time due to the quality of lenses being poorer towards the edge of a lens. I have the model before this one and takes good P&S photos: http://www.dicksmith.co.nz/product/XG2410/canon-powershot-sx130is-digital-camera-bundle. Avoid cameras like this: http://www.dicksmith.co.nz/product/XG3747/panasonic-lumix-ft10-digital-camera

[Gremlin]

I've got a Canon 400D, and I actually stopped taking it on rides, as it was bulky, I had two lenses, plus filters, to take the entire kit, it has an actual backpack for the gear. Takes up far too much space, but does take very good pictures. Since I never had it on me however, I missed out on the unique stuff.

I ended up buying a Sony P&S (http://store.sony.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&partNumber=DSCTX5/B), it actually has the same 10MP (obviously won't come close to the swappable lenses) but has a panoramic mode (instead of stitching shots together later) and is waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof and dustproof.

Bought it via parallel, not as expensive as shops, but it's small size means I carry it far more often and the touch screen is a better option for using with gloves.

[FJRider]

I've got a Canon 400D.

I've got a 300D. It lives in my tank bag with my handheld GPS, phone, and spare gloves. Only one lens ... but I manage ok.

6 MP ... but it's enough for me.

[trustme]

Currently using a Canon G10. Son has bought a G12. Good tough cameras that many a pro is happy to use
I gave my SLR to my daughter , it was a pain in the arse lugging around lenses. If I limited myself to one zoom I might as well use a P&S

[NordieBoy]

Big pocket. Go for a Canon Powershot IS.
Big expensive pocket. Go for a Canon G series.
Small expensive bag. DSLR.

Or just clean the lens of yer Fuji again...


Take my Olympus for a test through the Molesworth. We know what it can do with me driving. If the photos are crap, we'll know its not the camera :D

[JATZ]

I got one of these bad boys in Perth :yes:

http://www.jbhifi.com.au/photo/digital-cameras/nikon/aw100-16mp-digital-camera-black-sku-71037/

Takes pretty good pics even when re-sized to 640x480 :shutup: Big selling point for me was waterproof and shock proof. After going through 3 or 4 normal p&s cameras we decided to get something decent, with no external moving parts which always shit out :facepalm: Seems to have a reasonably fast reaction time too, so now you'll have to be super fast picking your bike up :eek5:

[pete376403]

You sure you're not getting into the 'workman blaming tools" thing? I've a nice Fuji DSLR thats too big to takeout riding, and a Canon Powershot A470 that fits into a jacket pocket. Cheap enough that I don't worry too much if I crash and kill it, and it's taken some really good pics. It's taken some really lousy ones too, so I know it has operator problems, not hardware ones.

[SMOKEU]

Megapixels have no relationship to image quality. Megapixels is just another word for the resolution of the image. A high megapixel camera with a poor quality lens will still give bad quality pics.

Eg, a cheap, nasty 10Mp camera will give worse pics than a high quality 5Mp camera.

[NordieBoy]

You sure you're not getting into the 'workman blaming tools" thing? I've a nice Fuji DSLR thats too big to takeout riding, and a Canon Powershot A470 that fits into a jacket pocket. Cheap enough that I don't worry too much if I crash and kill it, and it's taken some really good pics. It's taken some really lousy ones too, so I know it has operator problems, not hardware ones.

Dust kills the zoom on the Axxx range though...

[Winston001]

One of the reasons they are better than the P&S's is becuse of the lens. a 35mm lens will always out perform a lil guy especially in low light conditions.




A thing to look for in P&S cameras is the biggest lens size in your price range. A lot of P&S cameras have tiny lenses which results in crappy photos a lot of the time due to the quality of lenses being poorer towards the edge of a lens. I have the model before this one and takes good P&S photos: http://www.dicksmith.co.nz/product/XG2410/canon-powershot-sx130is-digital-camera-bundle.

I'm gratified to see good advice as above. Most camera discussions focus on P&S value for money yadda yadda but completely overlook the importance of the lens.

IMHO you need two cameras: one compact (shirt pocket) for taking everywhere, and one good one with a BIG lens for those special occasions. Family, sports, children, whatever.

My advice is based on years of enjoying photography. I went to India on an aid project and took a Canon Isus which was marvellous - excellent photos in good daylight. It was so light I took it everywhere and used it because I had it on the spot.

I also have a larger Fuji Finepix which I bought hoping it would be a sort of DSLR. It isn't.

I've taken a lot of photos of my children doing gymnastics over the years under artificial light and regrettably the results have been mediocre. My wife has the use of a full sized Canon DSLR and the photos are extraordinarily good in the same situation.

Forget all the hype - 6 MG pixels is plenty. But the size of the lens is critical. The bigger it is, the more photons get to the CCD/film, the sharper the image.

I use Picasa to edit photos - its free and very good for the average user.

[Padmei]

Excellent advice guys much appreciated.
A couple of things that bug me about my fuji camera - how long it takes to start up - everyone has ridden past by the time it's decided to open the lens - also when trying to catch something moving I have endedup with pics of backgrounds as the subject has moved past due to the time taken to focus & shoot the pic - too slow.
I think being able to deal with light levels - too bright or not enough - also harsh contrast on a sunny day are also big factors.

I may be expecting too much- who knows - there'll always be a compromise I accept so I'm working out which is priorities for me.


You sure you're not getting into the 'workman blaming tools" thing? I've a nice Fuji DSLR thats too big to takeout riding, and a Canon Powershot A470 that fits into a jacket pocket. Cheap enough that I don't worry too much if I crash and kill it, and it's taken some really good pics. It's taken some really lousy ones too, so I know it has operator problems, not hardware ones.
It may very well be operator problems however it's the looking at the lousy pics where you can tell in which situations it works & where it doesn't. Mine is fine taking pics of the kids in the house or of the bike when working on it however it's out in the wild blue yonder where it can't capture the magnificence of the surroundings.

I'm heading doen the canon path I think as they seem to have a good feedback.

[roadkillnz]

You should also check out the mirrorless interchangeable lens systems. Some of them are very impressive, as they have the same sized sensors as they entry level DSLR's so get good shallow depth of field (only parts of photo in focus) if that's the desired effect, good low light capability, meaning you can get photos without so much of a need for using flash.

A good introduction to mirrorless systems here
http://www.dpreview.com/articles/8986630048/mirrorless-roundup-2011

A work mate bought a 5N, very impressed!

Also, don't be obsessed with megapixel. Especially on small sensor based cameras, where noise in the images can often be worse when upping the megapixels.

[NordieBoy]

DSLR's are good. I use a Cannon 400D. Its a good entry level one that I mainly brought for when i go skydiving. I fly as cameraman for the lads sometimes but mainly for tandems.

The Canon 1000D is nice and cheap. Its also alot lighter than other modles. By memory i think it is 10.5Mp. What they have done with this modle is to cut out all the real in depth custom settings. You can still change the TV,AV etc and it still has the good old portrait,sceneic or sports presets.

One of the reasons they are better than the P&S's is because of the lens. a 35mm lens will always out perform a lil guy especially in low light conditions.

I could go on for hours, PM me if you require further info but i would start looking at Canon 1000D's

Better living

I wouldn't even consider a dSLR for adventure riding type photography if you're at all prone to falling off...

[Harry the Barstard]

Actually im running a 450D........but anyway.

Someone raised a good point on how much room they take up. For sure, i have a backpack full of other lens, filters, cleaning equipment chargers etc. But when i take it out skydiving or to a wedding or something i brought a small padded cover the same shape as the camera, if your only going to need it for a day or two, that will be fine. Padded is good too because you dont want to rattle the sh!t out of it when your riding along.

A few points you raised that you are not happy with, with regard to your current cameras performance.

Missing bikers as they zoom past: A DSLR will have a shutter speed of at least 3fps (frames per second), 1000D is maybe 3.5? or maybe thats my 450D?.... anyway, A fast shutter speed is what you need to capture any fast moving object, but secondly a fast shutter speed will ensure that the captured image is crisp and not blury. 3fs is fine

Slow start up: You may be able to mess around with your setting on that one. I had a fuji finepix that got binned after the DSLR put it to shame. You could however go into the cameras setting and select that the camera didnt make sounds and little startup images to spped up the process

Pic quality in low light: The main cure for that is again shutter speed. The slower the shutter speed the more light that will be let in to brighten the image (simplified version). But if you want to take a pic of a fast moving object in low light you can only realy compinsate for this with a bigger lens. The bigger lens will take more light in while maintain a fast shutter speed to capture a crisp image of that fast moving object.

It all sound pretty techy and bot worth the hasstle to start with. But they are great and after you have played around with it, you can get some amazing shots. The automatic presets will get you producing great quality pics untill you get your head around the custom settings.

Good luck

[misterO]

I make a living with a camera so here's my advice: Technique does go a long way to getting the shot. You may not even need to buy a new camera. Start by holding your camera with both hands and keep your elbows tight against your body- this will give you a more stable shooting platform. Don't stab at the shutter button, press it gently. If you want to capture bikes in motion use the panning technique- keep the bike in the center of the frame and follow it as it goes by- gently press the shutter button and follow through as the rider goes past you. When shooting while panning, keep the button pressed down so that it takes several photos as you follow the action- chances are at least one shot will be good. One key thing to remember (that most point and shoot camera users don't seem to understand) is that pressing the shutter button halfway makes it focus, pressing all the way takes the photo. Most users seem to skip past the halfway point and just stab the button all the way every time (and then wonder why the photo doesn't look good). I press halfway to lock on focus and hold it there till "the moment" comes, then I press it all the way. Another effective element to capturing motion is using what's called a fast lens (perhaps this is what people have been suggesting by "big lens", perhaps not). A fast lens allows a wider aperture which lets in more light and that delivers a faster shutter speed. You don't need to spend a fortune to get a fast lens- my Canon S90 goes down to f/2 and I find that's plenty fast for capturing motion (and also getting the shot in low light). Image stabilization is nice, but it won't help you capture motion like a fast lens does. More megapixels is not the answer. Another way to increase shutter speed is to increase the ISO. Using the flash (even in daylight) works well for stopping moving subjects, too. I genuinely hope that some of this helped you. For more info you might try reading up at Ken Rockwell's site (Ken is an opinionated guy and I don't agree with everything he says but so much of it is spot-on-target that it's worth a look): http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech.htm

[BMWST?]

I make a living with a camera so here's my advice: Technique does go a long way to getting the shot. You may not even need to buy a new camera. Start by holding your camera with both hands and keep your elbows tight against your body- this will give you a more stable shooting platform. Don't stab at the shutter button, press it gently. If you want to capture bikes in motion use the panning technique- keep the bike in the center of the frame and follow it as it goes by- gently press the shutter button and follow through as the rider goes past you. One key thing to remember (that most point and shoot camera users don't seem to understand) is that pressing the shutter button halfway makes it focus, pressing all the way takes the photo. Most users seem to skip past the halfway point and just stab the button all the way every time (and then wonder why the photo doesn't look good). I press halfway to lock on focus and hold it there till "the moment" comes, then I press it all the way. Another effective element to capturing motion is using what's called a fast lens (perhaps this is what people have been suggesting by "big lens", perhaps not). A fast lens allows a wider aperture which lets in more light and that delivers a faster shutter speed. You don't need to spend a fortune to get a fast lens- my Canon S90 goes down to f/2 and I find that's plenty fast for capturing motion (and also getting the shot in low light). Image stabilization is nice, but it won't help you capture motion like a fast lens does. More megapixels are not the answer. Another way to increase shutter speed is to increase the ISO. Using the flash (even in daylight) works well for stopping moving subjects, too. Hope some of this helped. For more info you might try reading up at Ken Rockwell's site (Ken is an opinionated guy and I don't agree with everything he says but so much of it is spot-on-target that it's worth a look): http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech.htm

most point and shoots dont have the ability to manipulate shutter/aperture tho do they?Holding the shutter halfway down locks the focus on a particular spot or does it lock onto the object framed within the temporary "frame" on the display?

[roadkillnz]

It's good advice, I also own a 450D, they're a great camera.
Though I just want to to clarify a point,
Shutter speed is not the number for photos it can take / second. That's the shots / second, for frame rate. But I definitely agree, having a high frame-rate camera helps.

But as you also said... a fast shutter-speed is good for getting a crisp photo, as the shutter-speed refers to how long the photo is exposed for.


Probably going a bit off topic anyhow.

As for recommendation for the OP, even some of the P&S systems nowadays have impressive high-ISO, and frame-rate capabilities, and minimal shutterlag. So if a DSLR or mirrorless system was outside of your budget, then take a look at some of the P&S offerings.

Check out DPReview, they have some great indepth reviews, or you can go to the conclusion page to get their outright verdict and summary.

http://www.dpreview.com/

Cheers
Troy


Actually im running a 450D........but anyway.

Someone raised a good point on how much room they take up. For sure, i have a backpack full of other lens, filters, cleaning equipment chargers etc. But when i take it out skydiving or to a wedding or something i brought a small padded cover the same shape as the camera, if your only going to need it for a day or two, that will be fine. Padded is good too because you dont want to rattle the sh!t out of it when your riding along.

A few points you raised that you are not happy with, with regard to your current cameras performance.

Missing bikers as they zoom past: A DSLR will have a shutter speed of at least 3fps (frames per second), 1000D is maybe 3.5? or maybe thats my 450D?.... anyway, A fast shutter speed is what you need to capture any fast moving object, but secondly a fast shutter speed will ensure that the captured image is crisp and not blury. 3fs is fine

Slow start up: You may be able to mess around with your setting on that one. I had a fuji finepix that got binned after the DSLR put it to shame. You could however go into the cameras setting and select that the camera didnt make sounds and little startup images to spped up the process

Pic quality in low light: The main cure for that is again shutter speed. The slower the shutter speed the more light that will be let in to brighten the image (simplified version). But if you want to take a pic of a fast moving object in low light you can only realy compinsate for this with a bigger lens. The bigger lens will take more light in while maintain a fast shutter speed to capture a crisp image of that fast moving object.

It all sound pretty techy and bot worth the hasstle to start with. But they are great and after you have played around with it, you can get some amazing shots. The automatic presets will get you producing great quality pics untill you get your head around the custom settings.

Good luck

[roadkillnz]

Very dependant on the intended market on the camera, but you'll find heaps of the point and shoots do support the ability to change shutter-speed and aperture, or both (manual).
Just double check on the camera site. Or if there's a specific camera model you're looking at getting, PM me, or post it up on this forum, and I'm happy to look over it for you if you'd like.


most point and shoots dont have the ability to manipulate shutter/aperture tho do they?Holding the shutter halfway down locks the focus on a particular spot or does it lock onto the object framed within the temporary "frame" on the display?

[NordieBoy]

I make a living with a camera so here's my advice: Technique does go a long way to getting the shot. You may not even need to buy a new camera. Start by holding your camera with both hands and keep your elbows tight against your body- this will give you a more stable shooting platform. Don't stab at the shutter button, press it gently.

But then you'd have to stop, to take photos.

Weird.

[george formby]

I've got a Canon 400D, and I actually stopped taking it on rides, as it was bulky, I had two lenses, plus filters, to take the entire kit, it has an actual backpack for the gear. Takes up far too much space, but does take very good pictures. Since I never had it on me however, I missed out on the unique stuff.

I ended up buying a Sony P&S (http://store.sony.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&partNumber=DSCTX5/B), it actually has the same 10MP (obviously won't come close to the swappable lenses) but has a panoramic mode (instead of stitching shots together later) and is waterproof, shockproof, freezeproof and dustproof.

Bought it via parallel, not as expensive as shops, but it's small size means I carry it far more often and the touch screen is a better option for using with gloves.

+1 on the Sony. I have the first model they brought out in that style, a mere 6mp. It's still going strong, great battery life, steel housing so it just sits in my pocket, very quick to start just flip down the front, aim & fire. Admittedly compared to more modern cameras I can only say the quality of photos has gone from great to adequate. The Nexus looks sminky..

[Harry the Barstard]

It's good advice, I also own a 450D, they're a great camera.
Though I just want to to clarify a point,
Shutter speed is not the number for photos it can take / second. That's the shots / second, for frame rate. But I definitely agree, having a high frame-rate camera helps.

But as you also said... a fast shutter-speed is good for getting a crisp photo, as the shutter-speed refers to how long the photo is exposed for.


Probably going a bit off topic anyhow.

As for recommendation for the OP, even some of the P&S systems nowadays have impressive high-ISO, and frame-rate capabilities, and minimal shutterlag. So if a DSLR or mirrorless system was outside of your budget, then take a look at some of the P&S offerings.

Check out DPReview, they have some great indepth reviews, or you can go to the conclusion page to get their outright verdict and summary.

http://www.dpreview.com/

Cheers
Troy


Well spotted troy,

I was pre second cup of coffe when i wrote that....... my bad

Your FPS is the number of pics your camera will take and your shutter speed is the speed that the sutter will open and close.

I had to take my wife to a shopping mall today (icon with a smiley face eating a shotgun required), but i poped into the kodak shop for a wee nosey. Those point and shoot guys with the bigger lens could be a nice compromise between the DSLR and more traditional point and shoot. I suppose it depends on what other events you will use it for. I take my DSLR everywhere and constantly produce better pics than my mates, but too i have to lug it around.

Its all horses for courses...... and how many clams you want to spend.

I'm sure we have done a bang up job of making your descion harder for you.... ahhh, job done.

[BMWST?]

Very dependant on the intended market on the camera, but you'll find heaps of the point and shoots do support the ability to change shutter-speed and aperture, or both (manual).
Just double check on the camera site. Or if there's a specific camera model you're looking at getting, PM me, or post it up on this forum, and I'm happy to look over it for you if you'd like.

like to point out a couple of p&S that do have shutter/apeture control?...to the point that you could say take a 5 sec night shot to get the long trails of headlights or a shot where its nearly pitch black?.I have a older canon ixus 65 its speed and pic quality are fine but there is very limited control of shutter or apeture

[misterO]

LMGTFY

Canon PowerShot S90, S95 and S100
Fujifilm FinePix F600EXR
Olympus XZ-1
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5
Samsung TL500

...To name a few.

[roadkillnz]

misterO pointed out a few.
If there's a specific model that you're wanting to know about, if you look at it's spec sheet on a site like DPReview, look for the section that lists the shooting modes... and look specifically for
Shutter priority AE
Aperture priority AE
Manual

The first two are what give you control on shutter speed, and aperture. Though they may be abbreviated to Av and Tv on some spec sheets.
Manual gives you manual control of both settings at the same time.


like to point out a couple of p&S that do have shutter/apeture control?...to the point that you could say take a 5 sec night shot to get the long trails of headlights or a shot where its nearly pitch black?.I have a older canon ixus 65 its speed and pic quality are fine but there is very limited control of shutter or apeture

[Swoop]

I'm heading doen the canon path I think as they seem to have a good feedback.


http://www.jbhifi.com.au/photo/digital-cameras/canon/sx130is-12mp-digic4-digital-camera-sku-61278/

A camera that fits into a jacket pocket, with high megapixel qualities (clarity, ability to clean and edit an image) and a good zoom-ability was what I was looking for. I purchased the previous version of this little beauty from Canon (only 10 Mp + 10x zoom) and have not regretted it at all.
It also has a full manual controls that other cameras fail to include.
Having grown up with a fully manual 35mm SLR, I am only now looking at getting a "proper" digital SLR, but do not want all the associated crap to lug around on the bike. This camera does all I wish to do.

[NordieBoy]

I mainly use my little Olympus 1030SW 10m waterproof, 10Mp jobbie I got in 2009.
If the weather is going to be good and I'm just cruising, knowing there's some good scenery, I'll take the EOS 20D with a 28-70 f2.8 lens.
It's the one I use when photographing x-country races too. Been roosted many times and still ticking...
253773

Nope. Embedded is much easier

[MotoGirl]

I have owned two cameras for the past few years and what you need really depends on two factors: what you're going to use it for and how much stuff you want to lug around. I like having control over my camera's settings to have a point and shoot with all the manual functions and a large optical zoom. This guy is small enough to fit in my pocket so it comes along on any bike rides. When I'm going somewhere in the car and space is a luxury, the full-blown SLR and lenses come along for the ride. Once you get into SLR land, the hardest thing will be deciding which lenses and accessories to take when you have limited space!

[NordieBoy]

I am tempted to take the 20D with a 50mm f1.8 lens on the Molesworth/Rainbow ride tomorrow, just for the halibut.

[Padmei]

Thanks guys for the feedback. It's all being slowly sorted in my heads. please feel free to post a link to any of your pics.

[misterO]

Many of my favourites can't be displayed on Flickr for contractual/ethical reasons but here ya go:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jmogden/

[Big Dave]

I always liked the line 'advice is worth what you paid for it'.
So, I advise you to get a camera.

There are a number of online resources. I used Ken Rockwell's stuff quite a lot too.
I generally agree with him though - but I have a Nikon D90 as well.
Several sites do in depth reviews - pick a model you think you might like and let google be your friend.
'Brand loyalty' is for geeks. It's about what's in it for YOU.

"Canon 2Ti with 'Magic lantern' Firmware" is highly recommended - if you want to do Video as well.
Performs like a $6k video rig I'm told by a man who knows.

Ansell Adams said 'There are no rules for photography - just good photographs.'

Andy Warhol said 'My idea of a good photograph is one that is in focus - and has a famous person in it'.

Happy snappin'

[Big Dave]

just for the halibut.

Was it good enough for Jehovah?

[CrazyFrog]

Has anyone got or used an Olympus TG-310 or TG-810?
I'm considering one as an ADV bike camera for it's tough qualities, drop proof, waterproof, dustproof, cold proof.

Alternatively, considering Fujifilm XP20 and Sony DSC-TX5 or DSC-TX10.
Any good/bad experience with any of these?
Thanks in advance

[Gremlin]

Alternatively, considering Fujifilm XP20 and Sony DSC-TX5 or DSC-TX10.
Any good/bad experience with any of these?
Ref my first post re the TX5... I use one. It can also do HD recording... not that I really use it for that.

[huff3r]

Thanks guys for the feedback. It's all being slowly sorted in my heads. please feel free to post a link to any of your pics.

Canon EOS 550D. Probably a bit out of your price range, but the older models are very similar. My father uses a 500D and has had a photo featured in a tourist guide for Sydney. They are very good cameras.

Here are a few pics of my first time photographing motorcycles, at Cemetery Circuit on Boxing Day. I took over 700 photos on the day, bringing my total photos ever with a decent camera to just over 2000 so I'm still VERY new at this.

Sure it's big and heavy to lug around, and there are lots of places I don't take it, but if I know I'm going to really want photos, I'm going to want really good photos so I put the effort in :msn-wink:

254069254070254071254072254073254074

[NordieBoy]

Canon EOS 550D. Probably a bit out of your price range, but the older models are very similar. My father uses a 500D and has had a photo featured in a tourist guide for Sydney. They are very good cameras.

Here are a few pics of my first time photographing motorcycles, at Cemetery Circuit on Boxing Day. I took over 700 photos on the day, bringing my total photos ever with a decent camera to just over 2000 so I'm still VERY new at this.

Sure it's big and heavy to lug around, and there are lots of places I don't take it, but if I know I'm going to really want photos, I'm going to want really good photos so I put the effort in :msn-wink:

Too big and not very waterproof.

Ok for taking pics of bikes but not so much from bikes.

[NordieBoy]

Has anyone got or used an Olympus TG-310 or TG-810?
I'm considering one as an ADV bike camera for it's tough qualities, drop proof, waterproof, dustproof, cold proof.

Alternatively, considering Fujifilm XP20 and Sony DSC-TX5 or DSC-TX10.
Any good/bad experience with any of these?
Thanks in advance

The TG series look like slightly weaker versions of my 1030SW but with 14Mp, HD recording etc.
Bloody good price though.

[huff3r]

Too big and not very waterproof.

Ok for taking pics of bikes but not so much from bikes.

OP didn't mention taking pics from bikes, simply taking pics whilst out riding. Backpacks aren't exactly hard to wear. OP also said they would consider a DSLR... Just providing some evidence of why I like my 550D.

[cromagnon]

Too big and not very waterproof.

Ok for taking pics of bikes but not so much from bikes.

I have a pelican case for my dslr when going into rougher stuff, waterproof and it floats (if required). It isnt the easiest to access to take quick photos (have a second camera in the jacket pocket for that). I wouldnt take the pelican case on more than an overnighter at the moment due to the space that is taken up.

[NordieBoy]

OP didn't mention taking pics from bikes, simply taking pics whilst out riding. Backpacks aren't exactly hard to wear. OP also said they would consider a DSLR... Just providing some evidence of why I like my 550D.

OP also falls off a lot.
Things fall out of his backpack regularly too...

I love my 20D.
You can't beat a dSLR for the clarity of the shots but he really needs something that'll take a good shot at a moments notice and still fit into a bike jacket pocket.

This is the OP. Pic taken with a 20D with 28-70 f2.8 lens.
254084

Same camera/lens here too.
254085

OP again. Pic taken with Olympus 1030SW.
254086

[Henk]

Have a 550D that is a great camera, it all depends on what you want to take photos of. Would I take it on the bike, probably not, went to the cemetery cct and left it at home, took a crap P&S instead that is now going in the bin. If you want nice scenic shots etc a P&S will be fine, if you want pictures of bikes actually moving you can't beat a DSLR, the advantage isn't so much in the interchangeable lenses or stupidly high pixel counts but in the fact that they are fast, you take the picture you wanted, not a picture of the front wheel of the bike following.

[Winston001]

Was it good enough for Jehovah?


Big Dave, son of Deuteronomy of Gath:

You have been found guilty by the elders of the town of uttering the name of our Lord, and so, as a BLASPHEMER...you are to be stoned to death!

[misterO]

Blimey- I didn't expect a Spanish Inquisition.

[Padmei]

I've been looking & asking around. Some have suggested the Canon G series (maybe a second hand 9 or 10 off those that are updating) or maybe the s100 or older.
I may have stated earlier I don't want the bees knees & I'm pretty sure any reasonably priced camera would do the job. Thanks for your replies & advice.

[Big Dave]

you are to be stoned to death!

How about just a bit high?

>>
Blimey- I didn't expect a Spanish Inquisition.



<<

Nobody expects.....


:-)

[Winston001]

Nobody expects.....




......“NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise...surprise and fear...fear and surprise.... Our two weapons are fear and surprise...and ruthless efficiency.... Our *three* weapons are fear, surprise, and ruthless efficiency...and an almost fanatical devotion to SPANKME.... Our *four*...no... *Amongst* our weapons.... Amongst our weaponry...are such elements as fear, surprise.... I'll come in again.”

[misterO]

Some tips on shooting bikes from from Visordown: How to Photograph Like a Pro

http://www.visordown.com/how-to-do-just-about-anything/how-to-photograph-like-a-pro/19737.html

[Hugo Nougo]

some great advice in here,

check out gp forums, no link i'm being lazy, ken rockwell and karl taylor sites are great if you want to go the dslr track.

i love the panorama setting on the fuji point and squirts, low pixels but fun and great for those majestic landscape shots.

for fast shots i practice on bee's in the garden, get to know your camera, if you can capture a bee in flight in focus, then a bike will be easy.

here's a few shots from a 1meg no name brand camera that served me well in the bush for many years.

://www.flickr.com/photos/57931034@N03/6645097603/

[Padmei]

Some tips on shooting bikes from from Visordown: How to Photograph Like a Pro

http://www.visordown.com/how-to-do-just-about-anything/how-to-photograph-like-a-pro/19737.html

Great easy tips there - excellent stuff!


some great advice in here,

check out gp forums, no link i'm being lazy, ken rockwell and karl taylor sites are great if you want to go the dslr track.

i love the panorama setting on the fuji point and squirts, low pixels but fun and great for those majestic landscape shots.

for fast shots i practice on bee's in the garden, get to know your camera, if you can capture a bee in flight in focus, then a bike will be easy.

here's a few shots from a 1meg no name brand camera that served me well in the bush for many years.

www.flickr.com/photos/57931034@N03/6645097603/

You are bull shitting me on that one my friend. There is no way those pics came from a basic camera. if they really did then I'll give up trying to photo anything...

[Hugo Nougo]

why ?.

the link takes you to one of my flickr sites where the 3 latest shots here taken with said camera, it had a huge delay between pushing the button and taking the picture but illustrates that pixels arn't everything.

did you notice the camera had a cracked lens in the lower left? (landscape).

lorenzo to venom shots where taken with my old fav a nikon d80 and cheap 70-300 lens, total package about $500-600 2nd hand.
the adventure stuff including the vid was a fuji s2500hd, about $450 a few years back.

I currently carry the fuji s2500hd on trail rides but would like 1 of the canon powershots.

[Padmei]

Ah yes I i see now. i thought you were saying that all those shots (including the racing shots) were from the cheapo camera.
Nice work.

[Tigadee]

I will most likely buy off trademe & my budget will be $300-500.

Pocketable - Nikon P300 or Canon S95/S100. Panasonic and Sony make some nice pocketable high quality models too (LX-series and HX-series respectively).

Pocketable (barely) - Canon G-series or Nikon P7100. I favour the Nikon because of its useful longer zoom range, tilting LCD screen and equivalent image quality.

All-in-one with good image quality - Fuji S100FS, S200EXR or Sony R1 - older cameras but excellent lenses, images and flexibility. No worries about dust getting into the camera and onto the sensor.

DSLRs - Something rugged like the semi-pro models from Canon (Canon 30D to 7D - skip the 50D) and Nikon (D200 to D300s, D7000). Sony isn't bad but I dislike their proprietary flash hotshoe (inherited from Minolta whom they bought over) which limits your flash options to either the in-camera or Minolta/Sony flashes. Panasonic has some nice models but they're pretty fragile...

[Padmei]

Has anyone got or used an Olympus TG-310 or TG-810?
I'm considering one as an ADV bike camera for it's tough qualities, drop proof, waterproof, dustproof, cold proof.

Alternatively, considering Fujifilm XP20 and Sony DSC-TX5 or DSC-TX10.
Any good/bad experience with any of these?
Thanks in advance

Hey crazyfrog. The guy who did that superb Iceland thread uses one of those olympus toughs. Half way down the page he mentions it.
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=749438&page=10

[Padmei]

Is there some way of finding what type of camera was used to take particular shots? Somewhere in the exif file or something?

[pete376403]

Right click on the pic, view properties. details tab can* show a lot of info

*windows photo viewer has the option to remove some, or all details

[NordieBoy]

Is there some way of finding what type of camera was used to take particular shots? Somewhere in the exif file or something?

Yep. In the exif.
Some photo sharing sites remove the exif though...

[Padmei]

Yeah had a try but can't see anything on any pics I tried to save etc.

[Padmei]

I finally got myself a cmera the other nite on Trademe. A Canon G10. It came with another camera not working so I have 2 batteries. From the reviews I read i should have really got the S95 or 100 but although they may be superior cameras I really like the look of all the dials & knobs etc. makes me feel tingly.
It does have a couple of spots on the lens however they only show up on the screen when the lite is funny - I can't see them in the pics.

Anyway I'm having a play with it & am seriously impressed with the quality of pics out of it. My lil p&S is nothing compared to it. I would post a couple of pics but never seem to get them small enough & anyway you guys know what it's like getting a new toy with so many buttons.
The best thing about it is it is ready to rock as soon as I push the power button & I don't have to wait .

[NordieBoy]

What condition is the lens in on the dead one?

[Padmei]

Noit sure the lens cover won't open. I'm not worried at this stage.

[JATZ]

Noit sure the lens cover won't open. I'm not worried at this stage.

Get a screw driver and a hammer, I'm sure it will open :eek5:

BTW.... thanks for the pic on the NADS thread, I probly won't be able to sleep tonight either you bastard

[Tigadee]

Is there some way of finding what type of camera was used to take particular shots? Somewhere in the exif file or something?

Download and install Opanda (http://opanda.com/en/iexif/), it's a totally free software. Once installed, whenever you right-click on a photo, you can select View Exif and all the information will be shown [unless the information's been stripped out].

Congrats on the G10, good camera...

[rachprice]

I'm after a waterproof/tough camera, listened to what everyone has said about lenses. Most of the new ones have 12-16mp but not really sure about the lens size, some look tiny!

Advice?

[Tigadee]

What's the use? Strapped to your bike/helmet? While diving off the beaches of Fiji? Waterproof or just splashproof?

[NordieBoy]

I'm after a waterproof/tough camera, listened to what everyone has said about lenses. Most of the new ones have 12-16mp but not really sure about the lens size, some look tiny!

Advice?

An old Canon D10 or newer D20.

[rachprice]

I want it for traveling, so compact but Hardy

My next trip is to Kenya and will be climbing Kilimanjaro

Want something you can take in the surf or whatever as well

[NordieBoy]

12Mp 10m waterproof D10 was $190 on TradeMe.

My Olympus 1030SW 10Mp 10m waterproof lasted 4 years with everything being thrown at it including snow, sleet, rain, sub-zero conditions, being dropped off motorbike seats onto concrete, etc and worked flawlessly.

Until the 2nd time I went snorkleing, when the LCD died.
Not unexpected I have since found.
It still takes photos though...

I'd like to have a go with the new Olympus that has far better water seals but I really like Canon stuff (300D, 10D, 350D, 20D, A430, D10)...
The D20 looks more pocketable than the D10 too...

[Tigadee]

I want it for traveling, so compact but Hardy
My next trip is to Kenya and will be climbing Kilimanjaro
Want something you can take in the surf or whatever as well

What Nordieboy said... Canon D10/D20.

Just bring extra batteries.

[rachprice]

12Mp 10m waterproof D10 was $190 on TradeMe.

..

Where?

What do I look for when looking at specs?

Is these any good?
http://www.trademe.co.nz/electronics-photography/digital-cameras/point-shoot/12-megapixel-or-more/auction-494425697.htm

http://www.trademe.co.nz/electronics-photography/digital-cameras/point-shoot/12-megapixel-or-more/auction-494021319.htm

http://www.trademe.co.nz/electronics-photography/digital-cameras/point-shoot/12-megapixel-or-more/auction-494851685.htm

[Gremlin]

http://www.trademe.co.nz/electronics-photography/digital-cameras/point-shoot/12-megapixel-or-more/auction-494851685.htm
I have a TX5, model before the TX10. Been good, despite how it may look. Waterproof, dustproof, freezeproof, shockproof, but doesn't look rugged. I don't think it would love sitting under water, but it does work. Sliding mechanism probably a little vulnerable but I haven't had issues with mine, except once, when I was continually sliding open then shut, taking a shot at a time while riding. Hated me for the afternoon, then fired up the next day no problem and worked for over a year since.

Full touch screen back means minimal buttons, but I like as you can use with gloves etc. Sony finally relented, and these models can take SD cards, I wouldn't have something that used Sony Memory Stick only.

[NordieBoy]

Where?

What do I look for when looking at specs?

Is these any good?
http://www.trademe.co.nz/electronics-photography/digital-cameras/point-shoot/12-megapixel-or-more/auction-494425697.htm

http://www.trademe.co.nz/electronics-photography/digital-cameras/point-shoot/12-megapixel-or-more/auction-494021319.htm

http://www.trademe.co.nz/electronics-photography/digital-cameras/point-shoot/12-megapixel-or-more/auction-494851685.htm

Whatever you look at, google for "camera name" "died" or "stopped working" and see what comes up.

$279 for the Olympus TG. Wow. My 1030SW was $700 at Xmas 2007...
NordieBro has the Olympus and likes it. It has much better water sealing than my old one.

The Canon D10 has a zoom that keeps focus and a good lens size. Picture quality is very good too.
The 1030SW loses focus as you zoom but does landscapes well. Holding it up whilst riding along and taking photos is very easy.