by George Anderson; Minneapolis, MN
This article is intended to help those who are not photography experts but who would like to buy a good digital camera for travel.
The basics
I’d like to first address some of the basic terms that buyers need to know when deciding what’s important to them in a camera.
Megapixels — A digital photo is made up of millions of little dots called pixels (picture elements). Image resolution is measured in megapixels (MP); the higher the MP, the more dots there are per square inch and the better the quality of the image.
Unless you plan to print your photos as large posters, the 10-plus megapixels provided by the majority of today’s cameras should be more than sufficient.
Sensor size — When the shutter in your camera opens, light shines through the lens onto the sensor. In the old days, the sensor was a piece of 35mm film and the “sensed” area was full frame at about 1x1½ inches. Sensors in digital cameras are rarely this big.
One common size is “APS-C,” which is about two-thirds of the older full-frame size. Another emerging standard is “four thirds,” which is about half the full-frame size. Sensors can be quite small, down to approximately ½"x½". (On Wikipedia, see “image sensor format.”)
In selecting a digital camera, sensor size is a very big deal. A bigger sensor collects more light, and more light means better images.
As you look at camera reviews and specifications, though, you will see many claims that specific sensors are “as good as” or “better than” competitors’ larger sensors. While this may be true occasionally, under specific conditions, in the end the sensor designers can’t fool Mother Nature. Bigger is usually better.
Focal length — Scientifically speaking, focal length is a measurement of the distance over which rays of light are brought into focus. When everyone was using 35mm cameras, mentioning a focal length was the same as describing the resulting field of view. A wide-angle lens was typically 28mm or 35mm, and a telephoto might have been 135mm, 200mm or more. (On Wikipedia, see “angle of view”; skip over the technical stuff and read the section entitled “focal length.”)
A lens’ field of view depends both on focal length and sensor size, though, so a given lens will produce a different field of view for each sensor size. For example, with the smaller APS-C sensor, a 50mm lens will produce the same field of view as a 75mm lens would produce on a full 35mm frame. A tiny sensor might need only a 25mm focal length to produce the same field of view as that 75mm lens.
So how can you compare lenses among cameras using different sensor sizes? The industry has come to your rescue. Most manufacturers will specify a 35mm-equivalent focal length for their lenses. This is a very important number because it tells you what kind of pictures you can take with that lens and camera.
Aperture — The light-gathering capability of a lens is determined by the aperture, denoted by a number, which represents the size of the opening through which light can pass. It is sometimes referred to as f-stop and is usually written as, for example, f/1.4. A smaller number denotes a larger opening.
For example, an f/5.6 lens has about half the light-gathering capability of an f/4 lens. Until you get into interchangeable-lens cameras, though, you are not going to have a lot of choice when it comes to aperture.
Travel cameras
Now I’d like to focus on camera types and individual features. My goal is not to identify “the best” camera, because no single camera is best for everyone, but to provide information so you may determine what is best for you.
Cameras can be divided into several categories, and I’d consider three of these to be “travel” cameras for the average person.
At the bottom of the category list are the cheap “point-and-shoot” cameras, for sale in every drug and discount store. Trips cost thousands of dollars. Do you really want to remember them with poor-quality pictures taken with a cheap camera? I don’t.
At the top of the list are full-frame digital single-lens reflex cameras, or DSLRs. These are the giant cameras, usually accompanied by similarly giant lenses, that you see at least one person carrying on every trip — expensive, heavy and overkill for many people reading this article.
This leaves three categories in the middle: advanced amateur pocket cameras, super zooms and prosumer cameras. I’ll discuss these cameras in more detail shortly.
What’s important
Who are you as a photographer and what do you need? I’m going to start with some assumptions.
I’m assuming you’re interested in this article because you like to take pictures. I’m also writing under the assumption that you usually don’t blow them up to big sizes. Most of your photos, if they are printed at all, are no larger than 8"x10".
As travelers, we take pictures of people, places and things — interiors of churches, museums and train stations plus ruins and landscapes. Most travelers aren’t photographing sports events or other subjects that require specialized equipment.
A few of us worry about things like depth of field and ISO speeds, but most of us just want to aim, shoot and take home a good picture. And we haul too much stuff on our trips already, so we don’t want to be burdened with a huge camera in a camera bag that’s the size of a carry-on.
All these things considered, the question in choosing the right camera is ‘What’s important?’
Lens range — We don’t often have the ability to move much closer to or farther away from a subject, so we need zoom lenses, often advertised as 10x, 15x, etc. But the wide-angle capability is important as well.
To get good shots of building interiors, look for a 24mm-equivalent lens or wider, if you can find it. Most lenses stop at around 28mm, and this is just not wide enough, in my opinion, to give a good spatial sense of a room.
On the telephoto end, there will always be subjects that are out of reach, no matter what your maximum zoom is. I would say a 200mm-equivalent zoom is plenty for most situations, but a zoom range exceeding 200mm is easy to find. If you want a camera primarily to photograph wildlife, you might want to look for something longer, like 600mm.
“Digital zoom” is a fraud. Ignore it. All the camera is doing is cropping your image down to its center, something you can do later, yourself.
Eye-level viewfinder — This is a tough one, because getting an eye-level viewfinder usually jumps you into the larger and more expensive cameras. But it means your camera will be steadier because holding the camera against your face will substantially reduce camera movement compared to holding the camera out in front of you — especially important when shooting with a long telephoto lens.
Also, the sun washing out the image on your LCD screen won’t be a problem when trying to compose your photo, as you won't need to look at the screen.
Personally, I won’t own a camera that does not have an eye-level viewfinder, but, as they say on the Internet, YMMV (your mileage may vary).
Image stabilization — These days, most travel-class cameras boast some kind of automatic image stabilization feature, which is designed to compensate for camera motion. It is a good thing and you should have it. There are different systems, but it doesn’t matter which one you get.
Panorama software — It is difficult to convey some vistas in a single photo, but it can be done quite effectively with a panoramic shot.
In the not-so-good old days, shooting a panorama required a large, expensive and mechanically complex camera, but now panoramas are created using photo-processing software.
Some camera models, like many Sonys, have the panorama software right in the camera — something worth considering in your camera quest. Panorama software is also available for free on the Internet, and many general-purpose photo-processing programs, like Adobe Photoshop Elements, can be used to make panoramas.
GPS — Manufacturers are offering an increasing number of cameras that will internally stamp your photos with GPS coordinates, enhancing your record of your travels. This feature potentially compromises privacy, though it can be turned off. (If you post a photo of your cat to a website, do you also want to be telling people the exact location of your home, where the photo was taken?)
What about camera size?
As discussed earlier, sensor size drives both image quality and camera size. A bigger sensor requires a bigger camera body to house it and bigger lenses to project images onto it. But other desirable camera features can also make cameras bigger.
An eye-level viewfinder makes the camera bigger, especially an electronic viewfinder (sometimes called an “EVF”). A larger aperture (more light) means the lens is bigger in diameter, hence the carrying size of the camera is also bigger. A larger zoom range means the lens is longer, so, again, the carrying size of the camera will be bigger.
So here is the most important question in your camera quest: ‘What is the largest camera you are willing to carry?’
Your personal size limit determines, to a very large degree, what image quality you’ll get and what features you can have. An easy way to find your limit is to visit a few big-box and discount stores like Best Buy, Target, Walmart, etc. Don’t buy a camera yet! Just look at the various sizes they have and identify the biggest model you’d be willing to carry on a trip. Take some measurements.
Camera categories
Once you’ve determined your desired size, you need to decide what type of travel camera will suit your needs.
Advanced amateur pocket cameras look a lot like the cheap point-and-shoot cameras, but they are a little bigger and have larger, better lenses and, of course, higher prices.
In this category, you will get small (¼") sensors delivering image quality that is acceptable for most hobbyist uses, particularly if you do not crop or excessively enlarge your photos. Other features include image stabilization; a 10x or better zoom range, with several available models that meet the 24mm wide-angle criterion, and a fixed LCD screen on the back (but no eye-level viewfinder).
These cameras are usually chunky in size but pocketable, typically 4" wide x 2.5" high x 1.3" thick, and prices range from $200 to $500.
While there are many brands to choose from, here are some examples of pocket cameras.
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS series — We recently bought a Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10 for my wife. This camera’s size is her limit. One major reason we bought this model is that the wide angle goes to 24mm. The lens is stabilized, a feature that works impressively at its maximum telephoto setting of 384mm. She finds the camera easy to use, and, while a little heavy, it will fit in a shirt pocket. It includes a GPS feature, which we have not tried to use.
Sony Cyber-shot DSC series — Sony has pioneered a unique feature called “sweep panorama.” You click the shutter button once and sweep the camera in a panoramic motion as the camera makes multiple exposures, resulting in a single panoramic photograph. Very slick!
Casio Exilim EX series — The Exilims are popular and worth a hard look. For example, the EX-FH100 features the desired 24mm-wide-angle capability in a package that’s a bit thinner than most. The telephoto goes to only 240mm, but I wouldn’t worry about that unless you plan to take a lot of wildlife pictures.
Samsung WB210 — Samsung is a bit of a newcomer to cameras though not to electronics. This example has some clever features, including a “super wide” mode equivalent to a 21mm focal length plus a touch screen control interface reminiscent of the latest smartphones. It’s also noticeably thinner (just under one inch) than most of its competitors.
Super zooms make up the next travel camera category, In this category, you will get a bigger camera, typically looking like a small DSLR. These are definitely not pocketable, but they will easily fit in a large purse or a small day pack.
They also have small sensors, similar to those of pocket cameras but of a slightly better quality; fixed (not interchangeable) lenses with huge zoom ranges (up to 20x and more); larger-aperture (more light-sensitive) lenses, better for shooting in low-light situations, and, in almost all cases, an eye-level viewfinder.
Many models also feature an articulated LCD screen, which is very useful when shooting with the camera held low or held high overhead. For me, this is a must-have feature.
Prices are in the $300-$500 range.
Examples of Super zooms include…
Canon Powershot SX-series — The SX40HS features pretty much everything most travelers would like to have: 24mm wide-angle lens, an eye-level viewfinder and an articulated LCD screen. At 11⁄3 pounds, it’s a little heavier than average, so, for some, that might be a consideration.
Nikon P series — Nikon is a longtime market leader in professional-grade cameras and the big DSLRs. It is much less dominant in the smaller-camera market, but one of its strengths is a menu system that is easier to use than most.
Fujifilm S series — Most, maybe all, of these Fujifilm cameras have the distinction of using four AA batteries instead of the proprietary batteries used by almost all other manufacturers. You can still recharge the batteries if you like (I prefer the new “precharged” low-discharge batteries like the Sanyo Eneloops), but, in a pinch, this camera gives you the option of buying batteries while traveling.
The final category I’d like to discuss is the professional-style consumer camera, or prosumer.
Prosumer cameras look like larger versions of the super zooms and like smaller versions of the huge DSLRs.
In this category you will see a big jump in image quality because of larger sensors. Also, the lenses are physically larger, though their zoom ranges are limited for quality reasons, usually being no higher than 10x (sometimes only 3x). Some models also offer higher-quality interchangeable lenses.
These cameras have LCD screens and eye-level viewfinders, though sometimes the viewfinder costs extra. The LCD screens usually are articulated.
This category is in turmoil right now, as a wide range of creative camera system designs has been introduced in the past year or so, with more options anticipated. For cost, figure $500-$2,000.
There are lots of choices in this category, but here are some manufacturers of prosumer cameras.
Panasonic and Olympus — Pioneered by Panasonic and Olympus, the Micro Four Thirds camera combines a good-quality sensor and standardized, interchangeable lenses. Some of the camera bodies are even smaller than the super zooms. Examples include the Panasonic G3 and GF2 and the Olympus “PEN” series. I have a Panasonic G1 with one Olympus lens and one Panasonic lens.
Sony, Nikon and Ricoh — Each of these manufacturers has unique offerings. Ricoh’s is the most unusual, featuring interchangeable modules that carry both the lens and a sensor, thus different lenses can have different sensors, and there is the potential for upgrades as sensor technology improves.
Nikon has introduced two models, the J1 and the V1, that feature common lenses and sensors. The J1 is the “simple” model. The more capable V1 sports an eye-level viewfinder and is designed for more experienced photographers. For the time being, at least, only these original manufacturers produce lenses for their respective cameras.
Pentax — Pentax has also jumped into this category but with an odd design that seems (at least, to me) to combine the worst of features: high price, tiny sensor, no eye-level viewfinder, and lenses with limited zoom ranges.
Outside these three categories, the entry-level DSLR cameras are a good option for travelers who want higher-quality photos and are willing to pay the price — financially and in size and complexity. These cameras feature point-and-shoot operating modes, which seems to be the way most people use them. You’ll get good results in this mode, but you’ll be woefully underutilizing the camera if that’s all you use.
Canon and Nikon are the market share leaders in this category.
The purchase-and-sell option
Buying a camera is not like getting married. If you need something specialized for one trip, buy it, then sell it after the trip. I did just that for a recent trip to Africa, buying an extra camera body and a telephoto lens, then selling them when I returned home. My net cost? $30! But even if it were $100 or $200, it would have been a tiny fraction of the cost of the trip.
There are many options for buying and selling a specialized lens or camera. KEH Camera is probably the easiest way to go though not the cheapest.
I have used eBay, which is also easy, but they have high fees and, I feel, an arrogant attitude towards sellers.
There are many photo-buff sites, like www.fredmiranda.com and www.dpreview.com, that have buy/sell forums with no fees. In my experience, these are quite safe, and if you buy or sell using PayPal for payment, you also have third-party protection.
I've also found the local Craigslist often works for selling.
Finally, there are camera and lens rental companies on the Internet, or perhaps one of your local camera shops rents some items. So there are lots of options!
A few final thoughts
Waterproof and shockproof cameras might sound like good ideas, but for most trips you won’t need the environmental protection and you’ll be seriously compromising photo quality to get it. Carry a few Ziploc bags big enough for your camera and any extra lenses. If you’re really concerned, carry a “dry bag” from a dive shop or sporting goods store.
Avoid cameras that do not take standard SD memory cards unless there are strong reasons to put up with the extra expense and hassle.
Don’t buy one big memory card for all your pictures. That’s putting all your eggs in one basket. Buy several small ones (four to six), with a capacity of maybe 2GB each. I’d recommend changing cards every night, rotating through them so your photos are spread around, and don’t carry all the cards in one place. That way, if you lose a card, a bag or a camera, you still have a good variety of your photos.
Always carry a charged spare battery in your pocket. Every night, put that one into your camera and charge the one you’ve been using so that it can be your charged spare the next day.
If you’re going to be shooting a lot of telephoto pictures (animals in Africa, for example) or night scenes (like the light show at the pyramids), consider carrying a monopod for camera support. Get one that can double as a walking stick and collapses to under 20 inches (example — Promaster 7840) and add a small ball head with a quick-release feature (examples — Promaster BH23 and Manfrotto 494RC2).
Avoid walking sticks that advertise a camera-mounting screw on top. These are too short. You need to get your camera close to eye level when you’re standing.
Resources
DP Review and Steve’s Digicams are two popular and respected websites where you can find reviews of specific camera models.
Look especially for “buyers’ guide” articles where a number of similar cameras are compared, like this one. These comparison articles can be lengthy and boring, but usually you can jump to the “conclusions” section and find what you want to know.
Camera Labs is another good resource, featuring somewhat less complex and easier-to-read reviews and recommendations.
Acknowledgement — Mike Pazandak (Golden Valley, MN; 800/624-8107 or 763/546-6831), manager at National Camera Exchange, very generously consulted on this article. Mike will be happy to answer any questions from ITN readers.