Photography in Europe: 2005-2006
Which cameras, film, and gadgets work best for your travel photography. Any tips on getting the best shots? Carry a big 35mm camera or a point 'n shoot? Is a camcorder worth the trouble? What about digital cameras and flash cards?
PROTECTING YOUR CAMERA
A lot depends on how often you use your camera. If you shoot often you want to keep it handy.
But if you don't shoot often like me, I keep my small digital under my jacket with the zipper closed. Noone can see it and I can't drop it.
You should develope the method most comfortable for you. Whatever you do, it is essential to keep it safe.
If yours is an expensive camera, thiefs may slash the strap and run off with it if they can get to it.
In 20 years of travel I have never had anyone try to take my camera and on one trip to Europe I carried three of them around my neck!
The best advice I ever heard is to stay away from crowds. Don't let people brush against you of distract you.
CLARKE
ANSA, NM USA Sat 11/25/2006
Digital cameras
I've backpacked Europe once with 35mm camera & later with a digital camera. The digital camera is so much easier because I had three flash cards for 6 weeks of traveling. Digital cameras can also be easily placed in a purse so it wasn't obvious that I was a tourist at many times which was important since I was a young woman traveling independently.
Penny
Ohio USA Sat 11/04/2006
Photography
I traveled in Eastern Europe this past summer and several airport security people objected to my small monopod as a carryon. London and Bucharest made me check it. Others were puzzeled by it. One thought it was a walking stick. Athens objected but eventually said OK (my Greek soldier wine opener was no problem for him at all). Who knows? Btw I am a veteran traveler- 40+ countries in 30+ years and I STILL got my new Panasonic Lumix lifted out of my chest pack in Rome. That criminal was very good! Don't let worldliness make you over-confident.
Rich Sweeney
CA USA Mon 10/30/2006
Dumping photos to CDs on a trip
Does anyone know the aproximate cost to get your photos burned to a cd in italy? is it better to get it done at a photo store or just try to find a cafe that will let you do it? any tips on this? can you walk into colleges and libraries and borrow their equipment for this?
Thank you,
Jacob <email>
Glendale, az USA Fri 10/27/2006
Sony H5
Just back from a wonderful hiking trip in Switzerland. Prior to going, I decided to purchase a new camera. (old one was a wonderful Olympus C7000)
I really wanted a super zoom and some additonal features my Olympus didn't have. After some research, I settled on the Sony H5.
I love this camera. I got great shots of the glaciers from my hotel using the ultra zoom. I got great closeups shots of flowers on the hike, and wonderful candid shots of the other people with me. Perfect clarity!
The anti shake feature is fatastic in combination with the zoom.
The camera is a 7mg, but I shot at 5, and could have shot at a lower mg, but I figured I might want to enlarge a few photos, so I kept it at at least 5.
The view finder is easy to use, as I'm NOT a hold up and shoot kind of person. (using the LCD) - which by the way is a HUGE 3" !!! Great for reviewing and sharing after the day's hikes.
so in my humble, not professional, but everyday kind of tourist looking for an easy to use camera...the Sony H5 hits the mark!
Prices are coming down a bit right now. I purchased mine for about $440 3 months ago.
If you are looking for a new camera, check this one out. It's not too big, but large enough to feel comfortable in your hands!
Snapshot taker/world traveler
CO USA Tue 10/24/2006
Photography
My husband used our digital camera (which also has recording capability) and I used our film camera. I like using both - I have some black and white shots also with the 35MM. www.neesie.org
Oh - and I am very happy with the digital camera, I bought it a month prior to our September trip (it's a Canon Powershot A620).
Denisee <email>
Lake Mary, FL USA Sun 10/22/2006
Think before you press that button!
Just a quick tip for avid photographers like me: just think for a moment before you take that picture. I was appalled when I visited Auschwitz to see an American snapping away at the display of the thousands of suitcases and hair taken from the victims. It spoilt what should have been a humbling and very emotional experience. In churches and so on, it never hurts to ask politely if you can take photographs. People are almost always happy to help you, and you may find yourself with a new assistant! We often joke in Britain that you can find the tourists by following the sound of the shutters. Snap happy, but snap sensitively!
Jon
UK Sun 10/22/2006
Which Camers
You mentioned carrying a film camera, which was okay in it's day, but try using a digital point and shoot. You will find that these cameras are very versatile and economical. It is also advisable to take a long a camcorder, also digital, because there are certain instances, such as blinking lights on the Eiffel Tower, or spoken language. It is also advisable to take a long a laptop computer to transfer pictures from your digital still camera to your hard drive. That will free up your card for the next day of shooting. My last trip to Europe I shot over 5200 still shots and over three hours of video. I could have taken much more, and I wish I did, because when I got home some were not what I anticipated. If you're traveling with a partner, you may want to take a second still camera and have duplicates taken. Sometimes just a slight different angle may make a good deal of difference. It is also advisable to take a long a remote for both cameras, especially the still cameras. The reason for that is some museums will not allow any photographs to be taken whatsoever. This I cannot understand. I see no harm in taking a picture of something without a flash if it's not sold and used for personal reasons. With a remote it is possible to set the camera down and walk away and shoot to your hearts content. You may get thrown out of the museum, but at least you will have some good pictures to show where you have been. Good luck, Bob from Hamburg, Pennsylvania.
Bob
Hamburg, Pa USA Tue 09/26/2006
Re: Ron's comments
The Gorilla tri-pod is great. Twists every direction, very small and lightweight, and can support most digital cameras. Easy to pack.
Available at most camera stores for about $25. Also have seen it at REI stores.
USA Fri 09/22/2006
Tripods Mandatory!
What about tripods? My opinion, "don't leave home without them." You need one regular, but lightweight tripod that will fit in your luggage, and one minipod always attached to your main camera. Even if flash photography were allowed, I would not use it. Why? Because it gives no sense of the actual scene you are photographing and destroys the ambience and essence of most indoor scenes.
Practically ALL indoor sites (museums, cathedrals, etc.) in Europe don't allow tripods. HOWEVER, practically ALL indoor sites DON'T KNOW what a minipod is.
I recommend buying the Slik Mini-Pro III, Tabletop Tripod with Compact Ball Head. I use it as a chestpod ALL THE TIME. If you don't know what a chestpod is, it is hard to describe how important the Slik Mini-Pro can be. I keep it attached to my camera at all times. It will allow even more "hand-held" shots to be high quality with even less shake.
HOWEVER, its most important use in Europe was as a tripod that was not identified as a tripod by security and staff. I could set it on the floor, on a chair, or on a table, and shoot time exposures up to 4 seconds long and get incredibly perfect photographs of very dark interiors, like in Chartres Cathedral, France. Of course, to be able to set a minipod on the floor and take photos, you MUST HAVE a twist out LCD screen to frame your picture and check focus. Even where tripods were strictly not allowed, the minipod, sitting on the floor could be used for an extended period of time before you would run into a security or staff person who objected and called it a tripod.
Ron Sterling <email>
Seattle, WA USA Thu 09/21/2006
Best Digital Still Camera for Indoor Photography
I have read most of the 2006 posts on travel photography. I would like to comment on what makes for great indoor pictures (museums, cathedrals, etc.)
Most great pro-sumer style, single-lens, reflex cameras don't even have a mirror lock-up system so that you can shoot indoor pics with a tripod (or mini-tripod) without camera shake. Sure, they may have ISO ratings that go sky high and may allow for hand-held photos at ISOs of 1600, but a digital photo shot at ISO 50 with a tripod will be much higher quality than you could ever get at 1600. Additionally, there is no pro-sumer digital camera that has a twist out LCD screen that would allow you to frame pictures properly with the camera sitting on a chair, on the floor, etc.
My opinion is that the best indoor camera at this point in time is the Konica Minolta Dimage A200 because it has (1) a twist out LCD screen in addition to its viewfinder screen, (2) it is NOT a single lens reflex, thus, you don't have to worry about locking the mirror up for time exposures (3) it has a perfect 2-second delay setting so you can hit the shutter-release button for time exposures and there is no camera shake 2 seconds later (most cameras have 10 second delay only, which is too long) (4) it has a manual zoom lens that allows quick and perfect composition and framing (5) it has a great auto-focus system (6) on manual exposure, you can dial in the correct exposure by watching the LCD screen (in other words, what you see is what you get), (7) a really good anti-vibration system that allows for higher-quality hand-held pictures in low light when you can't use a tripod (8) and, finally, if you are a diehard photographer who wants to get a picture even when "no pictures are allowed," it has a wireless remote (in other words, you can, in a limited way, take pictures without raising your camera from your chest to your eye or from the bench it is sitting on next to you).
I know there has been a philosophical discussion of whether you should attempt to take photographs even when the signs say "no photographs," and I am not going to opine on that issue. It is a very personal decision. I found it incredibly disheartening to not be able to bring home a high-quality reminder of the splendor of certain interior aspects of the main cathedral in Toledo, Spain, where NO PHOTOGRAPHY of any type was allowed. However, if I had wanted to, I could have sat down on a bench near the glorious Transparente, set my camera on the seat and shot a picture remotely with the wireless. Staff and security had no problem with me walking around with my camera with the LCD screen twisted out to the side, as long as I never raised it to my eye.
Ron Sterling <email>
Seattle, WA USA Thu 09/21/2006
Anne - WiFi
your questions should be posted on the 'TRAVELER'S HELPLINE" board, not here. This is for suggestions and recommendations for taking photographs, not info on wifi, or for asking any question.
if in need of info on how to post on this board, please refer to the home page and "posting guidelines"
thanks!
USA Sat 09/02/2006
WiFi in Italy?
I am planning an 8 week trip to Italy next year. I was considering taking my laptop to upload my digital photos and to keep in touch with my husband with a its built in web cam. I see a lot of references to internet cafes but not a lot about wifi. In the US I can always find a wirless hotspot to connect with. If wifi is easily found is it the same system as we have or would I need some special software? ANy advice would be greatly appreciated.
Anne
Chicago, IL USA Sat 09/02/2006
Awesome Panorama Software / Taking Photos in Museums
I just discovered some amazing free software that I wish I knew about when I went on my most recent trip. The program allows you to combine multiple digital photos into one large photo. This is handy for creating panoramas or just really wide-angle shots (as long as there's overlap between the images). Alternatively, instead of taking one 6 megapixel photo, you could zoom in a bit, take four photos of the scene, and stitch them together to get a 24 megapixel image! The free demo version is at http://www.cs.ubc.ca/~mbrown/autostitch/autostitch.html
As for my 2 cents on the recent topic of taking photos in museums: When I was in Paris 2 years ago people WERE allowed to take photos (with flash!) of the Mona Lisa. I just remember in Italy there were no photos allowed of Michelangelo's David or the Sistine Chapel ceiling. I don't think it would be usefull if Rick's books indicated if photos were allowed for specific museums or not. Would someone actually avoid going to a museum/gallery because they're not allowed to take pictures? I hope not.
Jeremy
Hamilton, ON Canada Fri 09/01/2006
Indoor photo tips
Rich, I am a pro photographer and I have taken thousands of photos in Europe. Digital makes it so much easier to take photos inside. If you have a manual setting on your digital camera set your ISO to the highest it will go. Usually about 400 in lesser cameras but up to 1600 and even 3200 in some more advanced cameras. A high ISO is more sensitive to light than a low ISO. Make sure you hold the camera very still and shoot away.
As far as "right" and "wrong" regarding this, my experience has been in museums all over the World you can take photos of anything you just can't use flash. This is not true for the Mono Lisa however. There are people standing in front of it waving things in front of your camera and yelling no photos.
I do take "personal" photos of EVERYTHING I can on trips. My belief if that if I am not selling them, nor degrading their quality no one has a right to tell me not to take a photo of something I am going to share with many of my friends and family. I pay to get into exhibits, etc. and I should be allowed to take a photo for personal use and not to sell.
Many cities have strict rules regarding photographing their city, including my hometown of New York City where you can use a camera on a tripod ANYWHERE in the city without a permit. The police are pretty relaxed about it though and they usually tell me not to do it right in front of them but if they saw me do it they wouldn't make a big deal of it.
I have successfully taken indoor photos of the Sistine Chapel where it is COMPLETELY off limits to photograph with, or without a flash. I have a great shot of it I took without a flash and I don't feel it violated any laws, or local statutes. That's just my belief though and some may disagree.
New York, NY USA Mon 08/28/2006
Paris burning photos to CD
Proud new owner of a Nikon D200 and leaving for Paris soon. I've been told are places in Paris that will burn photos to CD for a reasonable cost. Can anyone share experiences with this? Any recommendations in, or around, the 7th arrondissement?
BN <email>
Austin, TX USA Sun 08/27/2006
Inside photos
Out of respect to the art work in some churches and museums...it's not always possible to take a photo. Sometimes the restrictions are on the FLASH only, if you have a digital camera, or sometimes film, you can shoot inside with existing light and get a decent photo.
When all else fails...just buy the postcard! Above all, I feel respect is most important. If the sign says no photos....then don't take one.
USA Mon 08/21/2006
RICH...INSIDE PHOTOS
Your experience is normal .
I doubt you can find that kind of information anywhere.
Those rules change at each location from one month to another ; so if you found it, you might learn the rules changed by the time you arrive.
I always go prepared to pay a fee to take pictures if it is required-- or to check my camera at the door if photos are prohibited. You never know until you get there.
RAN
TULSA, OK USA Sun 08/20/2006
Inside Photos
I would like to have a little advanced info on taking pictures inside of buildings such as a castle, church, or museum.
Does anyone else think it may be helpful to have a small item in Rick's guide books that photos are OK {or not}?
My interest, on this trip is Germany, but on a recent trip to Ireland I met with several "NO PHOTO" signs inside buildings!
If not Rick Steves, is there another source for this info??
Rich Otto <email>
Navarre, FL USA Sun 08/20/2006
My .02
I am a crazy avid amateur photographer, and thought I'd share my experiences. I shoot with a Canon 20D. It's a digital SLR and I love it. So far, it has been to Germany, Italy, and Ukraine, not to mention countless places within the US, since I got it in '05. Personally, I would not travel without it. I take the body, a 17-35 lens and a 75-300 lens. I don't have too much equipment and don't feel too weighted down.
When we travel, my husband carries our small p&s digital in his pocket. It's perfect for those times when we're not together or when I don't feel like carrying my big camera (which is rare). Also, he loves to take pics of us at arm's length (you know, he holds the camera and we hope for the best), and we've gotten some fun pics of us throughout Europe that way. As far as storage goes, when we went to Germany and Italy, we took two 1 Gig cards for the slr and two 512 cards for the little camera. Every night we downloaded the pics to our iPods (we each have a 30 gig) and started fresh the next morning. It was perfect! We bought the iPod photo connector which has a mini USB on one side to connect to the camera and the iPod connection on the other. It's super easy, just plug into both the camera & the iPod and confirm that you want to transfer.
A couple of words of warning, though: be sure to take your charger or extra batteries for the camera (or both, I always have an extra battery charged and ready to go just in case) and the charger for your iPod. I didn't realize how much juice the transfer process ate up. The first trip I took with this set up (Ukraine), I had to be careful about how many pics I took b/c my iPod was running low. I shoot in the large format, but try to make sure I don't fill up my 1 gig card completely, our iPods would run out of juice before getting the whole thing downloaded. Another thing, if you're planning on downloading to your iPod, make sure you check your p&s before you take it. Ours does not have a USB connection - it connects to a dock. We didn't think of it till after we left, but we did have our pics burnt to a CD in the Cinque Terre without a problem. We also wished we'd taken 2 converters with us. We found that we'd need to charge both a camera battery and an iPod, but could only do one at a time b/c we only had 1 converter.
Several people have said two 2 Gig cards would be plenty. Not for me. On our 13 day trip to Germany and Italy, we took over 6,000 pictures (yes, that was mostly me). That's a lot, I know, but I love having the ability to shoot away and worry about deleting the ones I don't want/like later. Like I said, this is all just my preference, but I love the feeling of being able to take as many pictures as I want and not have to worry about it. Someone mentioned that you get more of the obscure moments this way. Absolutely true for me. When I lived in the Netherlands for 6 months, I took 36 rolls of film or around 1100 frames (they were mostly 36 exposure rolls). That's a big difference, and I don't want to have to go back to censoring myself. I'm not saying don't take a film camera. I see the benefits there, but for me, right now, this is what works.
Jamie <email>
Tulsa, OK USA Sat 08/19/2006
Great new digital camera!
Just bought a new digital camera...it's Sony's Cybershot H5. Ultra Zoom 12X, 36-435mm. Macro. Anti-shake feature. Fully automatic, or manual if you like.
Huge 3" LCD finder on the back (doesn't tilt, but with this size, you don't really need it- unless you are trying to shoot over a fence?)
It's a 7.2 so I can get some great enlargements for my photo gallery in the basement after each trip.
Great reviews on several websites..
Takes a memory stick, Costco has them right now - 1G for $36.99 and a $15 rebate. With a 1G, shooting at highest res, you can get 284 images on one card.
It takes rechargeable AA batteries (2 are included) I bought an additional set at Target with a charger for $20.
Just got the camera over the weekend, have taken a few shots and downloaded to the computer. Very clear, great detail.
The camera is a bit larger than most out there...smaller than a DSLR, but with some great features...I really like that it has a larger lens size, better for interior shots without a flash.
Check the Sony H5 out if you are considering a new camera this year! Prices start at about $500, but cheaper on the internet.
Happy shooting!
USA Mon 08/07/2006
It is All About the Lens
I am a semi-pro photographer and am currently taking a 5 week trip through Europe, and I would like to make several observations about what I have noticed so far:
1. I think it is insane that people walk around with video cameras. Instead of drinking in the local flavor and living in the moment, too many people are stuck behind these cameras shooting footage. Besides, watching hours of video after the fact is a chore at best. You are better off shooting great photos with a still camera.
2. There are a lot of people walking around with expensive DSLR cameras, but they are shooting with cheap stock lenses that came with their camera bodies. While having a great camera body is a worthy investment, the lens is what makes the difference between a good photo and a great photo.
I personally use a Canon 5D with an L series 24-105 lens. My images are crisp, the details are rich, and the lens focuses really quickly. I have some samples from my current trip if you want to see what a great lens can do (www.earstation.com/sabbatical).
I guess my point is that if you want to take your photography to the next level and you own a DSLR, you would be well served by investing in a high end lens. While these lenses are very expensive, your pictures will look a lot slicker and more professional.
As for saving images, I am using my hard drive and a 100gb portable drive for backup. Saving your precious memories to only one place is crazy and you should always have a backup.
John S. <email>
San Francisco, CA USA Thu 08/03/2006
Best way to store digital photos
I have used a portable CD burner for several tips now to transfer my photos directly from any memory card to CD each night. It doubles as a CD/DVD player and runs for a couple of hours on rechargable batteries. Comes with a dual voltage charger so all you need is the appropriate adapter for the country of interest. The beauty of burning to CD is your photos are fail safe. I met a couple that thought their pictures were saved on their IPod only to discover the drive had gone bad and they lost everything except what was still in their camera.
The CD's allow you to operate your camera at full resoulution and take many more photos than you ever thought possible. Sounds crazy but I take anywhere from 1000 to 2000 pictures per trip and always find my best shots were the ones I never planned on. Having plenty of room on my memory cards is never a problem with this unit.
I never have to find a photo shop or cyber cafe and I don't have to lug around a lap top unless I'm on business. Try and store that many full resolution photos on an IPod.
Check out kanguru.com
Rob
MA USA Mon 07/03/2006
RE: photo junky needs help!
I used my digital camera last summer while in Europe. I took two memory cards and when one was full, I took it to a photo shop where they put all my photos on a CD--cheap and convenient. Shops that do that are almost everywhere.
Mike Richardson
Denver, CO USA Fri 06/30/2006
Backpack or shoulder bag
Shannon, I can only chime in to say that in 5 trips to Europe and my camera in a daypack, I have personally never had an issue with pickpockets.
Of course I am very careful and watch where I am, how many people are around me. And, I guess, a lot of the time I am NOT in big cities, but rather in the smaller towns where pickpockets are not as big an issue.
Bottom line, I'd go with the daypack for comfort and hands free.
USA Thu 06/29/2006
Video IPod for burning pics
Hey all-
Another photo junkie joining in. Just a word of warning on the Video Ipod option. I tried downloading a bunch of RAW files last night to test it and it crashed the Ipod. Obviously, I am still taking it on the trip but I will definitely plan on using the CD burining option as well.
Shannon
Nashville, TN USA Wed 06/28/2006
Digital Photo Storage Tips
Hi Charles,
I too am a photo junkie, so from one to another, here is my advice... Before you leave home:
Pick up a couple of extra 1GB (or better) storage cards to get you through a day or two worth of shooting.
Buy a compatible card reader and short USB cord (together, under 20 USD).
Also buy a 10 - pack each of CD+R and CD-R recordable CDs (having both will increase your chances of finding a compatible burner on your travels, then get extras as you need them).
Then, search the web for a list of cyber-cafes that are accessible to you during your tour (many public libraries and universities will allow you to transfer your data from your photo media to the CDs, if not free, then for a small fee). Access to computers for this purpose is getting easier each year, unless you are avoiding every med/large populated town. Burning CDs will free up your storage cards for more photos and provide you with an easily stored/stowed backup to take home with you. I've found this method to be the best. You won't need any special software as this is simply a transfer of data and no editing is necessary.
Some may suggest to upload your pix to an online service (flicker, snapfish...) but connections are not always reliable or fast (and you'll have huge amounts of data) and not worth the risk of losing data during the transfer which can take several hours if shooting hi-res images.
I don't know the type of camera you have, but consider only shooting RAW format pix for your special shots, as this will save you some card space. The more mundane shots can be saved as high or med resolution jpg's. Do this a few times and it is as natural as changing an f-stop.
Finally, using your camera's on-board deletion tool can also save you card memory. Let's face it, rarely do we have a day when *every* photo we take is a true "keeper." Doing a little "housekeeping" between tour stops might just be enough to get you through the day and on to your next cyber-cafe for your next download to CD.
Hope this helps.
Peace! and Happy Trails-
wayne0k <email>
Morrisville, PA USA Mon 06/12/2006
Ipod for photos
Charles- You might want to read Introduction to Camera Adaptors at www.ilounge.com. And, the CD burning option mentioned below is a real possibility. On many trips to Europe, I found these services are very popular, easy to find, and quick. But if you are shooting so much, the CDs will begin to add up sizewise; and the biggest problem would be editing at the end of the trip unless you can do that everynight on the camera. I just bought a 1 gig SD for $30 but that is still only half of a 20 gig Ipod costwise. It might be worth considering a video Ipod 30 or 60 gig which could give you lots of extra space for movies (maybe 3 per gig) and lots of music plus tons of space for the photos. The disadvantage would be the battery needs since 2/3 hrs of video use is about what you can expect unless you just use it on a wallplug. I have an ILuv battery pack which will extend to about 9 hours. Or, a 4 or 5 generation model without video could provide more time without the extra battery but still give you tons of photo space and music, and, with a Belkin or other microphone you can add notes or commentary along the way. Also, you can buy a lightweight AC/DC wall charger. I can get with about 3 gigs enough music for 2-3 hours per night for 30 days before repeating. I think the versatility of the Ipod is probably the most important consideration when comparing the various options.
Rich Sweeney
CA USA Thu 06/01/2006
photo junky needs help!
Hi, i'm planning on a 2.5 month backpacking trip to europe this summer. I am a digital photography fanatic (on a 1 month trip to china last year, i took almost 3000 photos). However, on that trip, i brought my laptop and could easily unload my photos every night. This time, i'm not planning on bringing a laptop, so i don't know what a good solution is. I'm not going to comprimise the quality of my photos by shooting in a low resolutions mode, i can buy more memory cards, but i see myself gobbling even those up. I'm expecting to take about 20GB of photos. I'm considering getting an Ipod photo with an adaptor to download my photos onto that, or maybe the I/O magic photo library and unload my photos onto that, problem is, that's more equipment to lug around (especially with the plug and voltage adaptors). If anybody else encountered this same problem and has a viable solution or have first hand experience to share, it'd be great to get some suggestions. thanks.
-charles
charles <email>
manchester, ct USA Wed 05/31/2006
Burning CDs/Backup Cards
Steph - We went to Provence (several areas), Paris & Prague a year ago and it was relatively easy to find camera stores that would burn cds for us. We always had the store double check the pictures on their computers afterwards to make sure they'd been copied successfully. About the 1G card being huge..uhh...I had to dump mine several times. So if you're anything like me and end up with 3300 pictures from a 14 day trip, you might want to consider a back-up card or dumping to cd a time or two. :oD If you're a little more sane with your picture taking, you might be just fine!
Jenny <email>
Orlando, FL USA Wed 05/03/2006
Steph - storage cards
Steph, just to be safe, I'd bring at least one more card with you. Have you used your card already to make sure it works OK? I have never had a problem with my memory cards (knock on wood) but I also travel with 3 cards....just to make sure.
i don't waste time or money burning my photos to a CD. 1G is HUGE, you shouldn't have an issue filling it with your camera. But- do get yourself a backup card!
USA Sun 04/30/2006
STEPH........HOW SHOULD I STORE PICS
I set my camera to take the most exposures on my cards. I find very little loss of detail in the pix.
One GB should be enough. Don't buy another card until you use it up.
I have taken photos for 3 weeks with less than one GB.
I wouldn't burn it over there; I have read about problems travelers have in using foreign stores to burn CDs.
AL Z.
CHICAGO, USA Sat 04/29/2006
How should I store Pics?
I'll do be doing digital with an kodak p=650. Cheap for most of the posters on here but nice for me as I'm a student. It uses a SD memory card and I have one that stores 1 GB. Should I but another one and just leave my pictures on that until I get back or how easy is it to burn CD's while I'm over there? Do I need to bring my own CD's, do you do that in camera shops or do they have little kiosks like we have over here? Oh, I'm gonna be gone for 2 weeks to London, S. Spain, and Rome. Thanks for the help.
Steph <email>
Tyler, TX USA Sat 04/29/2006
Traveling with Video Equipment
I'm heading to China next month on an assignment to take photos and video. I will be traveling with an SLR camera with a couple of lenses and also a large Canon XL1 video camera. Does anyone have good ideas for a bag I can use to take all the stuff? Maybe the Rick Steves tech people can weigh in on this one?
Bob <email>
Grand Junction, CO USA Sun 04/16/2006
Night Photos
Lori,
To answer your question about taking night photos:
- I suggest using the self-timer function on your camera. The night shot mode sets the shutter speed at a slow rate to capture as much as possible. Because of this, ANY movement will make your photo blurry. - You also need to make sure where you set your camera is absolutely still. - If you have any manual controls (over shutter speed, ISO, and EV) play around with them. You can get some very interesting shots with a tripod and a very slow shutter speed.
Good luck!
Mark
Los Angeles, CA USA Thu 04/13/2006
photography with flickr
Hi. I have jsut got myself an account
with Flickr, and will try using it
while away in London in a few weeks.
I will report on its ease[or lack of it] and will recommend a camera after
I buy and testdrive an inexpensive
digital camera. So far I have a small
cheap pocket digital, which takes poor
pics but is small enough and cheap
enough for a poor struggling writer like me to afford. I will buy either
a disposeable camera to go for the trip
slong with it, using the cheapest one
for photos tale outdoors of landmarks
only. If you have any suggestions please let me know. I am on a very tight budget and am only an amateur
photographer at best. I want to be able
to upload the photos from NEARBY
EMAIL CAFE IN LONDON [PADDINGTON]. I
hope it will be convenient and easy.
How manp pics can you store anyway?
I have account with Yahoo and FLICKR,
THAT'S ALL!
DIGICAMERA IS ALL I OWN FOR NOW, MIGHT
BUY A CANNON CAMERA WITH FILM/SOUND
OPTION IF FINANCES ALLOW IT!
Aundrea <email>
CANADA Wed 04/12/2006
LOVE DIGITAL BUT HAVE QUESTION
I suggest you read your owners manual. Mine has a section called "Exposure Compensation" which tells how to set the white balance to adjust for light source.
Another solution is to set your camera on an stable object such as a wall, pole or table to eliminate movement.
HAM DAGGOR
DALLAS, TX USA Thu 03/30/2006
Love digital but have a question
Having lived in Europe for a few years I have taken countless thousands of photos just about everywhere. I started out with both regular film and digital cameras but when I compared the detail and color of the digital to the film camera I was using I was hooked. Plus, it's just a whole lot easier for a novice like myself. Aside from just being able to check and make sure I had captured the image I was after, the ability to switch from color to B/W to Sepia is wonderful. On cloudy days most ancient monuments still look great in B/W. I recently purchased the Canon IXUS 700 camera and it's great but I am unable to get very good night photos. I have a small tripod but with no remote control there is still movement. I probably need to manually set the camera in some way but am unsure what setting would allow better low light photography. Any suggestions??
Lori <email>
USA Tue 03/28/2006
Point and shooting In Europe
Mmmm I might aswell stick with the Powershot S2 IS.. See how it goes on the trip, if im unhappy with it in action, ill see if I can pick up a 350D somewhere in Europe ;)
Andrew <email>
Perth, WA Australia Fri 03/24/2006
The debate
I am NOT a professional photographer. I take photos of my holidays so I can scrapbook them, and put them on my ipod so I can show friends a slideshow.
I used to take my 35mm camera. Got great results, then I took the 35mm and a new digital camera I bought, both at the same time. I used the 35mm more, because I was more comfortable with it.
last trip, I took only my digital camera. I am so happy with the results. First of all, I don't feel like a "dork" with this huge camera hung around my neck. Second, my photos from the digital are just as good as my 35mm - in my eyes. I can't see any difference.
I don't take the time to delete any pictures, I have plenty of memory to keep them all until I get home and load them on the computer so I can really see what I shot. I don't waste time in a store burning CDs of my photos.
So...as a person that gets to holiday every 2 years in a wonderful place besides my home town, I'm sold on my little C7000 Olympus digital camera and the great shots it takes in my hands!
USA Tue 03/21/2006
Camera
1. Your eye can't tell the diference between 10mp and above and film cameras, unless there is finging or something. If you are taking 8 x 10's and below you won't notice the difference, and most won't notice the difference even if they use a 5mp camera.
2. It's very easy(And cheap) to make two copies, one for you and one to send home for insurance. When home you can edit the best of your photos to perfection and print only the very best, say 20 out of thousands.
3. SLR's digital or otherwise are useless for many people because they simply don't want to learn all the bells and whistles that come with it. They would be better off with a good quality Canon or Sony point and shoot digital with 5 or 6 mp's.
4. The best thing to do is to get a good quality P+S camera that also allows you to change aperture, shutter speed, exposure, etc... You don't want to get your fancy new camera with expensive lenses the month before your trip, and end up using 5% of the features because you don't know the rest.
I am an advid amateur photographer and have taken amazing pictures with DSLR's all around the world but I have also taken equally amazing pictures with a good quality point and shoot digital. In fact some of my best pictures were made with a point and shoot(Yes, tweaking manual settings but still on a $500 camera, not my $3000 one).
3.
TJR
Calgary, Alberta Canada Mon 03/20/2006
Photography in Europe
I've spent about a year travelling in Europe 6 different trips. The first 5 were with film (mostly Velvia), 2 cameras and 4-5 lenses. My last trip was with a digital Canon SD500, about the size of a deck of cards, and 7 megs. I had done testing with a 5 meg camera and the results were so good that I was convinced that the 7 meg camera would give me all I needed. The results were so satisfying. Quality was superb. I loved the freedom and light weight. Even indoor high contrast and low light situations were handled well, perhaps even better than film. One of my favotire photos was inside the Vatican, shooting up at the dome, with sunlight through the windows hitting a gold cross. Sharpness, detailed, high resolution photos delighted me. Enlargements to 12X18 inches were superb. We travelled with friends, who had a backpack for their photo gear. It was about a full cubic foot in size. My camera bag was a tiny 3X6X8 inches. In addition, digital gives instant feedback, memory cards were downloaded to CDs several times during the trip and there was no film to buy, carry around and process.
Cary Tamura <email>
Brea, CA USA Mon 03/20/2006
I would go with the SLR. You can't lose, because most SLRs nowadays allow the automatic settings and ease of a point and shoot, but as long as you read the book or know what you're doing, you can also control more finite settings, resulting in creative pics you couldn't acheive w/point and shoot. If you have the cash, go with the SLR.
Jordan
Oklahoma City, USA Fri 03/17/2006
SLR or point and shoot?
Hey guys, I have just a Canon powershot S2 IS for my trip to Europe. The quality seems to be.. OK. But Im trying to decide whether to get a Canon EOS 350D SLR or stick with the point and shoot cam.
Andrew <email>
Perth, WA Australia Mon 03/13/2006
Random photography advise
A few random thoughts from a serious photographer...
Quality camera equipment is expensive. Don't skimp. You get what you pay for.
Cameras are tools. They shouldn't be overly babied, and they shouldn't be left at home because you're afraid they'll be lost/damaged/stolen. The more expensive your camera gear is, the more important it is to actually put it to use.
If you're really worried about the financial loss, ensure your photo equipment before you leave. Talk to the company that insures your home about an "all risk" floater to cover your camera gear while you're away. It won't be very expensive.
Don't get caught up in the digital vs film debate. In skilled hands, both are capable of great results. So use whichever you prefer. Ignore the inevitable busybodies who insist you're doing it wrong.
The quality of the lens is more important than the quality of the camera. When buying a new point and shoot camera without interchangeable lenses, be sure that the lense is good - cause you're stuck with it.
If you use a film camera, use professional grade films. Wedding/portrait film (Fuji NPH, Kodak Portra) produce extremely natural and pleasing colors. Fuji Velvia gives exquisitely vivid and detailed images. I dare you to try a roll of Velvia and a roll of wedding film, and to compare the results to your usual grocery store film.
Don't be afraid to try black and white photography. Many times a picture that looks boring in color turns out to be pretty interesting in B&W.
Color film and prints will fade considerably within a generation. Digital files don't fade, but they may become completely unusable when our current technology (.jpeg files, CD/DVD drives, etc) becomes obsolete. There are no easy solutions to either problem.
Above all, take lots of pictures. Your goal should be to wear out your camera before you head back home. If your camera looks new when you get home, then you didn't get your money's worth out of it.
John
Fort Wayne, IN USA Sun 03/12/2006
ipod compatibility with olympus500
Apple iPod Camera Connector will allow you to place photos into your Ipod directly from your digital camera.
Daniel
Tustin, Ca USA Thu 03/09/2006
Is the iPod compatible with an Olympus Stylus 500 Digital Camera?
I'm going to Europe and I have an Olympus Stylus 500 Digital camera. I keep reading wonderful things about the iPod and how you can save your pictures on them, thereby enabling you to clear your picture card to shoot more pics. But, does the iPod accept input from my Olympus camera or will this only work with some other brands? I'd like to have an iPod for all of the other features as well, but not if it will not save my pics.
David
McKinleyville, CA USA Wed 03/08/2006
I'm digital
I can't believe we're still having a film vs digital debate. My 3 megapixel takes great photos when I take it off automatic. I take about a 1000 photos on each trip, can you imagine carrying all those film canisters? No way, two or three CF cards for me. The photos are great at 4x6 and 5x7. Perhaps not worthy of National Geographic but I'm happy with them. My photos are now on DVD I watch along with music, limited by TV resolution, not the megapixels.
My 2 Canadian cents worth.
Check out my photos at
http://www.pbase.com/beethovenlives
Vancouver, BC Canada Sat 02/25/2006
Good Picture Spots?
Got any ideas for great pictures in:
Munich, Germany
Fussen, Germany
Reutte, Austria
Bolzano, Italy
Padova, Italy
Vicenza, Italy
Venice, Italy
Milan, Italy
Verenna, Italy
Gimmelwald, Switzerland
Chamonix, France
Geneva, Switzerland
Bern, Switzerland
Murten, Switzerland
Zurich, Switzerland
Appenzell, Switzerland?
<email>
USA Wed 02/22/2006
Digital No Doubt
I intend to do lots of walking around, and for me personally, I'd rather keep my schlepping of things to a minimum. My compact hi res digital camera will be most awesome. It fits in my pocket, has 7.2 megapixels. Can even do magnificent AVI files. Just grab that suker out of my pocket and I'm ready to shoot anything that might come my way. At the end of the day, whatever I have on my 1 gig disk, I upload onto my small ipod (60 gig), clear my sd disk and start fresh the next day. God help me if I lose my ipod, but it should be OK since that is always guarded like gold.
Bon Voyage and happy pic taking to you all.
Ian
CA USA Thu 01/26/2006
Digital with Flickr
Flickr is the best free website I've found for sharing my European adventures with family and friends from around the world.
Now I can download my pictures very quickly, and look at my photos (and those of my friends) easily from any internet cafe. Now when I'm travelling, I don't miss what's going on at home, and my email account doesn't get so full with photos from family. It's like bringing my photo albums to Europe (and my family's), but not having to carry them everywhere.
All you need is a yahoo account.
Kate McKenzie
Stuttgart, BW Germany Sun 01/22/2006
Digital Vs Film
In general, I love film. However, I do shoot in digital too. When it comes to people photography in Canda or abroad, I prefer digital because the final quality of the imge is not my major concern. However, when I decide to photograph Yellow Mountains of China, specially in black and white, I use my 35mm Pentax Z1P or MZS. Inside Canada, I use medium format (Bronica ETRSi or Mamiya RB Pro SB, or Toyo 4 x 5 inch field camera). I am also semi-pro and do on location potrature in black and white and colour (visit my website: http://www.sharyphoto.ca). The only downside to film is that its cost (specially black and white darkroom material) is going up and I have to charge more my clients. Some of the clients cannot afford or do not understand the difference between film and digital. So, I have to use my digital camera for the portraiture. When I do wedding, I use my high speed film with great results.
So, what I am saying is that, film is superior to digital quality wise. Digital is more convenient when it comes to speedy work or snap shots.
Shary from www.sharyphoto.ca <email>
Toronto, Ontario Canada Wed 01/11/2006
As someone who has taken photos practically my whole life, I can understand the excitement of getting photos from the developer and seeing what kind of treasures (or losers) I have. Risk is what it is all about when you are taking photos as an art form. Photos from film also have a different "look" to them - sort of similar to the difference between vinyl records and a CD.
Susan
USA Mon 01/09/2006
Opening a present part II
You experience the same thing when you get your prints from a digital camera. Until you acutally hold that print in your hands and explore the little details. you never really see what you get!
Why take the risk of opening a poorly chosen gift? i.e. that film that you shot and found out that the pictures didnt' come out they way you'd hoped? And why spend so much money on a "gift" that isn't appreciated?
Digital prints are so very easy for 99% of us out here that want holiday pictures...
If you are sold on film...go for it! But digital is so very very easy to use and the quality is fantastic. Plus, the size of the camera makes it so easy to pack and carry around, and not look like a tourist!
USA Mon 01/09/2006
Opening a present
The good thing about film that is worth mentioning is the feeling you get when you get your pictures from the shop. It is such an exciting experience and it makes people happy. Isn't this one of those small things in life that makes people happy. It is like a kid opening a nice present. Modern automatic cameras deliver good results on majority of the shots. With digital cameras, this feeling is lost. You would have already viewed it on the camera or seen it from the PC. You may say that things may not turn out right with your pictures, but if you know your photography, the risk is really very low. Maybe out of hundreds of pictures, some would have been spoilt or wished were better. I believe that if you didn't know how to get it right the first place, in terms of desired exposure, composition, depth of field etc.., you wouldn't know how to get it right even if you had a digital camera to preview your pictures. With film, knowing that you cannot make many mistakes, you tend to focus more on the job. You shoot and move on. Sometimes, you only get one chance. Viewing and deleting between hundreds of shots with digital camera to check your shot steals time. Not to mention the time spent in front of the computer manipulating and editing the pictures when you are back home. Not that the little screen on the back of the camera can tell a lot in terms of accuracy of sharpness, colour or composition. Who knows, you could have deleted something that was actually very good when printed out. Viewing through the small viewfinder of digital cameras are also a disadvantage(Unless you get the high end expensive DSLR). If you look at the viewfinder of the Nikon F3, you can see a lot of the scene well and it's somewhat bright. Thus, getting it right the first time is the way to go. Let the printer in the shop do the adjustments to exposure, if necessary. Thus, it is important to get a good reputable printer. With my Nikon F3, the exposure was spot on most of 700 pictures I took in a holiday in Italy. I had dialed in +2/3 exposure for most shots and kept changing exposure compensation, shutter speed and aperture. In my F3, doing this is such a straightforward and fast thing. They are all laid in front of you. No buttons and menus to memorise. There were a few shots that I did not like, when I did not adjust for the best duplex exposure for a few wide tonal range shots due to a combination of forgetfulness and rushing. I only had five out of focus and depth of field problems shots. Only two could not be used, and they were not must have shots. Most important scenes would have had two or more shots anyway. As for x-rays, the hand luggage scanner had no visible effect on film below ISO400. For film above ISO400, mostly they will hand inspect. Even if not, like in one case, it did not spoil the film. Never put them with check in luggage where the x-ray is much stronger. But I will not trade a couple of spoilt or imperfect shots for that wonderful feeling each time I get when collecting beautiful prints and seeing them for the first time in my hands.
Chia <email>
KL, Malaysia Tue 01/03/2006
Digital for ME!
AFter several trips to Europe with my film camera, then taking both a film and a digital camera...its' DIGITAL all the way for me.
No changing film in the middle of great shots. I can fill one memory card with 600 photos...and I an see what I have before I get home...I can see what I have as I shoot, and make sure I get that shot I want. With film...I waste so much money and film with developing, and I have no idea if what I took will turn out.
Why be disappointed when you get home to find that you didn't load the film right, or something happened to it at the airport and it's worthless?
another great advantage is the size of my digital camera! I can take photos and not be noticed, I don't have to cart around extra film, etc. I only need an extra battery.
I'll keep my film camera, but it won't get much use!
USA Thu 12/29/2005
Film Always
Was in Italy for 2 weeks in October. I think photography is a very personal thing. I much prefer film camera because I like the look of cameras from the 80's, so I bought myself a Nikon F3. It is the only pro camera I can afford. I have a personal liking to this charming and full of character camera. Just my personal thing as I am a sucker for vintage things. I got the camera, a Nikon 28-85 zoom and 20mm f2.8 prime lense for only USD684.00. The lenses are multi coated, great quality, very sharp, constrasty and people are selliing it at a cheap price as they are changing to digital. A Nikon D70 with Standard Zoom will cost me USD1,050 and I haven't even factor in extra battery and memory chips. I probably want a better resolution camera as D70 is medium range,and a better high end model DSLR would cost a bomb. I have never seen how pictures printed from high end DSLR looks like. Maybe people can't afford the cameras. The low end consumer digital camera printouts are a shocker. How could people accept that quality. A friend of mine has a medium range DSLR Nikon D70 but I have never seen the printouts. He stores them in the computer. Probably he has taken thousands of shots and are too lazy to edit and print them. I believe most digital users have the same habit, which is a shame. I print all my pictures(I have no choice as it's in the film canister), edit them by taking the best, enlarging some of them and stick them in a Italian made leather photo album. Great. Watching pictures from the PC and album is just different(of course the album is better). In fact, I do not even have a computer to download all the pictures if I go digital. A Computer would cost...You know. I have learned that I should have printed the index first from the each roll of film and choose from there, instead of printing all the pictures and choosing. It would have been much cheaper. I used one set of batteries on my F3 and shot more than 600 pictures before needing to change it. So battery power is not an issue. No need to worry about running out, charging or different plug heads. The Nikon F3 is build like a tank. It can take punishment that comes with travelling. Yes, getting film through checkpoints are a pain and loading, unloading and changing between rolls can be cumbersome but somehow I can live with it. Buying film can be a constant cost but I don't believe digital will save money as you constantly buy batteries and memory chips. I believe they do break or get lost too. I used 18 rolls of Fuji Reala and it's their sharpest and most life like colour negative film. It's good enough and comes close to slide film. I also used 2 Fuji Neopan 400 B&W. I prefer slide pictures but they are way too expensive for me. Looking at National Geograpic pictures of old and new issues, I could see some comparison between slide and digital. Somehow, I prefer the look of slide film over digital. I wish the pros will switch back to slides, because National Geog is loosing its feel. I am sure not everyone will agree with me on all this and I believe they should just do what their heart or mind tell them to do. If they like digital then why should they choose film. Anyway, in the end of the Italy holiday, I got great shots and I am happy. Everyone else were very impressed by my pictures too, which is double happiness.
Pheng Wee <email>
Petaling Jaya, Selangor Malaysia Wed 12/14/2005
Camera gear and digital storage
A three week trip to The Netherlands, Czech Republic, Luxembourg, and Belgium was shot with two Nikon film SLR's with color slide film in one and black & white film in the other. I carried three zoom lenses and hardly ever used the 80-200. I also carried a small, Nikon digital camera. This was a lot of equipment to haul around but it all fit in my photo vest and I packed light otherwise, washing socks and underwear every few nights in the hotel sink. I was traveling with a friend on business so I used his laptop to download my digital photos every day.
In April 2005 I spent a month in Ireland and carried a Fuji S2 Pro digital camera with three lenses and my little Nikon digital as a backup. I hardly used the Nikon but I brought 3000 photos home.
Storage of the digital images was on a SmartDisk 20GB FlashTrax hard drive that is small enough to fit in a pocket and has a slot that accepts Compact Flash and other media cards. You need to carry extra batteries and battery chargers for all of this but it's a small price to pay for having quality equipment and an efficient way to store images at the end of every day.
Jim
Anchorage, Alaska USA Mon 11/21/2005
Here's the proof on film VS digital.
Sorry if I didn't make myself clear. I am not comparing film camera bodies to digital. I am comparing film to digital.
And yes, you actually do need to have a 16 megapixel camera to do the job of Fuji Velvia. The people who say you don't haven't looked at all the research or can't afford the Canon 1DS Mark II.
Hey, the 20D is a great camera but it doesn't compare to the 1V with Velvia in it. It doesn't compare for speed and it doesn't compare to image quality. Not yet guys, it will.
Here is the science behind it.
http://clarkvision.com/imagedetail/film.vs.digital.summary1.html
You need 16 megapixels to equal the resolution of Velvia 50 and 100.
Ok?
Does that clear it up?
Digital does rock but it's not better than film yet. It simply isn't.
Taylor
New York, NY USA Fri 11/18/2005
Digital rocks
8 megapixels and above - including my Minolta A2 rock - comparing them to film, especially with a full sized CMOS sensor is inconsequestial to the outcome of the product. I predict in 1 year a 12 megapixel camera will cost US $900 - I loved film for over 30 years, but digital rocks...
Jay <email>
Seal Beach, CA USA Thu 11/17/2005
Film versus Digital
Sorry you do not need the high priced Canon digital to equal the best Canon 35mm film Camera. The Canon full frame digital camears equal or better medium format cameras. All you need is the Canon 20 at about $1300 to equal or better a 35mm camera. You use the same Canon lenses so there is no difference there. Yes, I shot film for 20 years and have converted to digital and will never go back. Yes, I care about quality number one and digital has it all over film. I did the carry 40 rolls of film for a month and try to get them hand inspection at the airport. Did you ever try to get hand inspection in China? Good luck!!
Bob Sheldon <email>
Reading, PA USA Thu 11/17/2005
Film VS Digital finally solved!
I have been reading the Rick Steves Graffiti wall for a long time. This is such a great place to get info for your trip. I have been into photography for about 6 years now. I am a semi-pro, meaning I don't do it as a living but I sell a lot of photos on auction sites, etc.
I have been juggling with the digital revolution for months now until the other day. I am a film lover and as of this week I will stay a film lover and user. I bought the Nikon 5000ED film scanner and I've never seen a piece of technology I like more. This scanner takes in my Fuji Provia 100F slides and renders them exactly the way they are portrayed on the slide, beautiful!
If you have been thinking about going digital and you are serious about photography please read this. I have read many forums and discussion boards, as well as looked at many of the sites dedicated to this topic.
Here's what I've learned:
1. If you shoot mostly snapshots digital is your domain. You can take hundreds of candid photos of you, your friends, family, etc. 2. If you want the best quality photos and you place the best film and best digital cameras up against each other it stacks up like this. The best film camera in the world is arguably the Canon EOS 1V, (go look it up). If you put a roll of Fuji Provia 100F or Fuji Velvia 50 now called 100F into it the only digital camera that can compete is the Canon 1DS Mark II. This camera has all the capabilities of the EOS 1V and it has a 16 megapixel sensor. How much does this beauty cost? Try $7,500. You read that right $7,500!!
It's a fact that shooting with a 16 megapixel digital camera is the equivalent of shooting with Fuji Provia 100F or Fuji Velvia 50 or 100F. You can do your own research but according to the latest statistics that's what is boils down to.
So if you have a camera like the EOS 1V and a great Canon lens like the Canon 24-70mm L series lens please go get a great scanner and wait for digital to come down in price. If you all rush out and go digital the film industry is not going to progress at all. Even if you don't have the best camera in the world go spend your money on the best lens you can buy and if you want the convenience of digital prints go get the Nikon 5000ED film scanner.
Remember film has been around almost 150 years! Digital is not anywhere close to film. The numbers described above are for 35mm film VS digital. What about medium format and large format cameras? Digital can't even touch that. One piece of film has billions of small silver crystals called (hallide) crystals. That's billions of crystals! Digital has millions of pixels. You do the math.
And isn't it great to have your slides in archival sleeves where you can look at them and have a "hard" copy of your precious photos? I shoot my candid shots with a little Canon digital camera. I saved about 40 shots onto a CD and saved them at the best resolution and deleted the photos from my camera's memory card. When I went to open the CD it would only load about 10 of the 40 photos. I learned later that it was because I saved the files at that high resolution and my computer couldn't open up 40 photos at the same time saved at such a high resolution. My computer would just freeze up. I would give anything to have a "hard" copy of those memories.
So, the bottom line is this:
If you already have a great film based SLR and an amazing lens stick with film. Unless you have $7,500 then please by all means go get the Canon 1DS Mark II.
Film photography is about the lens and the film used! The camera is just a light box.
You can buy a brand new Canon EOS 1V, Canon 24-70mm L series lens, the Nikon 5000ED film scanner and 1,000 rolls of Fuji Provia 100F for what the best digital camera costs.
Think about it!
Ok I'm done. This is a very hard subject to make up one's mind about but if you do the research and you want the best shots for the least amount of money your answer is above.
Good luck!
Please feel free to email me if you have any questions or to find out where I got my info from.
T.Young <email>
New York, NY USA Wed 11/16/2005
Batteries for Digital Cameras
Some digital cameras that use AA batteries also use CRV3 batteries. These batteries are not cheap but they last a long time.
USA Mon 10/31/2005
Digital Camera batteries
I found one simple solution to digital batteries....bring a back up and the charger.
We spent 2 weeks on vacation in May, I took my new digital 7mg camera, and extra battery and the charger. I had the extra battery with me at all times...only after 300 photos, did I have to insert the back up battery.
I've taken a digital that had disposable batteries before...they didnt' seem to last as long.
I'm not talking here about rechargable AAA batteries, but rather the better ION that come with Olympus cameras, etc.
I didn't miss a shot, had great results from my "point and shoot" Olmypus C7000. (a/k/a C70)
As an amateur photographer that basically only takes pictures while on vacation (kids are grown and gone) I want ease while on holiday.
My camera offers me great settings for landscape, interior, night, closeup, etc. A great 38-150 zoom.
Ease of use...being able to pull the camera out, turn it on in an instant and capture the moment is what I'm about!
USA Wed 10/26/2005
Leave my SLR at home - NEVER
I find I want a DSLR with me where ever I go. I carry it so often that it is just part of me. The smaller CCD's on the point and shoot digitals result in much to much "noise" in night time or dark interior photos taken at a high ISO. You also can not beat the flexibility of a variety of interchangeable lenses.
The DSLR has dedicated batteries but that is never a problem. The chargers work on 220v electric in Europe and I have a converter to use with a car's cigarette lighter/power point. Never have had a problem with losing any photos due to the battery.
Bob Sheldon <email>
Reading, PA USA Mon 10/24/2005
Leave my SLR at home
After lugging my SLR around England on a trip, I vowed I would never do it again--and I haven't. Shortly after that trip, I bought an Olympus Stylus Zoom and that has been one of the best cameras I've ever owned, it's since been to England twice and to Ireland, along with several US destinations. Now I take it along with my digital camera and have tons of pictures to show for both cameras.
Here are several questions to ask yourself when deciding what to take camera wise:
Is the camera easy for YOU to use? Does it seem like an inconvenience to carry it around?
My philosophy is this--if it's not an inconvenience and I find it easy to use, I find that I take more pictures. I've noticed that several people have mentioned "creative limitations" with a point and shoot or digital--hogwash! I have taken stunning pictures with an SLR, a point and shoot and a digital. I've seen some pretty horrible photos taken with an SLR simply because the person behind it had no clue what they were doing, and some gorgeous photos from a disposable point and shoot. Creativity can be limited by the camera, but there are many things that todays point and shoots and digital cameras can do as well as an SLR if you take the time to learn to use it.
One thing for potential digital buyers to consider--what kind of batteries does the camera use? I recommend a camera which takes AA batteries and can use either alkaline or rechargeables as these can be found in many other parts of the world. If you buy a camera with a specific type of battery for that camera only, you might miss out on some pictures, or have to spend a fortune for a second battery.
Flo
PA USA Sun 10/23/2005
Extra, Extra, Read All About It........
This is kind of old but still worth the read:
http://www.enjoy-europe.com/hte/chap12/fotograf.htm
Ray <email>
Tacoma, WA USA Tue 10/18/2005
No photos at the Louvre
Just so others know, the Louvre will no longer allow guests to take photos in the main attraction areas. That means NO PHOTO of you with the Mona Lisa! Also, the Mona Lisa has been moved to another room. It's a disappointment but they sight security reasons. Maybe some irrate guest went ballistic because all the flashes kept him/her from enjoying it????? Who knows! The crown jewels are also in another room and no photos are allowed there either. You can still take photos of the Venus De Milo.
Gail
USA Tue 10/11/2005
Greatest Hits: Europe
These photos were culled from my trips over to Europe over the years and with many different cameras. Starting with my pre-digital days with an Olympus Stylus point and shoot film camera to my first digital camera a Canon Powershot 100, then progressing to a Canon Powershot G1 and then temporarily borrowing a Nikon Coolpix (I now shoot with a Canon digital SLR).
I feel digital is the only way to go for convenience and for immediate feedback. With memory cards so cheap now storage is no longer an issue (in 2002 in bought a 1 gig card for $500 and now you can buy one for about $69)! Have fun shooting!
Visit my site:
Sam Antonio <email>
San Diego, CA USA Tue 10/04/2005
Minolta Rocks
I am a big believer in Minolta - it is and has always been a technology development specialist. They even make the glass for Leica. The lense for the A2 is very strong. You can get a wideangle and telephoto for it, making it a 22 - 300 focal lenght. Anyway, I have a 8.2 meg A2 - I recommend this camera or the A200 - a slightly lesser performer. I love my A2, I take 500 - 1500 photos a weekend. Joshua Tree, Utah, Mendocino, wine country, etc... - I got it on the internet for $450. I also bought a 4 gig CF card and I use my existing SD memory with a SD converter to use in this camera...This camera rocks. It is discountinued, I still bought mine though because I have researched this and I know Minolta is a strong performer. Then after you learn how to use it to its fullest potential you will find how very powerful it is. Then in a year or two get the 20 megapixel camera...for about $3000...Then you will be well armed.
Jay <email>
Seal Beach, CA USA Sun 10/02/2005
FILM, why it's better.
Excuse me if my post sounds pessimistic against digital, but I do have some problems with it.
This does not apply to everyone, so no offense, but I am very apathetic to the digital camera craze.
I shoot all film and never have a problem. I carry a larger 35mm SLR camera for its greater range of flexibility and customization and choice of lenses. I generally carry two lenses and a large flash gun. Some people argue against the weight/size of such a set up and the "complex"-ness of it all. I see no problem. Because of my wide range of films to choose from, I literally have hundreds of choices already to custom tailor to situations. Because I carry a large flash strobe, I proudly bring back pictures from Spanish bullfights while my friends with digital point and shoots have dark photos(weak flash) that they can't enlarge bigger than a 4X6 because of resolution. I never have to worry about deleted photos, because as long as I don't open the back of my camera until the film is wound, it is safe. I can control depth of field, lens focal length, aperture, shutter speed, filters, film type, film speed, and other settings to tailor to situations.
Complexity? No. I think the unwillingness of people to learn about film and its abilities is a classic example of many American's laziness. They want what they want and they want it now.
I have airport security hand check my film above speed 400 and anything under that is okay.
I can proudly use slide film at speed 64, etc. and enlarge to billboard size without any grain, while digital users deal with their obvious blaring pixels.
I am a proud film user forever! The quality of photos, its ability to be enlarged, and its thousands of possibilities in film choice, filters, lenses etc. make film my choice! I will gladly carry the extra weight.
Jordan
Oklahoma CIty, OK USA Sat 10/01/2005
Don't Bring Camcorder
I took my digital and couldn't have been happier. During the trip, I downloaded my pics directly onto my iPod. :) Don't bother bringing a camcorder...just make sure your digital camera can take some videos...and make sure you have enough storage for them. A camcorder is just too big. Oh yeah, if you want to check out my blog with pics included, go to stnunn.blogspot.com
Sam <email>
Los Angeles, CA USA Wed 09/28/2005
digital photos in Europe
I just crammed 600+ beautiful photos on one 256 compact flash card while traveling in Provence. Agree with others that today's digital cameras have great automatic scene settings for indoor photography as well as for outdoors which is a whole lot easier than trying to figure what speed film to use, protect from airport security xrays, and not lose along with way. I also popped a few bucks for taking extra lithium batteries along which was easier than trying to recharge batteries, and an extra flash card just in case I ran out of room on the first one. Tip: Compress your photo size to enable maximum storage on the card or stick. Shouldn't be a problem as long as you don't plan to do poster size prints.
Deb
Harleysville, PA USA Thu 09/22/2005
Label Your Camera -- and Memory Stick
I just converted to digital camera, and I absolutely love it! I can't believe the quality of the photos it allows me to take in museums -- it has a "museum" setting and somehow the photos turn out brighter than the original setting. Especially if you are shooting an item in a showcase.
As for labels, long ago my Dad taught me to put an address sticker on the outside of the camera, and on the film cameras, inside the film door as well.
On my digital, I took a picture of my business card on which I had written "this camera belongs to..." with an arrow pointing to my name. Then, I locked the photo so that the only way it can be deleted is by reformatting the memory stick. Now, I realize that if the camera is stolen, a thief wouldn't care who it belongs to. But if it is inadvertantly left somewhere and whoever finds it wants to contact me, all they have to do is call my work phone, which I check daily anyway.
Sue
Philadelphia, PA USA Wed 09/21/2005
digital memory to CDs
We're taking our Sony digital camera (uses memory sticks) to France for a month and wonder if anyone has used "Kodak-type" machines to make CDs along the way.
Gracia
WA USA Wed 09/21/2005
European Photography
I've been to Europe about a dozen times and have taken thousands of photos since the 1960's. I also own and operate a camera shop. Here is what I recommend for the average photographer: use the widest angle lens that you own, because European streets are narrow and the buildings/churches/monuments are tall. I prefer black and white for Europe, but with digital, one can achieve B&W with ease on the computer. Also, both Kodak and Ilford make B&W 35mm films which are easily processed in color chemistry by any lab, and a CD can be ordered from film for a few dollars extra: the best of both worlds. I've never been impressed by videos taken by amateurs, unless one is suffering from insomnia and searching for a cure. Dollar for dollar, today's film cameras will outperform digital cameras. For example, a Canon Rebel 35mm camera is $250, but the Digital Rebel is $700.
Karl
South Orange, NJ USA Sun 09/18/2005
Label your Camera!
This probably goes without saying, but I didn't realize how important it is to add some type of I.D. to your camera until I lost my Nikon digital on a bus in Bertchesgaden, Germany last week! Fortunately, it was turned into the bus station a few days later, but I realized that I had nothing on it to I.D. as mine (other than the 65 plus photos from the 2 previous weeks in Germany) I consider myself VERY lucky to have gotten it back!
Ann
Phoenix, AZ USA Sat 09/17/2005
For The P & S'ers amoung us:
I also think two cameras is (are ?) the only way to go.
I would only add that you should be using one and you wife ( husband / S.O. / whoever ) should be using the other one.
Two sets of eyes and fingers have brought back more and better point and shoot type snap shots than either one of us would have brought back by ourselves. There have been times when one of us was just too lame to take any pictures but the other one pointed and shot and we've got the pictures to prove it.
Obviously, this post is not relevant to the dedicated photographer, but my wife and I are not in that category. She has at least as good an eye as I do (she thinks better, but what does she know?) and our pictures complement each other. It costs nothing to take a digital picture so we don't worry about duplicating each other's shots.
So, yes, take two cameras! Just make sure two people are using them.
Ray <email>
Tacoma, WA USA Tue 09/06/2005
2 cameras could be OK
One thing to think about too...Black and White photos. You can convert your digital to do this...or you can take your little point and shoot ELF with B&W film. Get creative....especially if you scrapbook! I only took my digital on the last trip, I'm not sorry I did, it make my life easier, no thinking about which camera to use, and i wasn't constantly carrying around more than I needed to. I bought a nice small digital with a 7 million pixel and a great OPTICAL zoom. I got home and enlarged several of my pictures for my travel gallery at home. I shot at high quality all the time, took 2 512 cards and one 254. Felt like I was shooting a ton of pictures...and guess what? didn't even fill ONE of my cards!
USA Tue 09/06/2005
Two camera convert
Also a fan of two camera - a small p&s (Digital Elph) - fits in my pocket and is great when dealing with kids, etc.
When I have the time to be creative and plan to take photos to blow up and frame, I use my Digital SLR (Canon EOS Rebel). The picture quality is incomparable.
Buzz
PA USA Mon 09/05/2005
2 cameras
we take two cameras but two digital..why you ask. the one is a professional digital with lenses....and sometimes like when we go for dinner I don't want to carry it all around so the small point and shoot for those times...It works out really well
USA Mon 09/05/2005
Back to Point and Shoot
I have made several trips to Europe carrying an SLR and have never had any trouble. However, I do not carry a tripod and really have not missed it especially with digital. I would never be satisfied with the quality and limits (inability to change lenses) of a point and shoot. I used a p&s for one trip and will never do that again.
Bob Sheldon <email>
Reading, PA USA Mon 09/05/2005
Back To Point and Shoot
On my first trips to Europe, I had a point and shoot camera (Minolta Freedom) and I have to admit, that though it had it's limits, it took great shots.I have since gone to an SLR, to expand on my photographic souvineers and it has seved me well (night shots etc), but in aid of trying to be more incognito and not wearing a big sign that says TOURIST with my SLR and tripod, I am thinking about going back to point and shoot. You can carry it in your pocket and whip it out to catch your shot then stash it away and "blend in" again.
Martin <email>
Livermore, Ca USA Sat 09/03/2005
Slides
Sorry, I do not agree with needing slides. I took slides for 30 years and I am now converted to digital and will never go back. Digital needs the same care in exposure as slides and you can get the same vibrant feeling as with slides. However, you need a good digital projector. It needs to be XGA in resolution and have, as an absolute minimum, a contrast ratio of 800:1. Higher is much better. I belong to a camera club where both slides and digital photos are entered into the same "Projected" contests. You have a hard time telling which is digital and which is a slide except for the projector is being used for a particular photograph. Note, Kodak has stopped making slide projectors.
Bob Sheldon <email>
Reading, PA USA Mon 08/29/2005
Slides, still
Digital cameras are a great invention and give many people great pleasure, as point-and-shoot film cameras did. However, it remains true that no print, film or digital begins to have the realism and "you are there" effect of slides. Not for everyone, and technically more difficult because of the slow speed and intolerance of exposure errors of slide film, but they really provide vastly superior momentos of trips.
USA Tue 08/23/2005
JAMIE - BRING SLR OR NOT?
Jamie,
If you just want to take snapshots and general travel scenes, stick with a digital point-and-shoot. If you want to get more in-depth and enjoy the creativity of composition, focus, exposure, etc, take both. Also, since you are considering a new camera and you already have a Pentax film SLR and at least one interchangeable lens, why not get a Pentax digital SLR like the 1st D or 1st DL? These are both excellent cameras like just about everything Pentax makes, and most Pentax lenses for film SLRs are compatible. Then you could have your SD100 for snapshots when you are out having fun with friends and have access to the digital SLR for more contemplative photography with no film hassle, etc. You really have to decide what type of photography interests you and how important image quality is to you.
The thing with ultra-compact digitals like the SD100 is that even though they keep gaining in megapixel count (MP), cool styling, and features, their image quality will always be limited by the small size of the optical systems and imaging sensors. If you DO want to upgrade your SD100 to a new pocket sized digital any of the major manufacturers make good stuff. If you want to stay with Pentax look at the Optio S4 or S5 series. I have a S4i and think its great for what it is made for - snapshots. S5 series is basically the same but it is 5MP vs 4MP. There are 6MP and 7MP ultra-compacts out there, but they aren't worth the extra money compared to a 5MP. More megapixels in this range is more of a marketing ploy than a photographic advantage. Excellent results and fairly large prints can be had with any of these 5MP to 7MP ultra-compacts, but they do not / cannot compare to larger cameras. You have to decide how important quality is to you.
If quality is important you will probably want to get away from the ultra-compacts and look at compact digitals. Some of these are almost as small as ultra-compacts but really aren't any better in terms of image quality. Larger compacts like the Canon G6, Olympus c-7070 and Pentax Optio 750Z create much better quality than the really small cameras and are still very compact. But not so compact that you could just stick them in a pocket or small handbag. Ultra-compacts and compacts work best outside and inside WITH flash. They are generally not suited for available light photography (inside with no flash).
The next step up is an SLR-like digital like the Olympus c-8080, Canon Pro-1, Nikon Coolpix 8-series, and Minolta A and Z series. Pentax doesn't make anything in this class. These are still pretty compact, have non-interchangeable zooms, but don't match digital SLRs in image quality. They produce more contrast and resolution than smaller cameras but still struggle in low light. They all suffer from noise at higher sensitivities. For instance, if you are photographing inside without flash and need to turn the ISO up, all of these cameras will create excessively splotchy photos. Outside at ISO 100 they are great, at 200 they are good. But if 400 or higher is required they are virtually unusable for quality photography. By most reports the Olympus c-8080 is the best of the bunch, but may have been discontinued.
Which gets us to digital SLRs. All of the traditional manufacturers make fine digital SLRs. They are far superior in terms of image quality to any of the smaller cameras. Images look silky smooth and snappy and they can be blown up BIG. High ISO performance is excellent to fantastic, especially with Canon (Canon uses CMOS sensors in their SLRs which are superior in most areas to the CCD sensors used by other manufacturers). The competition is finally jumping on Canon's CMOS bandwagon. But the Pentax digitals are very nice as well, with little high-ISO noise compared to smaller cameras, and you can probably use the lenses you already own. They aren't cheap, but aren't ridiculous either ($750 - $1100). If price is a problem you could sell your film SLR to help out with the cost.
Matt <email>
Centennial, CO USA Sat 08/20/2005
Take a 2nd Camera
We took a digital camera (4 megapixels) and took 380 pictures in a 23-day trip. The quality was terrific. My husband talked me out of taking my older (film) Minolta...we hiked to Ehrenberg Castle ruins in Reutte, Austria & then our digital camera batteries ran out. The charger/transformer we brought from the USA was not working properly with the European sockets. so we ended up buying a European-style battery charger, which worked great...but I wish I had taken my regular film camera for emergencies!!!
Susan <email>
Port Orchard, WA USA Wed 08/17/2005
a 10 or 12 megapixel camera is awesome - have you ever used one? The results are phenomenol.
USA Mon 08/15/2005
Take 2
I still stand by my comments about taking 2 cameras, espeically in light of the person who originally brought the subject up. Even on "auto mode", a film SLR gives you more control over a photo than any point and shoot, 10 megapixel, fancy options digital camera can, unless it is also an SLR.
Susan
USA Mon 08/15/2005
in my opinion - most people use an slr on auto mode...so I would expect someone to use a digital the same way. So I would not drag 2 cameras - either one or another...but make it a really good digital. I presently would not bring a film SLR - to much of a hassle - film hand inspected, blah blah blah - digital all the way 5 - 8 megapixels, extra battery, at least 1 gig of memory, lens cleaner...go and have fun.
USA Fri 08/12/2005
Taking Two Cameras Is OK
Go ahead and take two cameras - the Pentax SLR (film) and your digital camera. Unless you buy a digital SLR, it just won't be the same and you won't have the kind of control over a photo that you are used to having.
Susan
USA Tue 08/09/2005
Jaime - Digital Camera
Just go digital. You wont' look back. you don't need 2 cameras on your trip, and I bet you take more pictures with the digital. If you love Pentax, then go to your local camera store and ask the guy/gal behind the counter to show you several models. Go for the highest pixel count you can afford. you might want to blow some photos up to larger than 8 x 10. Film cameras are just too hard to travel with. Unless you are a professional photographer who develops their own film ..you don't need both. Even a lot of the professionals are digital only now.
USA Sun 08/07/2005
I would think about getting something like a Minolta G600 - 6 megapixels, fits in pocket, grab some one gig SD cards, 2 extra batteries, you should be ready...You can adjust the parameters on to customize your needs...maybe you can buy a Minolta A2 - 8 megapixels - would solve all your needs. I have left my film cameras at home...
USA Sun 08/07/2005
Pentax
I have a Pentax SLR camera that I have sort-of stopped using after I purchased a digital Canon SD100 a couple years back. I plan on purchasing a new digital camera before I leave for a year studying abroad in the south of France. I'm trying to determine whether or not to bring along my SLR for its flexibility and manual capabilities. I will have a home base in France, so its not a question of having to tote it around for a year, but I would like to bring it to some countries. Is a digital enough? Suggestions? Also, any experience with Pentax digital (point-and-shoot), I've fallen in love with the company with my SLR, but I'm not sure about the digital?
Jamie
CA USA Sat 08/06/2005
Leika pronounciation
Leica is a German name. The "i" is pronounced as in eye. So, L-eye-ka.
Steve
Richmond, VA USA Fri 08/05/2005
Photography in Russia
After reading some concerns about Russia I thought Id add my 2 cents. In St Petersburg at least...Most museums and palaces do allow non-flash photography - you pay about $2 to $3 for doing it and why wouldnt you? Right, some places do not allow it - but just ask first. Do NOT shoot in the metro - they are considered secure installations - and any excuse to fine you will be taken. And in general, avoid flash whenever possible - its annoying and dangerous to the artwork. Dont be paprazzi - be respectful and courteous shooting people just as you would at home. Russians tend to be even more private about this than Americans.
I dont understand a comment about fading slide film. I have Kodachrome 64 from trips to Russia in 1979 and 1980 that are pristine. This stuff lasts forever....and guess what, it doesnt lose compatibility.
2004 I was in Petersburg and had the digital vs film dilemma (I have a pro-Nikon and wasnt ready to risk losing it via theft or accident). I figured, better a cheap camera in MY pocket than an expensive one in someone elses. I took a manual 35 and 25 rolls of slide film and am forever happy that I did. No battery recharging, etc. Much lighter camera, manual lenses - all the control I want over the image - especially darkly lit interiors. Plus NOBODY wants to steal a manual film camera! Professional slide film will naturally give (ie, without photoshop) things in interiors you cannot get with most digital cameras yet...(I know,... but Good luck lugging a D2X around town). Tricky part,of course, getting it all out intact. Always ask to have it handchecked - I was lucky that they did and I now have tons of perfect shots. However, having said all that - with security measures now, might be a different story this summer - although I hear they have chemical sniffers at Sheremetyevo (?)- which would be nice if they did. I dont know. If anyone knows anything about this - please email me - I prefer my transparencies!
Rex <email>
Redmond, WA USA Fri 08/05/2005
Leica- how do you pronounce it?
Is it lay-ka?
LA, CA USA Fri 08/05/2005
Identifying film or cds
I, too, have shifted from film to digital, but have retained one habit from the bad old days - I have a card posted on the interior of my day-bag (where I can focus my camera on it) on which is written my name and my local residence telephone number. I preprint them on my computer. Some are complete, but when I don't have a reservation, I carry some with only my name;I fill in the telephone number on site. This is always the first pic I take, whether on film or on a memory stick. My reason is not so much in case my bag is lost or stolen, although it couldn't hurt, but so that my film or cd's will get back to me if they fall into the black hole that sometimes exists in busy camera stores.
K Hile
Delray Beach, FL USA Tue 08/02/2005
Rob
Right on. you hit the nail on the head. I went from 35mm to digital last trip, and it was wonderful. I found myself taking more pictures....and that was great. I took an extra battery and extra memory cards, but didn't bother with the CD burner, no need. I had no trouble with the cards, all my picures came out great. I did get my camera 6 months before my trip so I could practice and learn.
I'm still learning. I won't go back to 35mm. My camera is the Olympus C7000. It's a 7mg camera. With a 512mg memory card, shooting at full res, I can get almost 400 picutures per card. I alway shoot at highest res..but not RAW. Thanks ROB. great comments!
USA Tue 08/02/2005
Digital vs. film
If you are trying to decide on going digital vs. film etc. etc. let me offer up some suggestions. Unless you are semi-pro or better, leave the film at home, spend the money and go digital. These days the quality of digital is so much better, it definitely rivals film even in the consumer versions. Don't cheap out and worry about the $50-$100 difference between a good camera and a much better camera. If you are serious about traveling (why else would you be here at this web site?) get the best tools you can possibly afford! You may only buy one camera but you probably will take more than one trip with it. Get extra batteries and memory cards. Get a bulk storage device (CD burner or data vault hard drive) to copy your pictures to and set your camera to its highest resolution. I have watched people day after day rationing their picture taking because they don't have enough memory and then get very disappointed. Why? The few pictures they did take will always be grainy if they enlarge them beyond postcard size because they were taking them at a low resolution to save space on the memory card. False economy! Why do people spend months or years planning a trip and thousands of dollars getting there only to cheap out on the one thing that will bring the trip back to life over and over again, their photos? Being able to take over 1000 very high-resolution shots a week is not excessive. You'll find yourself taking pictures of things that later remind you of the small moments that really make a trip, not just the big spectacular ones that look just like everyone else's pictures of Europe.
These days there is no excuse to buy anything less than 7 mega pixel with all the bells and whistles. Some people will say that is too much camera for the average person. I say why short change yourself for the next 5+ years because that is how long people tend to own a camera. Storage media type does not matter that much as long as it is mainstream and not some proprietary style that may fall out of favor leaving you stuck with no way to upgrade later. Personally, I favor the Canon SD500 because it is small, unobtrusive, takes great shots and lets me shoot all day without getting in the way. It has lots of really useful features and some that I still haven't found a need for, yet. When I do tuck it into my belt pack I hardly know it's there and nobody else does either. Just the way it should be. I put it on first thing in the morning and it's the last thing off at night. At the end of the day I burn the entire days picture taking to a CD with my stand alone burner and mark each CD with where we were and date with a special CD marking pen, not a sharpie as they will etch through the storage layer eventually. Now I have a well-organized file of pictures I can access readily.
Last comment; practice with the new camera at home for at least a month before going anywhere. Learn how to quickly make the few adjustments you'll definitely want to use while it doesn't matter, not on vacation as the shot of a lifetime slips by.
Happy travels.
Rob <email>
ma USA Tue 08/02/2005
Barcelona Photo Blog
I have been living in Barcelona for the past two months, am a photography student and maintain a photo blog at the following address: http://kerokit.typepad.com. I have had an amazing time here and my Nikon Coolpix 4300 hasn't let me down yet on all of my various wanderings. I certainly recommend it. Check out the photos and decide for yourself!
Kristin
Barcelona, Spain Sat 07/30/2005
Paris Photo Tours
I was recently in Paris and spent a day with Barbara from http://www.parisphototours.com. She is an American travel writer and photojournalist who was amazing!
I gave her samples of what I wanted and she showed me her favorite places to shoot photos (and many of them hidden little corners). We also got the bonus of historical information. She listened and I got the photos that were exactly that I wanted.
My photos are amazing - I'm thrilled with her services! I definitely recommend her to any amateur, professional, or in-between photographer.
PA USA Mon 07/25/2005
Digital Memory Cards
We recently returned from a Rick Steves tour. We took a Pentax digital with two 256 MB cards. When one was full, we just stopped at a local photo shop, gave them the card, and they downloaded to CD. Venice was 8 Euros and 20 minutes to make a CD. No worries. I had to change my lithium batteries once (turn off the display and use the viewfinder--much longer battery life).
Mike <email>
Denver, CO USA Fri 07/22/2005
No More Worries About Digital Memory
My big suggestion is using an Ipod photo or the like. All I have to do is hook my camera to my Ipod, turn both them on and the Ipod prompts do I want to download or not. A little less than 60 gigs of photos possible
Doug <email>
Kenosha, WI USA Sat 07/02/2005
I'm not flashing!
Digital cameras are perfect for getting that non flash shot. Just make sure you really hold that camera still so it's not a blurry outcome. Brace the camera on a chair/bench, etc if possible. Hold your breath! I've taken a ton of photos in places where it's posted "NO PHOTO". The guards dont' have an issue if there is no flash going off in a church, etc. In 4 trips to Italy over the last 5 years, I've taken shots in churches, etc. The only place I've not been allowed to take any picture was in the synagogues in Florence and Venice. The guide asked politely that we respect the sanctity of the building. If asked - I will not take a picture. I can't believe the people that are still taking flash pictures in the duomo in florence...!
USA Tue 06/28/2005
Flash nor not
Furthermore, if you read your camera's manual, you will find that most cameras have a feature to stop the flash from firing.
San Francisco, CA USA Tue 06/28/2005
Flash Pictures
Flash Pictures of Paintings~~I completely agree with the post below. Flash pictures of fabrics can cause aging also.
USA Mon 06/27/2005
Flash Pictures of Paintings
For those of you who are wondering why museums won't let you take flash pictures in its galleries, that's because every time a flash is used, it ages a painting like three days of sun! This is why paintings like the Mona Lisa have to be protected by special glass or they would have been ruined a long time ago!
Cindy May <email>
Hilliard, OH USA Mon 06/27/2005
Thanks!
Thanks, I really enjoy using the leica. it's small, easy to focus quickly, and i can hand hold it down to 1/30th. my lenses also open up to f 2.0 which also aids in low light places like churches etc. i've taken it to europe twice now, and it's coming with me again next week.
paul
USA Wed 06/22/2005
Jay~~do you always get so defensive? You wouldn't want to carry around a hasseblad all day as a tourist. And yes, I know what a hasseblad 4x5 is.
Nikons are very good cameras, especially the professional digitals which cost over $5000.00 which we have two of. You are correct a lot of how a photo turns out is the person, but the camera does have a part. Leicas are one of the best cameras out, and they do have a lot of effect on how a picture turns out. I think that you should grow up and not get defensive so easily. I have to agree with the post below when it states that most people probably have never heard of a leica, they are used alot by professional photographer, along with their professional Nikon D2X. I would suggest you sit back, take a deep breath and relax.
USA Sat 06/18/2005
Shooting film
Paul~~you are so fortunate to have a Leica. That is the very best camera you could own. My daughter has one, she is a photojournalist and she received her Leica for graduation from college. I bet you that 99% of the people who read this graffiti wall does not know anything about Leica or that they even exist. Happy shooting with you Leica.
<email>
USA Sat 06/18/2005
Leica knowledge
I know what a Leica is, and quality...so you and daughter can relax. Film is an entire different game. digital is freedom - my 8 megapixel CCD sensor shoots awesome photos, with my help, and next I will get a CMOS sensor camera. I have a nice Nikon and Hasselblad 4X5, digital technology is going to be enven more powerful in the next two years with prices coming down. I think a 22 megapixel camera will be $5,000 in 2 years...you will see...CMOS and cheap memory is the future. Also a person can take a good photo with a cheap camera - a nice camera does not guarantee a good shot, it is the photographer who arranges the image...
Jay <email>
Los Alamitos, CA USA Sat 06/18/2005
Shooting film
Paul~~you have a great camera. Leica's are the best according to my daughter who is a photojournalist. I bet that 99% of the people who posts here do not know anything about Leica's.
<email>
Ohio USA Sat 06/18/2005
How much memory you bring depends on your camera and number of megapixels, what you want to do with photos afterwards and how many photos you want to take, and, if you read the manual for your digital camera, it will tell you what type of memory card you should bring.
USA Fri 06/17/2005
Digital is great
I just returned from 2 weeks in Europe. for the very first time I only took my Olympus C7000. I brought 2 512mg cards, one extra battery and the charger. Way lighter and less to worry about than my 35mm I lugged last time. I was worried that I would not take as good photos as with my film camera...but I got some great shots. Blew them up to 8" x 10", could have gone larger. I now have a "gallery" of 6 great pics from my last trip...my plan is to change out these pictures when i get my next trip to Europe! Not having to change film in the middle of shooting, being able to see my photos immediately, and not having to worry about my film going through airport security ----no more film for travel for me!
I took photos inside buildings without flash..can't do that with my film camera. I took over 300 photos, and only had to change the battery one time, but I always had my one extra charged battery with me. Come on ---it's 2005 ----go DIGITAL for freedom from weight of equipment, ease of use and quality of pictures!
<email>
USA Tue 06/14/2005
SHOOT FILM
Paul~~~I used to be where you are. But in Nov last year I bought my 3.2 Fujifilm digital. Carrying it is REALLY traveling light. I still own three 35mm SLR cameras which are really heavy and never use them any longer. I especially like not having to lug film canisters around and put film into the camera and take it out. That is TRAVELING WITHOUT BAGGAGE. I keep 4 photo cards but I have never used all of them on a trip. Four photo cards is not baggage at all. Carrying film is BAGGAGE. I especially like the long time my batteries last. The complaint we hear most often is batteries expiring too quickly. I always turn my camera off when not in use and that helps preserve battery life. When I get home I can transfer the exposures to my PC in seconds and correct images and print photos easily. And they are much cheaper than having them processed at the camera store. Count the advantages of digital, Paul.
LEROY
WACO, USA Mon 06/13/2005
Photo misc
I just spent three weeks in Europe and took over 1500 photos with a Sony Cybershot which is smaller than a pack of cigerettes.It went on vacation instead of my canon digital rebal and was much easier to carry around and the photos turned out great. Also you can see the picture in your viewfinder before and after you take the shot/ It also looked too cheap to steal.
The camera came with a 32 MB card which was useless but I had an extra 512 MB memory card. I should have bought another 512 before I left and an additional battery. I also took all the connecting equipment in case the smart card was not availble which did happen.Also one of the memory stick adapters did not work so I was glad I had an extra one.
I did not find it that easy to find internet sites that had the equipment I needed to put my photos on disks as I also needed Windows XP, a CD burner and access to a plug but I always found something eventually. Some hotels had access. It was time consuming to find a place and to get through the process.
Next trip- same camera. More memory, an extra battery and to be honest a laptop but not because of the camera.
One more thing, almost every museum in Europe seemed to allow photography without flash. It was a great treat. I did notice that tour leaders did not let their groups use cameras. I think because of the possiblility of flash.
Vicki
Louisville, Ky USA Mon 06/13/2005
Digital is freedom
Have you tried a good digital? How much film do you bring? I used to bring 40 rolls easy - the handling and control issues were enormous. Also the threat of airport xray...etc....Digital is FREEDOM - excuse the troll comment, the way the intial letter was written implied certain questions.
Jay <email>
USA Sun 06/12/2005
shoot film
i'm no troll, and i resent the implication. i'm just saying what works for me. my leica m6 and 35 mm film allow me to travel light and fast. for me, this is the only way to go.
paul
tinton falls, nj USA Sun 06/12/2005
Digital is the way to go
to Paul, I am not sure if you are serious or not, or you are a troll. I shoot both, but totally prefer digital. Camera, 4 gig card, a couple batteries...thats it...I shoot 1000's of pics a day with my Minolta A2. No film to worry about. I take photos of any thing any where, any time, of any subject and it is so easy. The only way to fly.
Jay
Los Alamitos, CA USA Sun 06/12/2005
shoot film
when i go to europe, i only shoot film with a manual camera that runs on a tiny battery (only used for metering). if the battery runs out, i can still shoot!!! to me this is travelling lighter and more efficiently. digital requires too much baggage.
paul
tinton falls, nj USA Sun 06/12/2005
Digital Photography
This fall I will be traveling to Mexico and Central America, via the Panama Canal. The camera that I intend to take is a Sony Mavica 5 Meg didgital which takes a mini-CD. Its a great camera quality wise and you can finalize the photos right in the camera. BUT...... I am concerned about coming back through customs with my photos recorded in this fashion. I would hate to get haome and find myself with blank discs.
Any experienced travelers out there with an answer to by concerns?
John McFarland
Napa, Ca USA Fri 06/10/2005
Warning about putting digital photos on CD's in Europe
I just had a devastating experience while vacationing in France. I downloaded all my pictures off my memory stick onto a CD, then deleted the images on the memory stick to use it again. The CD appeared to work fine when tried in the photo store in France, but when I arrived back in the U.S. it turns out that there are errors on all the pictures and a special camera store (using their computer) could only access 1/3 of the images! The others are on the CD, but cannot be accessed. So I lost all my pics of the middle of my trip. The moral of the story is to take along plenty of memory sticks. They're now reasonably priced when you get them on sale.
USA Fri 06/03/2005
Replacing a lost digital camera
My wife is in Italy at this time. She just reported she has lost her digital camera. What is a good source in Italy (Venice area) to buy a Canon digital camera?
Paul McKnab
Emporia, KS USA Thu 06/02/2005
Portable Hard Drives (PHD)
PHD's are something to consider when traveling and taking many digital pictures. I have the 20 gig CompactDrive PD 7 X. I believe it was 179USD plus shipping. It does not have a LCD screen for viewing. http://store.yahoo.com/insidecomputer/mopiofcop.html This next link is the best of the best - so I've been told my professionals Epson P-200 http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/consumer/consDetail.jsp?cookies=no&oid=49164278 The Espson has a 3.8 inch LCD screen for viewing.That is the Canadian site - I am sure there must be a US site for ordering.
JB
CA USA Thu 06/02/2005
went digital
I've traveled to Europe 5x, last time with a regular 35mm and my new digital camera. hard to manage both, mostly used the 35mm, got GREAT photos. However, this last trip, bought a new 7mg digital camera, and only took it. My pictures came out great. I was really worried about getting the quality I wanted from digital, but I didn't need to worry. The camera is the Olympus C7000. Great 6x optical zoom (30x if I used the digital) Got pretty good shots inside churches. No flash, just the natural light. a little hard to hold it still, it's a pretty small camera case. didn't want to travel with a tripod. Just held my breath while holding down the shutter button. Did get a few blurry photos, but I'll learn as I go along. Nice thing about digital is, you can sneak in those pictures when you want, as long as you don't use a flash, in most churches or museums, it's OK.
USA Wed 06/01/2005
extra memory
If traveling with digital, make absolutely sure you have enough extra cards and/or a laptop/device to store excess imagery. I was in Martigny Switzerland and over a 3-day period shot 5 GBs worth of cards. Since all my cards were full, I wanted a 1GB CF card transferred to CD to free up this card. I went to a local camera/photography shop and asked them if they could do it, yes...but it would have cost me over $100 US dollars. Needless to say I started deleting unwanted images.
Richard Bumgardner <email>
Heidelberg, Germany Wed 06/01/2005
Digital Camcorders
I am taking my camcorder to Europe. It is a Canon Optura 30 (tape 1 hour not mini DVD which is only 1/2 hour) and it is tiny. Both the camcorder and digital camera fit into a tiny camera bag that is smaller than my fanny pack that I use here in the states. It has a velcro partition - so the camcorder sits on bottom and the camera sits on top.
JB
CA USA Tue 05/31/2005
Digital Camcorders in Europe
Does anyone have any experience with bringing digital camcorders to Europe? This is an option for my (third) trip to Paris this Fall and I want to show my future step kids the sights in an interactive way. But I know that this is a bulky option and want to hear everyone's oppinions.
Jenn <email>
CA USA Tue 05/31/2005
Photography in Europe
I've spent about a full year travelling in Europe, beginning in the early 70's. First, I used nothing but Kodachrome. Then, when Fuji Velvia became available, I used that exclusively. In 1998, my wife and I spend 3 1/2 weeks in France and I used Fuji Reala (great print film). We're going again soon, and I'm taking a digital camera, the Canon SD500, about the size of a deck of cards, with a 7 meg capacity. My early trips involved 2 SLRs and 4 lenses with a bag big enough to carry a football. My 1998 trip I downsized to a small rangefinder camera (Contax G2) with one wide angle, one normal and one medium telephoto lens, and took 60 rolls of 36 exposure film. I love the technology (and results) of digital and feel such freedom now. And the results are very impressive. 16X20 inch enlargements are sharp!
Cary T <email>
Brea, CA USA Sun 05/29/2005
Crisp fresco photos without a flash
I just recently converted to digital photography, and found that our digital Nikon has a much better tolerance for hand-held shots in low light (e.g. lower shutter speed) than my manual Nikon FM. We were able to get some amazing shots without a tripod or flash inside the Frari Church, Siena's duomo and San Mineato in Firenze, merely by steadying the camera on a flat surface (like a church pew or a column for vertical shots).
For extra steadiness, we set the 10-second timer to eliminate the jostling of pressing the shutter release. Even at 1/2 a second, this technique worked. As long as you're discreet and the rules allow you to take photos without a flash inside the sanctuary, I highly recommend this technique.
Kevin Day <