The Photography Thread

[The Blur]

I am thinking of getting my girlfriend mini DLSR camera for Christmas but I don't know if whether it is worth getting as I don't know whether if latest smartphones have became advanced enough to have similar image quality?

 

Can anyone with expertise in photography advise please.  The camera will be used mostly on holidays as we like to go on mini travelling expeditions.

[lifted*fox]

1 hour ago, The Blur said:

I am thinking of getting my girlfriend mini DLSR camera for Christmas but I don't know if whether it is worth getting as I don't know whether if latest smartphones have became advanced enough to have similar image quality?

 

Can anyone with expertise in photography advise please.  The camera will be used mostly on holidays as we like to go on mini travelling expeditions.

 

Phone cameras are high standard for people who want to take 'OK' photos these days, sure - but if you want to capture professional looking photos (in all kinds of lighting conditions) then a proper camera is still the way to go, imo. It doesn't need to be super expensive though.

 

Having a proper camera strapped around the neck will, imo, mean taking more photos. Also, it feels more organic - you look for photo opportunities because you've gone out with the mindset to capture photos - a phone camera always feels like a last minute 'well, I've got a camera so I'll grab a photo of that' in comparison. 

 

I guess the question that will help me suggest some gear is 'what is your budget?' - give me an idea and I can suggest some stuff.

 

I'm currently looking at getting my wife a camera so she's not stood about like a lemon while I'm doing photography and her request is that it has a proper viewfinder, for example. She wants a viewfinder because she feels pulling the camera up to her eye and framing it properly is preferable to just looking at the content on the screen. So maybe your girlfriend might like to think about how she feels about the process of taking a photo as well. 

 

You can also choose between a fixed-lens setup (like my Fuji X100F) which doesn't have interchangeable lenses but is compact and very capable. The fixed lens forces you to work within a boundary, pushing your creative limits with one lens only. It also has all of the essential controls - ISO, aperture, shutter-speed - on the camera itself, so she can spend more time being hands-on rather than pissing about in menu screens. 

 

On the other hand there are now some small interchangeable lens cameras like the Canon M100 which means she has more lens options in the future. The M100 is a big step up in terms of picture quality from a phone but it retains lots of the simple controls you'll find on a phone to keep photography simple and quick. She might like that so check that out - it might be a nice starting point. 

 

Hope that helps. Let me know your thoughts. 

[The Blur]

1 hour ago, lifted*fox said:

 

Phone cameras are high standard for people who want to take 'OK' photos these days, sure - but if you want to capture professional looking photos (in all kinds of lighting conditions) then a proper camera is still the way to go, imo. It doesn't need to be super expensive though.

 

Having a proper camera strapped around the neck will, imo, mean taking more photos. Also, it feels more organic - you look for photo opportunities because you've gone out with the mindset to capture photos - a phone camera always feels like a last minute 'well, I've got a camera so I'll grab a photo of that' in comparison. 

 

I guess the question that will help me suggest some gear is 'what is your budget?' - give me an idea and I can suggest some stuff.

 

I'm currently looking at getting my wife a camera so she's not stood about like a lemon while I'm doing photography and her request is that it has a proper viewfinder, for example. She wants a viewfinder because she feels pulling the camera up to her eye and framing it properly is preferable to just looking at the content on the screen. So maybe your girlfriend might like to think about how she feels about the process of taking a photo as well. 

 

You can also choose between a fixed-lens setup (like my Fuji X100F) which doesn't have interchangeable lenses but is compact and very capable. The fixed lens forces you to work within a boundary, pushing your creative limits with one lens only. It also has all of the essential controls - ISO, aperture, shutter-speed - on the camera itself, so she can spend more time being hands-on rather than pissing about in menu screens. 

 

On the other hand there are now some small interchangeable lens cameras like the Canon M100 which means she has more lens options in the future. The M100 is a big step up in terms of picture quality from a phone but it retains lots of the simple controls you'll find on a phone to keep photography simple and quick. She might like that so check that out - it might be a nice starting point. 

 

Hope that helps. Let me know your thoughts. 

Thanks for a very helpful post.  The reason I am considering getting her a camera is that I have noted quite few of holiday photos are over exposured from the sun or poorly lit at nights.  She is not aware as it would be a Christmas present but she would definitely want something fairly compact and easy to use with good auto settings.

 

 I have not really consider the budget yet as I wanted to know whether if the image quality between high end smartphone (She has Huwaei P20 pro)  to small DLSR camera is significant.   I would say £200 to £300 but I suspect this may be too low?  Maybe high end digital cameras without lens would be a better option?

[lifted*fox]

1 minute ago, The Blur said:

Thanks for a very helpful post.  The reason I am considering getting her a camera is that I have noted quite few of holiday photos are over exposured from the sun or poorly lit at nights.  She is not aware as it would be a Christmas present but she would definitely want something fairly compact and easy to use with good auto settings.

 

  I have not really consider the budget yet as I wanted to know whether if the image quality between high end smartphone (She has Huwaei P20 pro)  to small DLSR camera is significant.   I would say £200 to £300 but I suspect this may be too low?  Maybe high end digital cameras without lens would be a better option?

 

Hi mate, glad the original post has helped! 

 

the Huwai P20 Pro is a very capable smart-phone camera (it's a Leica camera) but you'll still find something like the M100 will be a step up in terms sensor size (APS-C 24.2 mega-pixels) and how it handles low-light situations (built-in flash), etc. Watch some reviews about that and see what you think. 

 

It is coined as the 'next step' up from a camera phone - still quite simple but better image quality and processing. It's also has quick connectivity to things like wifi so she can upload straight to instagram, facebook, etc.

 

some places sell this without the lens but you can find it with lens for about £329

https://www.currys.co.uk/gbuk/cameras-and-camcorders/digital-cameras/dslr-and-compact-system-cameras/canon-eos-m100-mirrorless-camera-with-ef-m-15-45-mm-f-3-5-6-3-is-stm-lens-10169176-pdt.html

 

I'm pretty sure they have these in Jessops if you wanted to go and take a look in person. I know this because my wife looked at one - she decided it wasn't quite hands-on enough - she wants to get into photography properly but it seems a perfect fit if your girlfriend isn't wanting to get too complicated but just get better photos. 

 

Hope that helps! 

[Buce]

 

I had no idea you were a camera buff, @lifted*fox but since you are, maybe you can help me.

 

I'm looking for a camera to take on a long-distance hike and as such, I have some very strict criteria. First and foremost, it needs to be light - the lighter the better; Second, it needs a long battery life (or at least use replaceable batteries, though that's not ideal); Third, if at all possible, I'd like it to be at least water resistant (waterproof would be awesome). Oh, and I'd like it to take a decent picture.

 

Am I asking the impossible?

[lifted*fox]

1 minute ago, Buce said:

 

I had no idea you were a camera buff, @lifted*fox but since you are, maybe you can help me.

 

I'm looking for a camera to take on a long-distance hike and as such, I have some very strict criteria. First and foremost, it needs to be light - the lighter the better; Second, it needs a long battery life (or at least use replaceable batteries, though that's not ideal); Third, if at all possible, I'd like it to be at least water resistant (waterproof would be awesome). Oh, and I'd like it to take a decent picture.

 

Am I asking the impossible?

 

Hi mate, let me have a think. you're not asking the impossible - what budget are you looking at, ideally? 

 

Sounds like you'd be looking for a fairly compact mirrorless but with changeable lenses so you can gets a lens on it for landscape photography - not sure at what price-point waterproofing kicks in though.

 

Battery life shouldn't be an issue - you'll just carry spares and they're tiny and light. 

 

Are you going to want to spend time working on post-production on your computer to edit your photos or do you just want to snap and share as is?

 

Let me know a budget and I'll see what I can suggest.

[Buce]

1 minute ago, lifted*fox said:

 

Hi mate, let me have a think. you're not asking the impossible - what budget are you looking at, ideally? 

 

Sounds like you'd be looking for a fairly compact mirrorless but with changeable lenses so you can gets a lens on it for landscape photography - not sure at what price-point waterproofing kicks in though.

 

Battery life shouldn't be an issue - you'll just carry spares and they're tiny and light. 

 

Are you going to want to spend time working on post-production on your computer to edit your photos or do you just want to snap and share as is?

 

Let me know a budget and I'll see what I can suggest.

 

Price isn't really an issue, bro, if I can get something that meets my criteria.

 

I'm not keen on carrying spare lenses, though; I can't stress enough how important weight is on a thru-hike - when you're carrying a pack for five months or so, every gram counts. Ideally, it will be something I can point and click without too much messing about.

 

Not too fussed about post-production editing but I do anticipate uploading them to a blog.

[lifted*fox]

6 minutes ago, Buce said:

Price isn't really an issue, bro, if I can get something that meets my criteria.

 

I'm not keen on carrying spare lenses, though; I can't stress enough how important weight is on a thru-hike - when you're carrying a pack for five months or so, every gram counts. Ideally, it will be something I can point and click without too much messing about.

 

Not too fussed about post-production editing but I do anticipate uploading them to a blog.

 

ooh, very open criteria then. 

 

ok so it's either going to be fixed lens or more likely an interchangeable system but with a pancake lens setup to keep weight and bulk / lens depth down. 

 

weatherproofing - realistically how often will you be using it in the rain - weather can change on hikes but weatherproofing is something only present (really) on high end cameras.

 

as long as you're not using it in pouring rain most cameras will survive a quick snap in light rain - but if you really think you'll use it for extended periods in heavy rain don't skimp on weather-proofing.

 

if you're looking to document your hikes for blogging then i don't think you'll need a serious landscape capable lens - you'd only need that if you were looking to take pro landscape shots.

 

let me have a look / ask around. 

[Buce]

3 minutes ago, lifted*fox said:

 

ooh, very open criteria then. 

 

ok so it's either going to be fixed lens or more likely an interchangeable system but with a pancake lens setup to keep weight and bulk / lens depth down. 

 

weatherproofing - realistically how often will you be using it in the rain - weather can change on hikes but weatherproofing is something only present (really) on high end cameras.

 

as long as you're not using it in pouring rain most cameras will survive a quick snap in light rain - but if you really think you'll use it for extended periods in heavy rain don't skimp on weather-proofing.

 

if you're looking to document your hikes for blogging then i don't think you'll need a serious landscape capable lens - you'd only need that if you were looking to take pro landscape shots.

 

let me have a look / ask around. 

 

No, I wouldn’t intend using it in the rain - it’s more a case of the pack getting wet on river crossings etc. It’s more of a wish than a necessity though because I’d carry it in a waterproof stuff sack when not in use. Weight and battery life are the deal breakers. 

 

Thanks, bro, I appreciate it. 

[lifted*fox]

Just now, Buce said:

No, I wouldn’t intend using it in the rain - it’s more a case of the pack getting wet on river crossings etc. It’s more of a wish than a necessity though because I’d carry it in a waterproof stuff sack when not in use. Weight and battery life are the deal breakers. 

  

Thanks, bro, I appreciate it. 

 

OK then dude, I'd absolutely look to forego the weatherproofing and just buy a waterproof zip-up bag for it when you're looking to cross rivers, etc. 

 

Weight shouldn't be an issue - even the relatively full-on DSLR cameras are fairly lightweight these days when used with pancake lenses.

 

As for battery life - in most instances you'll carry 2/3 spare batteries and if you're hiking for extended periods you're most likely carrying a decent power-bank anyway - so you can always recharge them using that. 

 

Final question - do you want to feel like it's hands-on and learn proper photography while you're at it or do you just want something with fairly simple auto-modes at your finger tips and then you can dive a little deeper in the menus? Also, how do you feel about having a proper viewfinder (camera up to your eye to frame your shots - feels more organic) or are you happy to just frame your shot on the screen on the rear of the camera? 

[Buce]

10 minutes ago, lifted*fox said:

 

OK then dude, I'd absolutely look to forego the weatherproofing and just buy a waterproof zip-up bag for it when you're looking to cross rivers, etc. 

 

Weight shouldn't be an issue - even the relatively full-on DSLR cameras are fairly lightweight these days when used with pancake lenses.

 

As for battery life - in most instances you'll carry 2/3 spare batteries and if you're hiking for extended periods you're most likely carrying a decent power-bank anyway - so you can always recharge them using that. 

1

 

Presumably, power banks (aside from adding extra weight) also require recharging, though? I'm looking specifically at the three US Triple-Crown hikes, and the CDT (and to a slightly lesser extent, the PCT) have some long stretches between trail towns and any chance of a recharge. I have been looking at solar chargers as an option - do you have any experience of those?

 

10 minutes ago, lifted*fox said:

 

Final question - do you want to feel like it's hands-on and learn proper photography while you're at it or do you just want something with fairly simple auto-modes at your finger tips and then you can dive a little deeper in the menus? Also, how do you feel about having a proper viewfinder (camera up to your eye to frame your shots - feels more organic) or are you happy to just frame your shot on the screen on the rear of the camera? 

 

Tbh, both the hikes mentioned are a race against the oncoming Winter and require putting in some big mileage days because of it, so something I can use quickly and move on is what is needed.

[lifted*fox]

21 minutes ago, Buce said:

Presumably, power banks (aside from adding extra weight) also require recharging, though? I'm looking specifically at the three US Triple-Crown hikes, and the CDT (and to a slightly lesser extent, the PCT) have some long stretches between trail towns and any chance of a recharge. I have been looking at solar chargers as an option - do you have any experience of those?

  

Tbh, both the hikes mentioned are a race against the oncoming Winter and require putting in some big mileage days because of it, so something I can use quickly and move on is what is needed.

 

I don't have any experience of solar chargers but I know people who use them successfully. 

 

Battery life depends on the camera, really. Small camera, small battery, less life. Big camera, bigger capacity batteries, longer life. It also depends on flash usage (little, I expect) and a myriad of other things. 

 

I assume you're going to have a phone with you so you'll probably want a USB power-pack for that as well. I'd definitely want a pack for hiking - you can charge your phone and your camera battery in the camera so you won't need an extra charger block for that. A decent power-bank will see you through several charges of a smart-phone and camera batteries. They don't weigh a huge amount but it's peace of mind.

 

I think you'll find that you should get a decent amount of life if you're only going to catch a few snaps every now and then. My Fuji batteries see me through several hours of non-stop shooting.

 

From the sounds of things I don't think you're going to want anything too technical / time-consuming - I'll keep doing some research.

 

You might also want to pop along to somewhere like Jessops - I actually rate the one in the city centre quite highly, the guys in there seem helpful and knowledgeable. Tell them what you're looking to do and they too might be able to give some advice. 

 

 

[Smudge]

@The Blur

 

I had this issue of selecting a camera for my wife. She wanted to have a quality camera with a viewfinder but not too big or heavy/ At the time I selected the Canon G12 which has excellent resolution.

I think it has been replaced by the G16.

Here's a shot I took with it some years ago

 

Edited 4 December 2018 by Smudge

[The Blur]

On 04/12/2018 at 16:24, Smudge said:

@The Blur

 

I had this issue of selecting a camera for my wife. She wanted to have a quality camera with a viewfinder but not too big or heavy/ At the time I selected the Canon G12 which has excellent resolution.

I think it has been replaced by the G16.

Here's a shot I took with it some years ago

 

 

i have to say that photo looks really nice.   Decided against getting one as it is too much of a gamble that my girlfriend would like it at the price but many many thanks for your and Lifted*Fox's help!   It is things like this that make Foxestalk a such great and useful place.  

[Smudge]

4 hours ago, The Blur said:

 

i have to say that photo looks really nice.   Decided against getting one as it is too much of a gamble that my girlfriend would like it at the price but many many thanks for your and Lifted*Fox's help!   It is things like this that make Foxestalk a such great and useful place.  

Thank you!

Buying a used G12 might be an option

Edited 7 December 2018 by Smudge

[davieG]

Aerial photos reveal the stark divide between rich and poor

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/in-pictures-45257901

 

Example

 

Santa Fe, Mexico City.

 

Mumbai.

[davieG]

Not quite the right for this topic but not worth starting a new one

 

In pictures: Ten amazing sculptures made in unexpected ways

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/38528721

 

[Costock_Fox]

Bump.

 

I brought a drone and hooked my GoPro up to it on my trip up to Skye/Harris and got some pretty decent footage but wish I was braver with it.

 

Here are a few...

[bovril]

40 minutes ago, Costock_Fox said:

Bump.

 

I brought a drone and hooked my GoPro up to it on my trip up to Skye/Harris and got some pretty decent footage but wish I was braver with it.

 

Here are a few...

Is that around Luskentyre? 

Harris is amazing. 

[Costock_Fox]

9 hours ago, bovril said:

Is that around Luskentyre? 

Harris is amazing. 

It is indeed, that and Horgabost.

 

I really enjoyed it.

[blue blood]

Just stumbled into this thread and as a amateur photography enthusiast i thought id join in.

 

This is one i took last summer from greenwich park looking back over london during sunset. 

[Free Falling Foxes]

 

Just seen this and other long exposure pics on the BBC website. I'm puzzled though. If it is a - I would assume a very - long exposure, then why is there a  clearly defined figure standing on the rock? Photoshop?

Edited 1 April 2020 by Free Falling Foxes

[oakman]

After some advice on camera equipment - my uncle died recently and my brother and I are in the process of sorting out everything in the house. We've found quite a bit of (I'm guessing '90's) camera stuff and I'm wondering if there's any market for it nowadays? So far we've found:

 

Olympus is-1000 camera

Olympus is/L lens B300

Olympus is-3000 camera

Nikon D80 camera

Samsung 42X camcorder

[weller54]

1 hour ago, oakman said:

After some advice on camera equipment - my uncle died recently and my brother and I are in the process of sorting out everything in the house. We've found quite a bit of (I'm guessing '90's) camera stuff and I'm wondering if there's any market for it nowadays? So far we've found:

 

Olympus is-1000 camera

Olympus is/L lens B300

Olympus is-3000 camera

Nikon D80 camera

Samsung 42X camcorder

Fiver!

[Nalis]

I'm so shit at taking pictures with my phone, any tips for me?

 

Any time I take a pic of scenery that looks stunning in person, the photo never does it justice.