Travel Tips

This section is a bit technical, so let me know if you have any questions.

This is a tough question, but let me tell you a bit about my experience with cameras so you can get a feel about the way I see them and some insights onm various types. I started out with an all-manual Minolta SRT 101 film body with various fixed and telephoto zoom lenses. (Fixed lenses have a single focal length, such as 28mm, and are also called “prime” lenses. Telephoto zoom lenses have variable focal lengths, such as a 28-70mm or a 100-400mm.) The lenses I used varied from an f/1.7 85mm prime to an f/3.5 85-205mm telephoto zoom lens. I’ll explain a bit more about what all that means as we go.

From the SRT 101 I moved to a Minolta X-700 using the same lenses. The X700 was a bit more automatic as it had P (program) and A (Aperture Priority) modes as well as manual. The lenses were still fully manual.

Many photo teachers recommend starting with manual cameras so you get to know how photography works before you really break into it. For travel photography, that isn’t quite as important, unless you want to really get into it, but I do highly recommend you have manual capabilities on your camera, and that you learn to use the manual settings so that you can learn your camera and understand it, as that will help you in the field or on trips to understand the mysterious workings of painting with light.

The first digital camera I had was a Canon Powershot S45… 4 or 5MP… it couldn’t handle my workload and broke after about two years of heavy use. Compact cameras often just don’t have what it takes to make really great images. The shutter lag made me lose more than a few potential shots, which is infuriating (but not why the camera is broken!) The lenses on compact cameras are small and limiting as well. I’m just not a compact camera lover, regardless of how well they fit in a pocket. And besides, when you’re shooting, it’s obvious what you’re doing, unless you get good at shooting from the hip.

When that one broke, I went back to film for a while, which was quite nice, but got expensive. I worked in film for a little while, but dreamed of digital. So, when I became a photo editor I switched the office over from compact film cameras to the Canon 10D with the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM lens. That’s a top-quality pro lens on a good body- the 10D was new at the time. I carried that camera with me wherever I went, battery grip, big lens and all. And it was one of the best digital cameras I’ve used.
When I lived in Mexico, I had a compact Canon Powershot A310. It did what I asked to a reasonable level, but I don’t recommend it.

Since then I’ve used the Canon 20D and 30D with the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM and a 100-400mm f/4? L USM lens for shooting sports, and in the studio I used the Nikon D200 (which is a great camera with a heavy duty magnesium alloy body) with the Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D lens. Excellent lens.

So, Nikon or Canon? I still think Canon is better. I have used both, experienced both, dealt with both. Nikon just doesn’t compare to Canon’s quality when it comes to noise reduction. Canon is easier, faster. (I had a D70 to shoot a sporting event. Even with a good 70-200mm f/2.8G? VR lens from the field, it was too slow to focus and I missed shots I would have had with Canon gear. Canon is just better, in my mind. Now, I must say that I currently shoot with a Nikon D1. I liked the 28-70 I used in the studio so much, I bought one for myself. I also bought a 70-200mm f/2.8G VR lens. I like the setup I have very much. Canon, in my mind, is just better. Many people will say one way or the other without experiencing both. I like the D200 very much. It’s a good, solid camera. One of the guys I used to shoot with in the studio loves Nikon. I like Canon better.

I hope all that gives you something to consider, or at least some professional opinion.

Now that I’ve bored you with that, what camera should you get?

Very simply, get the best camera you can afford.

It’s true that SLR cameras are larger and harder to deal with. That said, I carry my D1 everywhere, every day. I’m a photographer. If you aren’t so dedicated/it isn’t your job (which is perfectly reasonable!) you might not want the heft and risk when traveling. But if you do want an SLR, I don’t recommend the Canon 300D or 400D (Digital Rebel series). The Digital Rebels are great for your kid’s little league games, parties, etcetera, but they aren’t hardy enough for the bumps and dirt of travel. The magnesium alloy bodies of the 10-, 20-, 30- and 40D are much better. So the durability of the equipment is one factor. If you always take cruises, a 300D may be just fine. But if you hit the trails on foot or horseback, maybe you should get something that can take a hit better. If you can afford the $2500 or so for the 5D, get it, or if you get a 30D, that’s just fine. Just guard it with your life when traveling. Again, buy as good as you can afford.

What about Megapixels?
Do you really need a $10,000, 16 MP camera? I think it’s nice to have, yes.

But realistically, no way.

You’re probably not going to be printing massive images. So, unless you plan on going pro, you don’t need more than 8 or so, but not less than 6.

Yes, in many ways, more is better. I’d like the D1 to have more than 5 MP. 8 is a good number. 10 is even better. But a compact with 10MP may not be as good as an SLR with 8. There are just so many factors!

Do I have to buy an expensive pro camera to get results?
Very simply, you don’t need professional gear to get excellent results. Get what you can afford and base you purchase partially on how much interest you have in photography. If you really want to get into photography, a good D-SLR or film SLR (by the way, if anyone has a Nikon F5 they want to donate to a photographer without a film camera… I take charity!) should be your next purchase. If you just want a camera you can stick in your pocket, again, get the best you can afford.

If I had to name a Canon and a Nikon to buy, I’d say the Canon 5D and the Nikon D200 or D300. But a Canon 30D or a Nikon D40 would work just fine. You don’t need to limit yourself to Canon or Nikon, of course! Sony and other companies make great cameras.

Whatever the case, I like the style of the standard SLR. I like the way it looks and feels in my hands. I’m comfortable with it. So I recommend you go to a photo store, pick up the cameras you are considering. Hold them for a bit, shoot with them for a bit. Make sure they feel good and are easy to get around. For example, the Digital Rebel has buttons on the back that you use to scroll through images. The 10D (and others) have a scroll wheel, which is much easier and faster. I like the 10D's controls better. But you have to play with a camera to really know if you like it or not.

www.dpreview.com has reviews of most digital cameras, as well as opinions.

Another consideration is the number of shutter actuations a camera should handle (total clicks). Better cameras are rated to higher numbers of shutter actuations, meaning that they are more durable. I don’t know that you will get to 200,000 shutter actuations before something else breaks, but it’s something to think about.

Oooh, that one has a big LCD screen!
But the LCD sucks battery life. It is designed to give you a rough idea of your shot- to check exposure and the like. It's not supposed to be a high-definition screen. Cameras with larger, brighter LCD screens are great, but that screen uses more battery than a smaller screen. The benefits are more detail in the image preview and it's easier to see a nice, bright screen in the daylight. But don't rely on the screen. They can be inaccurate. Just something to think about. Cameras seem to be moving toward larger screens. It isn't a bad thing. Maybe buy an extra battery, which I'd recommend anyway, especially if you like to review images a lot.

But keep in mind that the best body is nothing with a lousy lens. Megapixels don’t matter if what comes through the glass isn’t clear. I recommend the best lenses you can afford. For me, the 28-70mm and the 70-200mm cover my desired range. They are both f/2.8, which makes them more expensive, $1500 and $1700, respectively, but they allow me to shoot in lower light than an f/4 would.

(Just by the way, some lenses have a fixed maximum f-stop (which you can set) like f/2.8, through the whole zoom range, which also makes them more expensive than lenses whose f-stop varies, such as a lens designated f/4-f/5.6. Such lenses as the ones I have will have a maximum f-stop of 2.8 at 70mm and 2.8 at 200mm as well. (Of course, you can change the f-stop yourself!) The f/4-f/5.6 means that the lens will have a maximum f-stop of 4 at 70mm and 5.6 at 200mm, for example.) I hope this is clear. Let me know if I need to rephrase it.

The 300D may come with an 18-55mm lens in a package deal, but it’s not a great lens. Do your photography a favor and splurge for a good lens. (If you want help on that, email me!) Each manufacturer has different levels of lenses. Again, you don't need pro lenses to get good results.

But keep in mind that any lens without internal focusing and zoom (any lens that, by zooming or focusing, makes part of the lens slide into or out of another part of the lens, thus exposing it to the outside environment) is liable to suck in dust or dirt. Something to consider.

(Thinking about all this, yes, photography can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be too bad. You don't need to get really good lenses, you don't need to get a super body. You can get a basic setup with a Digital Rebel, for example, and be just fine. I shot New Zealand with the Digital Rebel, and the images were good. My specific suggestions aside, I'll just say it again, get the best you can afford!)

On compact cameras, Leica makes good lenses... they make good cameras as well.

Your basic setup.
For an SLR with interchangeable lenses, you don’t necessarily want to be dealing with 10 lenses. 2 isn’t a bad number, and as I have, a 28-70mm and a 70-200mm do the job just fine. You can get by with just one, maybe a zoom from 28-300mm.

It wouldn’t be a bad idea to have a flash unit (with the highest guide number* you can get). (*Guide numbers are used to measure light output of flashes, essentially. It’s important to have a pretty powerful flash, as it can lower its power output if needed, but it can’t make the output stronger.)

If you get a tripod, get a good one that fits your camera style and weight. Lighter ones are a pain to deal with, as they can be flimsy and cheap, but they're lighter and easier to carry.

In short, I always recommend buying a better camera than you think you’ll need. Buy the best you can in your price range, but don’t blow it all on the body. If you are looking for a camera, let me know what type of photography you do and maybe I can recommend something for you.
If you have more or specific questions, please ask!

Camera lenses are distinguished by various letters and numbers. Some vary with the brand, some stay the same. We’ll look at those in detail later, but for now, some basic information.

F-stop

F-stop refers to the aperture (opening) of the camera lens. Lenses, of course, operate just like the eye in that they can close down to let less light in or open up to let more light in. The stops or clicks are called the “f-stops” and are written “f/2.8” or “f/22” for example. Different lenses have different ranges. More expensive lenses open wider. A smaller number means a wider opening. Thus f/2.8 is a large opening whereas f/22 is a small opening.

Shutter Speed

Shutter speeds are measured in fractions of a second, ranging from, say, 1/10,000th of a second to “bulb” which will keep the shutter open as long as the shutter release is held down. Often you can tell the camera what stops to use, but keep in mind that any number on its own, say “250” means 1/250th of a second. For numbers of 1 second or longer, there is a quotation mark following the number. So 5 seconds would look like 5”.

ISO

ISO refers to the film speed or the digital equivalent which is the sensitivity to light. On digital cameras the ISO can range from 50-6400, or more, though it is usually more like 100-3200. The range on a compact camera is smaller, possibly offering 100, 200, 400 and 800. Faster film speeds, like 3200, are grainier, but more effective in low light, whereas slow film speeds, like 100, are sharper better for daylight. I assume most everyone knows this! A good range is very convenient, allowing you to shoot in most lighting conditions.

Let’s look at an example or two common pro lenses.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM AF

The important pieces of information here:
“70-200mm” is the focal length or the amount of zoom.
“f/2.8” is the largest opening (aperture) value.
“L” designates Canon’s professional line of lenses. These are top-quality glass.
“IS” refers to Image Stabilization available on some of Canon’s L-series lenses.
“USM” refers to the UltraSonic Motor that quietly drives the autofocus.
“AF” stands for Auto Focus.

Nikon ED AF-S VR-Nikkor 70-200mm 1:2.8G

The important pieces of information here:
“ED”- Extralow Dispersion refers to the type of glass elements used in the lens.
“AF” stands for Auto Focus
“S” I believe is SilentWave, the Nikon name for the quiet autofocus drive
“VR” stands for Nikon’s Vibration Reduction image stabilizer.
“70-200mm” is the focal length or the amount of zoom.
“1:2.8” is the largest opening (aperture) value.
“G” refers to a line of Nikon’s lenses that has no aperture ring on the lens.
“D” would refer to a line of Nikon’s lenses that have aperture rings on the lenses.

About digital zoom…
They may advertise a spectacular digital zoom on a camera. Don’t waste your time. Digital zoom just zooms in within the camera to the selected part of the image- it magnifies pixels or something useless like that. It’s not an optical zoom, in which the lens does the work to bring the subject closer. Digital zooms are worthless, especially zoomed in tight, as they pixelate the image. Buy a camera with a good optical zoom, 10x or more.

Memory...
Any digital camera requires some form of digital memory. Secure Digital (SD), Memory Stick, Compact Flash, and MicroDrive are all examples of memory, for those who don’t know.

Some compact cameras have maximum size of memory card they can accept. Most D-SLRs don’t have a limit. 1GB cards seem to be a pretty good size for a memory card. I used to use just 1GB cards. Moving to China, I decided that I wanted to buy 2GB cards since I had no computer and only an 80GB portable drive. Whatever size you decide on, keep in mind that if you have 16GB of photos on a card and you lose the card or it gets damaged or corrupted, you lost 16GB of photos, not 1GB, if you see what I’m getting at. Better to have many 1GB cards than few 16GB cards.
As for brand, I’d go for Lexar or SanDisk. The others work just fine, but I like those two best.

Batteries...
It's always helpful to have extra batteries. They can be expensive, but without a charger in the field, you're stuck without them. You can also look to places like ProMaster for cheaper batteries for various cameras. (In fact, ProMaster also makes lenses, so does Tamron and a few other companies. I don't highly recommend them, because in my experience they don't work quite as well, but it's something to think about if you don't want to get the more expensive brand-name lenses.

So, next lesson we’ll begin to get into actual photography!