Stef and Matt

So I’ve been working on purchasing a new travel camera since my old camera (Ricoh GX-200) died on Bartolome Island on the galapagos (damn aquapac travel camera bag!). I already explained some of the biggest myths I encountered in my search for a new camera; now I’m going to explain what I feel are the most important features of a travel camera. Please note, this is what works for me, as I like to travel light, I know how the primary functions of a camera work (and I have an SLR of my own at home), and I like adventure traveling. A travel camera should have:

1. Big Pixels. This is NOT the number of megapixels a camera has. It is how physically big each pixel is. The bigger the pixel, the richer the colors (and the less noise/graininess) your images will have. It’s calculated using the number of pixels per square centimeter of sensor size, and a LOWER number is better. DPReview has a great index number (called “Pixel Density”) that they use to compare cameras. Compare a typical SLR and point and shoot camera, for example. You’ll notice that the SLR has a much lower pixel density than the P&S. That doesn’t mean that the SLR will make better photos than the P&S, but it does give the SLR a much better chance!
2. Wide-angle lens. The wider the lens (at it’s “wide” position), the more peripheral vision the camera has. If it´s true that a picture is worth 1,000 words, then here are 2,015 words on lens angle:
   Normal Bartolome view (Galapagos)

   Wide Bartolome view (also the cover page on most Galapagos calendars)

   

   
   Wide lenses are considered to be anything smaller than about 28mm. The smaller the number, the wider the lens (Lenses are typically measured in millimeters, and have “effective” measurements that make the numbers comparable to a 35mm full-frame camera – basically an older film camera or a full-frame DSLR). Wide-angle lenses are great for photos of landscapes, mountains, large monuments (there are many more large monuments than small ones, btw), and large groups of people. While it’s true that wide-angle lenses slightly distort close-up portraits, and that you could shoot “stitch assist” pictures (two or three pictures with overlap that a computer program combines into one image), these miss the point – when you’re traveling, you don’t usually have the time to compose and shoot several images, and then stitch them together in software later. What about waterfalls, skylines, the ocean, pools with people playing – all of these have moving parts of the image, and you can’t stitch together two pictures from different times and expect the moving parts to match up!

3. Fits in a Pocket. you’re going to be traveling – moving from place to place, right? The camera should easily fit in your front pants pocket. If it’s dangling around your neck or you need a separate bag to carry it in, walking around the city (or hiking a footpath) all day is going to be tiring (and you’ll probably end up annoyed by your camera at some point). If it fits in the pocket, you can easily palm it when you need it out for fast shots. A small camera in your hand also doesn’t scream out “STEAL ME – I HAVE TOO MUCH MONEY HANGING ON A STRING AROUND MY NECK!!” like an SLR does.

There are a few other nice-to-have’s that I’ve noticed in my elusive search for the best travel camera:

• Waterproof and/or shock resistant. Face it, the camera is going to be more exposed to the elements when you travel (assuming you use it. If you don’t use your travel camera much, well, I guess we’re both wasting our time!), so the more protected it is (from water, dust, drops, rocks, cold, etc), the fewer times you’ll have to buy a replacement.
• RAW+JPEG Mode. With this mode, the camera records two files every time you take a picture – a super-high-res RAW image and a JPEG of your choice of sizes. Why is this good? If you’re traveling for a while, you can set the JPEG to the smallest size and upload only the jpeg – saving you a lot of upload time while you’re on the road. But, you still have the high-res RAW file for printing or adjustments when you go home.
• Decent Movie Mode. Why carry both a camcorder and a digicam? And do you actually need 1080i video (which you can’t even burn to a DVD) of whatever it is you’re recording? Remember that you don’t have the controlled conditions, studio lighting, or steadicam help that even a wedding pro has. Save your hassle and just carry one device!

So that’s what I think. I’m going to follow this up in the next couple of weeks with a set of tips (almost a workflow) for traveling with a digicam. Stay tuned!

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