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Main Boards => Gear => Topic started by: BuzyG on 21:43:57, 20/09/19

Title: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: BuzyG on 21:43:57, 20/09/19
Treated myself to a new camera today, ready  for our trip out to New Zealand.  My last camera was a Coolpix P610 bridge camera with a small sensor and a x60 zoom.  It was great for taking photos of surfers hundreds of yards away.  Not so good at capturing landscapes and was generally too cumbersome to be lugging on a walk. 

So after much interwebbing, this time I have gone for a Camera I hope will be far more suited to walking a pocket sized Lumix TZ200.  Much smaller with a bigger sensor, but still a decent 15x Zoom. 

Will be good to have a zoom lens in my bag again.  The smart phone I have been using since I drowned my Coolpix in turps, takes lovely land scapes, but when you spot something of interest, even a few hundred feet away,  it is useless.

Any any way enough of my new toy.  What is everyone else carrying to capture their days out walking?
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: Bigfoot_Mike on 23:13:36, 20/09/19
If looking for wildlife, I will take my Canon 7D II and a long lens. This combination, with a monopod weighs more than 5kg. For landscapes I will take a 5D III with a wider angle zoom.


I have walked for about 8 miles on the flat with the long lens combination.
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: archaeoroutes on 06:48:05, 21/09/19
If intending to take photos, then my Canon 100D with a 28-75mm lens and a 100-300mm one. I found it was one of the lightest SLRs when I bought it and it still gets favourable comments on that front when I lend it to people.
If not, then I use my Samsung Galaxy S7 'phone.
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: PeterDevon on 08:24:11, 21/09/19
On a long walk (>10 miles) I just use my phone but on shorter ones I take my 5DS with a 24mm lens
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: Owen on 09:14:36, 21/09/19
I have a canon 5d and various lenses but they weigh a ton so I only take them out when I looking to just take photos. For carrying on walks etc I have a canon EOS 50M mirrorless camera with a 32mm wide angle and a 50 - 200mm telephoto lenses. Which are very light and produce some reasonable quality photos.
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: GnP on 09:30:00, 21/09/19
I used to have Nikon slr but it was no use when walking..just too bulky. I now take an Olympus 1s on every walk. It is the best compact I have ever owned. It has lots of external controls which makes it similar to an slr. The smallest apperture setting is 2.8f which is great.It has  a mid size sensor which doesnt compare to a bigger slr for producing quality pics but it is very close and it is a trade off I`m willing to accept.The zoom runs from 22m to 300m. It will fit into a coat pocket, but I use small case slung over my shoulder...

The best shots for me are those that appear as you walk round a corner...could be a fox, or a deer or a lovely view in a village. Having it slung over my shoulder ready cuts down on time....
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: Hillhiker1 on 09:41:30, 21/09/19
Occasionally I'll take my Canon 500 with a 17 - 70mm lens; particularly if I'm going somewhere new. Usually on a days hike though it'll be the more compact Sony RX100. An excellent little camera with a big (for it's size) 1" sensor. At 28 - 100mm zoom it's a similar zoom range to the Canon, especially when you take crop factor into account.
Having said all that though, last month we went to Northumberland for the week and I took both, but I had a 10 - 20 on the Canon as I was intending to photograph the 'Angel of the North' and various castles and seascapes etc.
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: Dyffryn Ardudwy on 12:30:55, 21/09/19
My GoPro Hero 4 camera, either the Silver or Black version.
Residing in its tiny reinforced plastic housing, its fully waterproof, and its 12m pixel camera provides excellent results.
The video capabilities in 4k is superb, but the thing i like most about them, are their tiny size and portability.

Obviously a larger digital SLR camera will take better shots, but they weigh considerably more, and theres always that doubt in your mind about what if the weather really turns nasty.

Condensation, damp and changes in humidity are no friends of expensive camera gear, that's why i like the GoPro camera, for its size, weight and portability, and it can be used in every kinds of weather.
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: Man wae a dug on 13:12:57, 21/09/19
I sold my camera after an 'incident' at Culzean Castle country park. I was close to the edge of a cliff/run off to the beach, overgrown and slightly wooded area when I heard a rustling to my left. Turning round I was no more than 6 feet away from a deer, looking straight at me; trying to grab my camera to try (and fail) to get a quick shot I felt I lost a few valuable seconds of what was probably a once in a lifetime experience. 

There and then I decided the best pictures I was equipped to capture were the ones logged in my memory.

Sold the camera and bought my puppy with the proceeds. :)
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: BuzyG on 14:42:02, 21/09/19
I used to have Nikon slr but it was no use when walking..just too bulky. I now take an Olympus 1s on every walk. It is the best compact I have ever owned. It has lots of external controls which makes it similar to an slr. The smallest apperture setting is 2.8f which is great.It has  a mid size sensor which doesnt compare to a bigger slr for producing quality pics but it is very close and it is a trade off I`m willing to accept.The zoom runs from 22m to 300m. It will fit into a coat pocket, but I use small case slung over my shoulder...

The best shots for me are those that appear as you walk round a corner...could be a fox, or a deer or a lovely view in a village. Having it slung over my shoulder ready cuts down on time....


Yes that one was on my short list, having had a few Olympas cameras over the years.  The Lumix won out mainly for being even more compact and full of features.  I also don't like the tilt screens.  The Coolpix had one and it was just some thing else waiting to break.  Handy for  tight shots but overall I prefare  not having one.
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: GnP on 15:20:58, 21/09/19

Yes that one was on my short list, having had a few Olympas cameras over the years.  The Lumix won out mainly for being even more compact and full of features.  I also don't like the tilt screens.  The Coolpix had one and it was just some thing else waiting to break.  Handy for  tight shots but overall I prefare  not having one.
I used to have a little CASIO exilim..great little camera..then got into pixel peeping and comparing one image to another and dreaming of the ultimate camera..I spent lots of money and ended up with slrs littering my shelving..my photography didn`t improve that much, & I was hopeless to start with anyway.. 8) but  I so enjoyed all that technology...then heard the saying that the best camera is the one you have with you....

A few years down the line the penny dropped &  now I get as much pleasure out of taking a shot, with whatever camera I have, as looking at one on my pc screen later that evening...
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: taxino8 on 18:16:59, 21/09/19
iPhone, GoPro Hero 4 Silver or a Nikon D90.
It just depends how far I’m going, if I want to concentrate on the walking I use the GoPro and IPhone
If I feel the “need” to get some decent photos, I’ll take the D90 as it’s quite heavy although I do have a rucksack clip thing that puts most of the weight onto my shoulder.
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: BuzyG on 20:16:15, 22/09/19
If looking for wildlife, I will take my Canon 7D II and a long lens. This combination, with a monopod weighs more than 5kg. For landscapes I will take a 5D III with a wider angle zoom.


I have walked for about 8 miles on the flat with the long lens combination.
My daughter tells me you have some serious kit there Mike, exactly the same cameras as a freind of hers who is a professional photographer .

It was a miserable day here. So for something to do we did a little unscientific test of our various Cameras.

1st Canon 700D
2nd Panasonic Lumix DC-TZ200
3rd Samsung S10
4th Panasonic TZ7
5th Samsung S5 mini.

No suprise with the first two in order of sensor size as you might expect.

3rd was a suprise. My daughter recons the S10 does a lot of processing before it stores the picture, clever stuff.

The S5 mini clearly doesn't it was very much last.

Here are the pics cropped for comparison. Should any one care to compare.  ;)


(https://i.postimg.cc/47b1Sy7s/Canon-700-D-24mm-crop.jpg)


](https://i.postimg.cc/4Hf1kGVt/Canon-700-D-55mm-crop.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/47b1Sy7s)


(https://i.postimg.cc/hJmsVpKJ/Samsung-S10e-crop.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/hJmsVpKJ)


(https://i.postimg.cc/18fJ3yTr/Samsung-S5-crop.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/18fJ3yTr)


(https://i.postimg.cc/0MqfnDNV/TZ200-1-crop.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/0MqfnDNV)


(https://i.postimg.cc/pyCZQ9MB/TZ200-full-zoom.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/pyCZQ9MB)


(https://i.postimg.cc/gxQ4wfbF/TZ7-25mm-crop.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/gxQ4wfbF)
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: GnP on 20:31:36, 22/09/19
My daughter tells me you have some serious kit there Mike, exactly the same cameras as a freind of hers who is a professional photographer .

It was a miserable day here. So for something to do we did a little unscientific test of our various Cameras.


1st Canon 700D

No suprise with the first two in order of sensor size as you might expect.
3rd was a suprise. My daughter recons the S10 does a lot of processing before it stores the picture, clever stuff.
The S5 mini clearly doesn't it was very much last.


Here are the pics droped for comparison. Should any one care to compare.  ;)
 


You are definitely in danger of  becoming a pixel peeper....its a slippy slope down for you. ;) Better you go cold turkey now before it takes hold.... :)
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: BuzyG on 20:41:46, 22/09/19

You are definitely in danger of  becoming a pixel peeper....its a slippy slope down for you. ;) Better you go cold turkey now before it takes hold.... :)


Resting my pulled calf.  As soon as it stops pulling I will be too busy walking to stop for pics.  Hopefully the sun will be back too.
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: GnP on 08:59:46, 23/09/19

Resting my pulled calf.  As soon as it stops pulling I will be too busy walking to stop for pics.  Hopefully the sun will be back too.
Good luck & it`s cooling down here in the Midlands, but hopefully we can have a winter that is kind to us. I enjoy sunshine and if its cold and frosty then all the better to keep a brisk pace up..
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: gunwharfman on 12:34:38, 23/09/19
There are some subjects that I read about which I know nothing about, cameras especially, zooms, pixels, long lens, compacts, etc. I have a camera on my phone but looking back the last time I owned a camera must be at least 30 years ago, I think it was called an Instamatic. I enjoy reading the entries though. My daughter in law, a graphic designer seems to have a different camera for different occasions, totally confuses me.
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: sunnydale on 04:18:07, 24/09/19
I’ve just been on holiday & for the first time, I used an iPhone to take the majority of my photos. I was more than satisfied with the results, although it was more about the convenience of being able to post photos to Facebook at the end of each day than anything else.

Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: Lee R on 14:52:43, 05/10/19
A Sony A7 & a Voigtlander 40mm f/1.2 usually. I sometimes carry a wider 21mm lens but only because it weighs next to nothing :)
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: david156 on 09:45:58, 06/10/19
If I'm out where I know there will be good wildlife / landscape photo opportunities, I'll take my canon 7dmkii and a couple of lenses but this is heavy for long walks.
I was in the peaks a few days ago and as the weather was a bit iffy at times I took my older camera, canon 50d, and a landscape lens.
After this week, I'll either just use my phone or a Nikon S1 which I've had years but is light and produces good photos and cuts down the weight making longer walks more comfortable as less to carry!
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: Bigfoot_Mike on 10:19:07, 06/10/19
If I'm out where I know there will be good wildlife / landscape photo opportunities, I'll take my canon 7dmkii and a couple of lenses but this is heavy for long walks.
I was in the peaks a few days ago and as the weather was a bit iffy at times I took my older camera, canon 50d, and a landscape lens.
After this week, I'll either just use my phone or a Nikon S1 which I've had years but is light and produces good photos and cuts down the weight making longer walks more comfortable as less to carry!
The 7D mkii is heavy with longer lenses. I have managed 8 miles on the flat with mine, a battery grip, long lens (3kg) and monopod attached. That was when I was expecting a lot of wildlife. The advantages with a monopod are multiple ways of carrying the kit and plenty of stops for animals / birds with the weight supported. It can also help keep the camera on target and allow lower shutter speeds.
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: andybr on 11:57:05, 06/10/19
Wildlife is also a big consideration for me. My compromise is a Lumix G80 with 12/60mm and 100/300mm lenses. I can carry these all day quite comfortably though I don't take a tripod.
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: Bigfoot_Mike on 12:33:01, 06/10/19
A tripod while walking would be a step too far for me - too bulky and heavy. The monopod is lighter and enables me to carry the camera / lens over my shoulder and still get some support for shooting.
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: Lee R on 14:54:30, 06/10/19
A tripod while walking would be a step too far for me - too bulky and heavy. The monopod is lighter and enables me to carry the camera / lens over my shoulder and still get some support for shooting.


My tripod is 2.5kg! I've had it about 9 years way before i was into this hiking lark! It's currently on my list of items to replace before next year....
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: andybr on 16:45:29, 06/10/19
For stills on a long walk I just use a bean bag and whatever convenient support I can find. For video, though, I always carry a tripod. In this case I have an original model Osprey Atmos pack which is perfect for carrying a fairly large lump of metal. The frame spreads the weight so well that I do not even notice that the tripod is suspended on one side.
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: Bigfoot_Mike on 19:13:17, 06/10/19

My tripod is 2.5kg! I've had it about 9 years way before i was into this hiking lark! It's currently on my list of items to replace before next year....
I don’t remember the weight of my tripod, but it is carbon fibre with large diameter tubes. The tripod head is heavy and the Wimberley Sidekick adds more weight.
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: Lee R on 19:31:06, 06/10/19
I don’t remember the weight of my tripod, but it is carbon fibre with large diameter tubes. The tripod head is heavy and the Wimberley Sidekick adds more weight.


Could well be heavier than mine then! I only know my weight because I weighed it last weekend at last! No point researching for a lighter tripod if I don't know what weight to beat  ::) ;D
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: Bigfoot_Mike on 19:41:11, 06/10/19

Could well be heavier than mine then! I only know my weight because I weighed it last weekend at last! No point researching for a lighter tripod if I don't know what weight to beat  ::) ;D
Lighter is normally more expensive (or weaker). The type of tripod you need depends upon the weight of the camera kit and the length of the lens. Longer lenses catch the wind more and need more torsional rigidity to prevent movement. Don’t pay any attention to manufacturer claims about weight capacity, as there is no standard for the claims. The tripod needs to be able to support the rig without bending, twisting or vibrating. Ideally you should go for the best (for your specs) you can afford, as buying cheap often means buying more than once. The most stable tripods don’t use a central column. Don’t forget the tripod head. That also impacts the weight and affects how stable the camera will be and how easy it will be to use in the field.
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: Lee R on 20:59:15, 06/10/19
Lighter is normally more expensive (or weaker). The type of tripod you need depends upon the weight of the camera kit and the length of the lens. Longer lenses catch the wind more and need more torsional rigidity to prevent movement. Don’t pay any attention to manufacturer claims about weight capacity, as there is no standard for the claims. The tripod needs to be able to support the rig without bending, twisting or vibrating. Ideally you should go for the best (for your specs) you can afford, as buying cheap often means buying more than once. The most stable tripods don’t use a central column. Don’t forget the tripod head. That also impacts the weight and affects how stable the camera will be and how easy it will be to use in the field.


9 years ago I was shooting with a 5D2 and L lenses. I don't need to support such weight anymore  ;)  My current one has been up mountains, in rivers, in the sea, thrown over walls... Lasted very well considering.
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: JerryW on 16:48:27, 07/10/19
The camera on my Samsung S10+ is better than the camera on my camera .. I have given up and just use the phone now, it is extraordinary what you can do with it, given a bit of homework. Surprisingly sophisticated
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: BuzyG on 21:37:28, 08/10/19
The camera on my Samsung S10+ is better than the camera on my camera .. I have given up and just use the phone now, it is extraordinary what you can do with it, given a bit of homework. Surprisingly sophisticated
I know exactly what you mean Mel.  Take a look at the comparison pics from my Daughter's S10.   I was surprised at the quality, which is better than her old digital camera and vastly superior to my old S5 phone.

You still can't beat a larger sensor though.  As proven by the pictures taken on the other dedicated cameras.  If it is just land scapes to remember a day out then I agree.  No point in a dedicated camera any more. 

Anything more specific especially anything  that needs a zoom lens and a phone still can't get close.
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: hinch184 on 15:56:35, 15/10/19
Used to take my Nikon D300 with a 70-200mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.8 and 17-55mm f/2.8G with a heavy duty tripod and other accessories (remote trigger, flashgun, filters, spare batteries).....now I just take my mobile, saves a solid 7kg and I've no rear fear of dropping it.
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: BuzyG on 21:19:51, 15/10/19
Used to take my Nikon D300 with a 70-200mm f/2.8, 50mm f/1.8 and 17-55mm f/2.8G with a heavy duty tripod and other accessories (remote trigger, flashgun, filters, spare batteries).....now I just take my mobile, saves a solid 7kg and I've no rear fear of dropping it.


If you enjoyed your camera before, it might be worth taking a peek at some of the newer pocket rockets.  The little Lumix TZ200  is no bigger than my mobile phone.  It takes quality pictures though.far better than the latest smart phones can manage.

Plus, as well as being an easy point and click, it also  has fully maual controls and a view finder, all in something smaller than the palm of my hand.   As you may gather I love it. 
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: Bigfoot_Mike on 21:49:41, 15/10/19
I couldn’t cope with a camera smaller than the palm of my hand. Cameras are one area where size matters. I usually have battery grips attached to my DSLRs to give a bit more to hold onto and to give me extended battery life.
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: BuzyG on 00:07:21, 16/10/19
I couldn’t cope with a camera smaller than the palm of my hand. Cameras are one area where size matters. I usually have battery grips attached to my DSLRs to give a bit more to hold onto and to give me extended battery life.

It has taken some patients and hours of interwebbing.  But now I have the camera set to work pretty much how my old Olympus OM10 worked.  Manual focus on the lens ring, ISO on the top dial.   Of course I can press a function button to set the whole thing up for automatic point and shoot.  But just now I am enjoying doing things myself.

As for battery life it's around 370 pictures.  Plus I can simply plug it into my battery pack via USB whist on the move. So several times that figure if required in a day.
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: Bigfoot_Mike on 07:22:10, 16/10/19
I have large hands and prefer the camera body to be large, so that it isn’t completely lost. I then have some chance of hitting the right button or dial.
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: hinch184 on 09:07:50, 16/10/19

If you enjoyed your camera before, it might be worth taking a peek at some of the newer pocket rockets.  The little Lumix TZ200  is no bigger than my mobile phone.  It takes quality pictures though.far better than the latest smart phones can manage.

Plus, as well as being an easy point and click, it also  has fully maual controls and a view finder, all in something smaller than the palm of my hand.   As you may gather I love it.


I'll have a look at a few alternatives, but I'm also in team "bigger is better" mainly due to having massive hands, the D300 is a large crop sensor body, still feels small in my hands  :-[
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: BuzyG on 16:25:49, 17/10/19

I'll have a look at a few alternatives, but I'm also in team "bigger is better" mainly due to having massive hands, the D300 is a large crop sensor body, still feels small in my hands  :-[
My hands are like proper spades.  I guess being an engineer and a climber helps with touch.  As does having a touch sensitive screen on modern pocket cameras.


(https://i.postimg.cc/8cqCx19X/20191017-163825.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)

 
Welcome to the land of the giants.   O0
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: hinch184 on 09:14:59, 18/10/19
Yeah I think for me I'd get annoyed at that size, can be clumsy too so still not the best option. Although saying that, I do have a fancy for the Sony A7 series.
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: pdstsp on 09:48:38, 18/10/19
I have a Sony A7 II, which I love, but rarely take walking due to size.  I take a Sony HX90V in my hip belt when walking - find I take far more pictures.  I have it set to Superior Auto while in the pocket - and only fidle with non-auto settings if I have the time and can be bothered!
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: hinch184 on 13:35:59, 22/10/19
I used to love going out specifically to get the shot, hence all the gear, but now my love has moved on to the walk, the experience and making sure i'm challenging myself physically, few phone snaps does the trick....however, I could invest in one of these compact jobs just to ensure i'm able to get a quality shot if I want it :)


+1 the Sony A7 series, more and more tempted to invest each day!
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: Lee R on 19:10:31, 22/10/19
I used to love going out specifically to get the shot, hence all the gear, but now my love has moved on to the walk, the experience and making sure i'm challenging myself physically, few phone snaps does the trick....however, I could invest in one of these compact jobs just to ensure i'm able to get a quality shot if I want it :)


+1 the Sony A7 series, more and more tempted to invest each day!


I pretty much spend all of my time with an A7 & Voigtlander 40mm f/1.2 - Yes, it's bigger than a compact camera but certainly much lighter/smaller than a conventional DSLR.
Title: Re: Which cameras do you take into he hills walking
Post by: jimbob on 10:58:48, 23/10/19
Anyone on here got any experience of a zoom lens for Smart phone????

This type of thing.
https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/buying-guides/best-add-on-lenses-for-iphone-and-android-phones (https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/buying-guides/best-add-on-lenses-for-iphone-and-android-phones)