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Simple camera
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daddy-o
Joined: 12 Apr 2004
Posts: 3307
Location: Springfield

11/22/18 9:02 AM

Important concepts, balance and bracketing, the illustrations are worth the few minutes. Cameras these days make it easy to address once you know what to look for in the menus.

White balance / color balance / temperature
Bracketing
(Wikipedia)
This was a reference in the bracketing article and is a better (and brief) tutorial of what motivates photographers to use it.
(not Wikipedia)

Once you know the concept, any lesson will be a snap. pardon the pun

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dan emery
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 6884
Location: Maine

11/22/18 10:10 AM

You guys won't let me keep it simple!

But I know you have my best interests at heart.

Probably worth it to learn a few basics as I have decent opportunities for wildlife shots around here as well.

Now if I can remember to take the lense cap off (if they even have lens caps).

Thanks all.

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Craig
Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 591

11/22/18 11:02 AM

Keeping it simple; the Canon PowerShot SX740 HS is a pocketable point and shoot with a 35mm focal length equivalent of 24mm to 960mm. It's wide enough to take group shots at the kitchen table, with a flash that is just powerful enough to take a group shot at a kitchen table. And that zoom has great reach for wildlife shot. 20MP. Optically stabilized lens for keeping the shake out of those telephoto shots. Minimum focus distance of 0.4", macro capability, 4K video, time-lapse video etc. And fully auto including white balance and ISO.

And it has a flippy screen for selfies!!!!

Limiting factors? Small sensor cameras usually perform poorly in low light. And this one has a max aperture of f/3.3 which doesn't help. Also, the auto ISO only works between 100-800, so when you get into darker situations it will slow down your shutter speed instead of jumping up to a higher ISO. This is normal on anything point and shoot.

If you substitute a Nikon Coolpix A900 you get virtually the same features (24mm-840mm focal length, max aperture of f/3.4, in lens image stabilization etc etc) for about the same price.

BestBuy should have these and more on display and plugged in for you to try.

I get keeping it simple; that being said, from where I'm sitting I can see my Nikon D750 with a Sigma Art 35mm f/1.4 on it, Canon S120, Fujifilm X100S, Nikon F100, a quartet of Pentax Spotmatics, a Konica EYE half frame camera, an Olympus PEN-EE half frame camera, a Yaschica T3 (Zeiss glass in a point and shoot), and I won't start with lenses. More cameras in the other room too. I'd be making your trip with no less than three cameras and a small bag of lenses. But;

The Nikon Coolpix A900 or the Canon PowerShot SX740 HS are both small, simple, fully automatic, relatively cheap, take great (or good enough) photographs, have super zoom lenses, and most importantly, neither of them have lens caps for you to forget to take off.

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Brian Nystrom
Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 5096
Location: Nashua, NH

11/22/18 8:12 PM

As someone who is/was an avid sea kayaker and also a photography enthusiast, I wouldn't recommend buying anything that isn't at least "splash proof". It's simply too easy to get a camera wet when you're paddling, even if you're not involved in a capsize or other incident. If you want the camera to be readily accessible - and I assume you do - protecting it from all water contact is nearly impossible. This one requirement will dramatically reduce the field of likely contenders (it eliminates my favorite travel camera, the Sony RX-100 IV).

There are a number of options on the market that range from good quality point-and-shoots to mirrorless DSLRs. I'm not sure about other manufacturers, but I know Olympus has several splashproof options from the "Tough" series to the OMDs.

You can get waterproof housings for many cameras, but they typically at least double the camera's size and many are even larger than that. They're really meant for snorkelers and scuba divers, but if the size is not an issue (it really wasn't when we were kayaking with the Canon S-50 and S-60), it would increase the number of camera options.

It's strictly a personal bias, but I won't buy any camera that doesn't have a viewfinder, as I can't see LCD panels clearly enough without reading glasses (a real pain in the ass to deal with in a kayak) and even the best LCDs still suck in bright light. In a largely white environment like Antarctica, that could be an important consideration.

That same environment will also require you to understand exposure compensation, as a camera on auto will turn bright white scenes into dull gray ones if you don't set it up to compensate. Some cameras offer a "beach" or "snow" mode that would likely be useful.

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dan emery
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 6884
Location: Maine

11/23/18 6:14 AM

Thanks again

I don't think I'll be trying to take pics from the kayak, I'm not adept at either and that might exceed my walking and chewing gum capacity. I might take some from a zodiac I guess, but photos are not my main "focus" so I'll probably be conservative. That said, the 0lympus TD5 seems a reasonable waterproof option. And lots of good non-waterproof options. I guess I should also get a memory card? They're cheap enough.

Anyway, soon I'm just going to pull the trigger on one and so be it. I appreciate all the thoughtful input.

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Brian Nystrom
Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 5096
Location: Nashua, NH

11/23/18 8:25 AM

Definitely get a memory card...

...especially if you intend to record any video. A 32GB card will give you plenty of capacity, probably way more than you need. Check the specs for the camera and get the recommended class of card card for the highest resolution setting. Shooting at the highest res gives you the most flexibility in manipulating the images later.

Shooting photos from a kayak isn't difficult as long as the water's calm enough that you can take at least one hand off the paddle. The boats you'll be in are going to be very stable, so it shouldn't be difficult to use the camera. Considering that you'll likely be encountering interesting marine life, you'll probably want to keep the camera handy and tethered to yourself. If you get water on the lens, the easiest way to deal with it is to lick it off, then spit out the salt. I've tried several methods and this is the best I've found.

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dan emery
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 6884
Location: Maine

11/23/18 8:42 AM

warming filter

Looking at the materials sent out, they recommend a "warming filter like an 81A-
B" for landscapes and ice, and a long zoom (or long lens). Don't mention much about waterproof other than have a dry bag.

Licking and spitting sounds like it works. "Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink."

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henoch
Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 1690

11/23/18 9:10 AM

Yeah if you want to get more "less simple: :) a zoom would be a great idea.
Those Sony's (a5100 and a6000) take Zooms, I think the big zoom they have is a 55-210.
You can get it if you buy the package up front for pretty cheap, I think only like $150 extra.

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dan emery
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 6884
Location: Maine

11/23/18 9:55 AM

Plunging

A more careful review of the literature reveals a suggestion of bringing a bathing suit "as you may wish to participate in a polar plunge." It's on (I will double check with a doc).

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daddy-o
Joined: 12 Apr 2004
Posts: 3307
Location: Springfield

11/23/18 10:04 AM

I really dig photography, multiple cameras, decades of shooting, decades of documenting, most likely not in the top five enthusiasts who post here, but people appreciate my output, and I appreciate that.

What am I getting at?

Sometimes the camera can get in the way of being in the moment. Occasionally it's best leave it back in the room.

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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

11/23/18 10:22 AM

"bringing a bathing suit"

And a wet-suit? ;)

What is the water temp, for sheits and giggles?

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Brian Nystrom
Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 5096
Location: Nashua, NH

11/23/18 1:32 PM

Seawater freezes at 28 degrees F, so that's a pretty good starting point. I've swan in water that cold with a dry suit and fleece underlayers (winter sea kayak training) and it's not fun. The pain it caused on my face alone was more than I really wanted to deal with, let alone immersing my whole body!

Linda's done a couple of polar plunges in warmer water temps (40-1sh) but for me, they're a spectator sport. ;-)

Back to cameras, if you're not concerned about water resistance, the Sony RX-10 is often touted as "the ultimate tourist camera". It's the big brother of the RX-100 and has a long, high-quality zoom lens, and all the automatic (and manual features) you could possibly want. It's like a mirrorless DSLR, without interchangeable lenses. It ain't cheap, but it's as close to a do-it-all rig as you'll find.

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PLee
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 3712
Location: Brooklyn, NY

11/23/18 8:14 PM

Water temp in November was 30.

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April
Joined: 13 Dec 2003
Posts: 6593
Location: Westchester/NYC

11/24/18 1:02 AM

Get 2!

Late to the party.

(my excuse is I was bike camping in China!)

For kayaking, the gold standard is the Olympus waterproof point and shoot (I forgot the model name, and I’m in China where google is banned). I have an earlier version that has an optical viewfinder. That’s the one I take with me when I expect wet’n “active” paddling! Its thin, playing card shape/size make it easy to carry and most importantly, easy to reach for while paddling. It’s survived a couple of dunking while in my pfd pocket.

Though I do own a SLR, I’ve been using my phone for the majority of my travel picture taking. Of the times I NEED the slr was for action photos like birds and animals that moves. The immediate shutter action is something most digital camera are somewhat disadvantaged. As far as taking good pictures in varied conditions, the phone does an admirable job! Sure, he slr has superior optical lens too. But situation that it really make a difference is actually rare.

With all that said, slr are really inexpensive. The learning curve is pretty easy. So do consider that as an addition camera.


Last edited by April on 11/24/18 7:59 AM; edited 1 time in total

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April
Joined: 13 Dec 2003
Posts: 6593
Location: Westchester/NYC

11/24/18 1:08 AM

To reduce the chance of getting water droplets on the lens, pocket the camera with the lens facing your chest rather than face outward.

Also, loop the lanyard to your pfd’s zipper pull tab. Waterproof camera in the bottom of the ocean isn’t too useful to you the owner.

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Brian Nystrom
Joined: 26 Jan 2004
Posts: 5096
Location: Nashua, NH

11/24/18 5:30 AM

If you're considering the Olympus Tough TG-5...

...they're on sale now, either direct from Olympus or through dealers:

https://www.getolympus.com/us/en/featured_weekly_deals?utm_content=tg5more&utm_campaign=em_bfomd2018_us&utm_source=email_etprm&utm_medium=email&sfmc_sub=5353401

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dan emery
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 6884
Location: Maine

11/24/18 7:18 AM

trigger pulled

Shutter clicked? Ordered the Sony a6000 Henoch recommended. Didn't get the long lens (keeping it simple), got memory card, case and extra battery. I know it has white balance and bracketing settings, at least.

The trip offers a photo share site so hopefully more skilled travelers will upload their shots and I can download them.

Thanks again for al the input.

Oh, water temp in January seems estimated @32F.

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henoch
Joined: 12 Jan 2004
Posts: 1690

11/28/18 10:21 AM

Glad to hear that my recondition worked out for you.
I think you will love it, those are supposed to be great little cameras.
I am kind of shopping myself so I did some reading on it.
Will you be brining the laptop and taking the pics off the memory card each day? if not pick up an extra memory card or two.

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dan emery
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 6884
Location: Maine

12/1/18 5:54 PM

Snapping away

Well I got the camera, got it charged up, took a decent picture of my dog Remy, transferred it by wifi to my iPhone and emailed it. Big stuff for an idiot like me. Camera seems great. One problem, it has a lens cap.....

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daddy-o
Joined: 12 Apr 2004
Posts: 3307
Location: Springfield

12/2/18 8:17 AM

Getting one to pose, dogs just don't seem to understand the concept of portraiture.

To their credit they don't seem concerned about just getting their good side.

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dan emery
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 6884
Location: Maine

12/2/18 6:22 PM

Posing dogs

And mine are Dalmatians, who, umm, have a mind of their own. I once read that a trainer who worked with animals for TV shoots and catalogs said if she was working with Dalmatians she couldn't sleep the night before.

I generally take pics of them when they are sleeping or chasing chipmunks.

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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

12/2/18 6:38 PM

sleeping and dreaming of chasing chipmunks?

;)

Makes me think of the hounds running in place sleeping. Last lap or something. ;0

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Sparky
Joined: 08 Dec 2003
Posts: 19068
Location: PDX

12/2/18 7:08 PM

Great Rug BTW, A greyhound with dalmatian spots? LOL

Hosted for Dan and his new camera.

Original is 1616x1080, I cropped it for display in thread.

But linked to the orig below if it is desired to see the biggie.





http://coupekiss.host-ed.me//images/ttf/Image-Dan-E-pupOrig.jpg

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daddy-o
Joined: 12 Apr 2004
Posts: 3307
Location: Springfield

12/3/18 6:24 AM

That's a good dog.

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April
Joined: 13 Dec 2003
Posts: 6593
Location: Westchester/NYC

12/3/18 7:27 AM


quote:
One problem, it has a lens cap.....

Lens cap! How quaint.

But at least it’s a minor problem with digital cameras. You see immediately that your picture didn’t come out, unlike in the days with films...

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