Best camera to take to Europe in September

[Mark1966]

Well following @MrT's purchase of this -

I'm wondering whether my iPhone 6+ will just result in me getting grief from @stillshunter and others when I post pics from my adventure in a few weeks time...

With a DSLR in the house I'm not sure I want to lash out these sort of dollars or even if I will get one - but it may come in handy ..

What do people think?

 

[Glen]

Phone cameras have come a long way, but they hardly replace a good camera IMO. Take a real camera and document your holiday properly.

 

[eggbert]

We have a dslr but never use it. I'm not a huge photo taker but wifebert is. However she has just realised I can't (won't) carry both of them as they are too heavy so we need to think about something else.
Tempted to sell the canon 600D and get something much smaller but don't know what is it there.

 

[Mark1966]

... Take a real camera and document your holiday properly.

Like ????

...Tempted to sell the canon 600D and get something much smaller but don't know what is it there.

So we have two potential buyers ...

Both myself and my daughter have Canon DSLRs and both occasionally go on arty photography bents, she more regularly as having more time. If I take something else it will need to be compact, able to withstand being thrown in the bottom of a backpack and work on AUTO mode well - I double I will bother changing off that unless to some preset modes.

A purest will shudder I know but I'm being realistic. I want to enjoy the trip not phaff about while taking pics!

 

[Glen]

Like ????

Sorry, couldn't recommend a smallish camera, don't know enough about them. I'd be taking my Nikon DSLR, but that's me...

 

[stillshunter]

I'd not bother with the dSLR mate, cumbersome and inconvenient for travelling. Only time to take that sort of serious weaponry is if images are the end in itself. Sounds like a holiday to me and so take something that's unobtrusive and with you all the time. It's not only the image quality that suffers with the mobile phone camera - remember the image sensor is smaller than the fingernail on your pinkie (probably half that size), but they are simply too unreliable, they miss focus, struggle in poor light and if you can nail the focus then the noise (that's 'image noise) in anything but bright sunlight is absolutely awful!

Choices?
Well it depends.
- If you want small and good IQ (image quality) - then something like the Sony RX100Mkiv is a great choice. Here you have a 1" sensor on-board. I'd call this your minimum. Seriously!
- If you want more focal length choices and want to still have some creative opportunities then a mirrorless ILC (interchangeable lens) - e.g., mu43 (micro4/3) like the Olympus or Panasonic, Fuji X-system, etc., can give you wide lenses, versatile zooms, fast normals and even decent telephotos...and a body and clutch of lenses would take up less space and weigh less than my Canon dSLR with one zoom lens - 5D Mkii w/- 24-105 is close to 2 kgs! These mirrorless ILCs have a sensor as big (Fuji X- etc.) if not just shy (mu43) of most prosumer dSLRs. Think Canon 750D or Nikon whatever it is nowadays.
- If you want full-frame goodness (like you find in a Canon 5D MkIII, Nikon D750, etc.) in a small package then it starts getting expensive but luxuriously lovely. The Sony A7 series is my pick here. Well actually the Leica M is definitely my no. 1 choice but we're talking in the tens of thousands for the body and a single prime lens.

Please remember not only are megapixels not everything, they are actually far down on the needs list. You want a decent sized sensor, fast lens (small aperture number e.g., f.2), but most of all it needs to fit and work right in your hands. For example some of us need a viewfinder at our eye - I can't shoot with arms out - or have what controls we need (shutter, aperture, ISO) at our finger tips without moving our eye from the viewfinder. Others like to use the back screen, to simply point and shoot...so having the best quality kit - yep I'm back to the Leica M - might be useless to someone who wants a point and shoot - as it's too fiddly. You can't do selfies with Leica M.

I would recommend never buying a camera you've not tried first-hand. Testing it even for just 5 minutes in the store will tell you if it's right for you. Specs in cameras mean squat.

Most importantly: IQ, the biggest sensor, the fastest lens, all this means nothing if you miss the moment. So get what works for you and doesn't get in the way of you and those moments.
..but you will want to print or share these moments and a phone, well it just don;t cut it IMHO....esp. if the moments are unrepeatable and/or precious....seen many professional wedding iPhoneographers?

 

[Mark1966]

...
- If you want small and good IQ (image quality) - then something like the Sony RX100Mkiv is a great choice. Here you have a 1" sensor on-board. I'd call this your minimum. Seriously!...

Well since I've indicated that 'I'm not sure I want to lash out these sort of dollars' it seems I have no where to go

Will have to stick with my iPhone as the DSLR is staying home ...

 

[stillshunter]

I'm saying a 1" sensor should be your minimum, not the shiniest and latest gadget. Tell me your budget mate and we'll find you sumfink....great deals buying used in this space - happy to help here.

 

[eggbert]

Ouch, $1k is the minimum?

 

[stillshunter]

Ouch, $1k is the minimum?

FFS!
NO a one inch sensor (a.k.a 1") is the minimum. JeezI spied at least two Sony RX100Mk1 on eBay for around $300 or a Nikon 1-series for close to $200!
Again anyone who's keen then tell me your budget and we see what we can find.

 

[Mark1966]

FFS!
NO a one inch sensor (a.k.a 1") is the minimum. JeezI spied at least two Sony RX100Mk1 on eBay for around $300 or a Nikon 1-series for close to $200!
Again anyone who's keen then tell me your budget and we see what we can find.

Sorry mate - we are imbeciles.

Maybe $500 ish, maybe $200 ish? will $500 be twice as good as $200?

Have pity on us ...

 

[borked]

Nikon 1 AW1 is what I settled upon.

 

[borked]

Nikon 1 AW1 is what I settled upon.

 

[eggbert]

Sorry @stillshunter, the first Google result for the Sony came up at $1k, didn't realise it could be had for a lot less.

 

[stillshunter]

Sorry mate - we are imbeciles.

Maybe $500 ish, maybe $200 ish? will $500 be twice as good as $200?

Have pity on us ...

Ha Ha., just wanted to be clear. Reason I prefer film is it's been perfected. No need to upgrade every 6 months...just pop in a new 'sensor' and off you go
OK $500 is a healthy amount.
Now do you want to change lenses or not?
What focal range do you need? This is coming from me whose 4 out of 6 cameras are a single focal length of 35mm.
Do you need/want a viewfinder?
More questions after we nut these basics out.

Sorry @stillshunter, the first Google result for the Sony came up at $1k, didn't realise it could be had for a lot less.

Yeah the latest and greatest one is always $1k, but it's the MarkIV. They slide down each Mark down to $300 for the MarkI. Digital rot is astounding. Like a new car, drops 20% in value when you drive it off the lot....and that's what folks like me swoop on.

 

[Mark1966]

Ha Ha., just wanted to be clear. Reason I prefer film is it's been perfected. No need to upgrade every 6 months...just pop in a new 'sensor' and off you go
OK $500 is a healthy amount.
Now do you want to change lenses or not?
What focal range do you need? This is coming from me whose 4 out of 6 cameras are a single focal length of 35mm.
Do you need/want a viewfinder?
More questions after we nut these basics out.

Hmmm, just realised that since I'm not taking a PC, just an iPad, pics will likely be trapped on the camera all trip - bad news

EDIT: see how dumb I am -

'Instantly Connect To Smartphones And Tablets
Simply touch your Android™ smartphone or tablet to the camera to instantly create a connection. No setup is required beyond downloading the free PlayMemories Mobile™ app to your device. This convenient feature is made possible by NFC™ (Near Field Communication)*, which is available for the first time with One-touch remote on a Sony digital camera. Once connected, you can remotely control the camera’s shutter release from your mobile device and instantly receive the captured image via Wi-Fi, then upload the transferred images straightaway to your favourite Social Networking site. '
(from sony.com.au - the same app is available from iTunes store for Apple devices)

Single lense simplicity
Focal range, smockal range - lets keep it simple - people and landscapes
Viewfinder? Nah, I can see the view I'm shooting

So am I the nut looking for the basics?

 

[stillshunter]

Hmmm, just realised that since I'm not taking a PC, just an iPad, pics will likely be trapped on the camera all trip - bad news

Single lense simplicity
Focal range, smockal range - lets keep it simple - people and landscapes
Viewfinder? Nah, I can see the view I'm shooting

So am I the nut looking for the basics?

Nope we definitely got something to work with here. Shall we continue here or via PM....are others at all interested?

 

[eggbert]

We'd be looking at trading in or privately selling the 600d and then spending a similar amount as M66. But the Mrs wants zoom.

 

[Mark1966]

We'd be looking at trading in or privately selling the 600d and then spending a similar amount as M66. But the Mrs wants zoom.

Hmmm, wonder what that will net? I didn't think market for second hand DSLRs was all that good?

 

[eggbert]

It isn't, but the thing hasn't been used for a year as it is. I'm not into photography at all, wifebert bought that camera and hasn't bothered to learn how to use it so it's gathering dust.