I have been using the Kodak throwaway kind for as long as I can remember, and I’m thinking about getting a real one. I don’t really know anything about cameras at all - except point and shoot and when to use the flash, lol… so I’m looking for suggestions from what you guys use - lightweight and durable for use on the trail, doubling as a good camera for non trail life too thanks.
Duct Tape
I had great luck with the Canon ELPH LT. It only costs about $60, and weighs about 4 oz. w/ battery and film, and is super tiny - about the size of a pack of smokes. And it has a clock and calender built right in to boot, so you don’t have to carry a watch. It has served me well in civilian life, too, although its diminutive size makes it decidely un-macho.
Papillon
im not down with the APS film format (i think thats what the ELPH film format is, i could be mistaken) but if you want a great 35mm point and shoot with a carl zeiss lens (one of the best lens makers out there) check out the yashica T4 weatherpoof version. i recently took it with me on my AT thru hike. the first week i left it out in a freak downpour and it survived the entire trip. oh, and i got 30 + rolls of film off of one battery. go to www.yashica.com and check it out. or email me if need be
panda
My husband and I wanted to buy a Yashica T4 for our thru-hike, as we had not been that happy with our APS, and had heard rave reviews about the Yashica. However, we called Yashica and they are currently not producing or selling any more of the T4/T5s - even though they are still listed on the web site. And since they were so popular, the only dealer left in the country that has any in stock has really raised the price. So yesterday we bought an Olympus Stylus Epic 80 for around $150, based on some hiker recomendations. It weighs 7.8 oz loaded and has rubber gaskets to make it somewhat water resistant.
Jen
We got my son an Olympus stylus as a gift. He used it on a trip to Isle Royal last summer. We hiked 8 days. Rained at least 3 days. Was small, compact, good lens protection, and good pictures. I really would like to get one myself but bought a pentax(which I don’t reccomend) just a year or so ago and it still works so have a hard time buying another camera.
Buzz
Buzz
Hey, my family has an Olympus D-100, I was thinking of taking it on my next long-distance hike. Benefits are that I can shoot and delete pics I don;t want right there. No wasted money on bad shots… Also, depending on picture quality, I can stash all my pics on one memory card. Drawbacks that I can think of is that the camera goes thru batteries like crazy. I wanted to use rechargeables with a solar strap, but the camera seems to drain the bats too quickly (still testing). Also, I like having negatives afterwards and photo albums are great, having everything stashed on disc is tough, and printing all the pics so far is too expensive. My questions for those familar with digital cameras are:
What quality pics do you recommend taking; standard, high or super high quality? (I’d like to save space, but wonder if standard will not have very good resolution.
I like the concept of saving paper etc. in stashing pics on discs, but do they endure for long? And does anyone who has converted miss the photo albums?
Sweeper
I started out the trip with a disposable. Many people like them due to the light weight, so I got talked into it. For me it was a mistake. I lost some good pictures in marginal lighting conditions. A good, small, automatic 35mm, preferably with some zoom and a self-timer, seemed like a better deal to me, so I bought an Olympus Stylus Epic Zoom.
This was a great all-around camera for me, but although the picture quality was decent, it did lack something in resolution.
If you’re a person who really doesn’t care about photos all that much, a disposable might be fine. If you do like good photos, get a good camera.
Colter
Jean and I used Canon Sur Shot 80 Tele and had them developed on disc so we could down load them on the computer. We were pleased with the 265 pictures we took.
The camers was stored in a zip-lock bag and made the trip with out any problems.
Comer & Jean