Dilemmas, dilemmas, what’s a writer and photographer to do? Just a little attempt at humor, there’s not really much wrong. It’s more like needing to make a decision that is not life changing or life threatening but has the potential for both a big positive and/or a big negative. What’s the issue? How to pick the “right” camera to take on a trip when the primary focus of the trip is NOT photography.
I have the somewhat unexpected pleasure of taking a road trip in the relatively near future. It’s “somewhat unexpected” in that I was originally intending to fly to the destination but have recently decided that driving makes the most sense. This will give me an additional series of opportunities to see and possibly photograph some new landscapes in locations that I know little about. Unfortunately, I will probably not have enough time to set up lengthy photo shoots but I do want to take advantage of the limited time that I have available. Of course I am hopeful that weather conditions and scenery will be favorable to taking some memorable photos.
Since photography is not my primary objective, and I will be traveling alone, my options will be somewhat limited and will probably require me to be very flexible. Certainly I can do a little research about what I could possibly see along my chosen route and I am taking an extra day in each direction to give myself a bit of extra time as well as taking slightly different travel routes. My original dilemma is deciding which camera to take along. I will have my phone for snapshots and the typical “touristy” photos. The bigger decision was to take a good, better, or best camera setup.
The best camera setup would be the interchangeable lens body with 2 telephoto lenses (an 18 to 55mm and a 70 to 200mm) and a 2X teleconverter. This would give me a lot of flexibility for most landscape and some wildlife shots but would be the heaviest and most intensive gear choice. And the most expensive to replace if the worst happened. This is the camera and lenses (probably plus one more, a 50mm prime lens) I would take if photography were my primary activity on a trip. The better choice would be my top-end bridge camera with an integrated 24 to 1500mm digital zoom lens. The disadvantage with this camera is that it is heavier than the interchangeable body and somewhat bulky for daily carry. The good option is a point-and-shoot style camera with an integrated 30 to 110mm optical zoom lens. It’s small and very lightweight while punching far above its weight class in taking amazing photos.
“And the winner is….” …likely the point-and-shoot. It is the option I know the best for quick and spontaneous photography while still allowing me to set up high quality shots. This camera can also be directly connected to a tripod but does not have filter capability. I’m still considering the bridge camera, primarily because it would allow me some mode flexibility (manual, aperture-priority, or shutter-priority) as well as a longer zoom, but I am still strongly leaning toward the point-and-shoot for overall ease of use under completely unknown conditions. The choices are not endless, even though they can be complex and difficult. No matter what, I expect to enjoy my trip and the limited amount of time I have to devote to photographs. When you have to make a similar decision, consider all of the ramifications and make your own best choice for your objectives.