Camera for Alaska Heli and dog sleding tours

My wife and I are going to Alaska (55 Anniversary- so we are old folks). We are taking a few helicopter tours to glaciers and doing a dog sledding. Want a

camera in $500.00 range. What I worry about is the temperature on glaciers and dog sledding and rain. It seems like most cameras that I look at are 32 to 104. We are going 1st week in June. In my younger years, I used Minolta cameras and multi lens but never in cold weather. Now I what a much simpler camera and a good availability of use instructions. Any help in selection would be greatly appreciated.

Congrats!! There is a perception whether correct or not that Alaska and glacier = cold. This is summer in rainforest like climate, if it is sunny you can get by with a light jacket and hat/gloves/sunglasses and it could feel like a spring day. The worst is that its cloudy and rainy and you'll need a few layers with the outer one being water resistant.

Almost any camera or electronic device will be fine provided you keep it dry. It is true it rains a lot in Alaska and to plan for that. IMHO a plastic ziplock bag or a waterproof plastic baggie from Amazon will keep your camera dry. If it is cold the worst thing is fogging as you change temperatures as well as shorter battery life.

As to what camera, I can suggest a P&S with the widest lense to capture the panoramic views in the helicopter. For your budget there are just so many options, I would suggest going to imaging-resource and search Dave's pick.

An iPhone believe it or not might be good enough for many of the pictures, but yes a good P&S will be better.

Thank you for comments. What cammera did you use for those photos, thast is what I am looking to be able to shoot.

Alaska may not be cold in summer, but on the glacier it certainly can (and should) be. You'll be provided (required?) to wear a life jacket thingy, which will help, but do be ready for you and your gear to be a little cold.

On my helicopter excursion in 2010, after our glacier walk, the pilot asked us if we wanted the heat turned on (not a lot of "control" on a helicopter), and we said yes. Once he'd stabilized the climb, he enabled the heat, and it was HOT. My gear fogged up in a jiffy, and stayed that way for the usual five minutes. Probably not much that can be done about it in that confined space though...

I used my iphone 6 plus for photos and videos in Antarctica in helicopters each day and zodiacs on the ocean etc in minus 37celcius temps and it performed exceptionally well - especially as it doesnt suffer from the fogging up issues in a stuffy helicopter that my big camera suffers.

It handled the cold temps extremely well and also didnt mind being dropped on hard ice or soft snow.

I bought a soft gel back cover for it that had a wrist strap - handy for keeping hold of it but also useful for clipping with a caribeer to my lifejacket or parka etc.

Thank you for comments. What cammera did you use for those photos, thast is what I am looking to be able to shoot.

I had two cameras, at the time D700 with 17-35 and D5100 ( I think ) with 18-200 zoom.

I found having a super wide is more critical than super tele on this excursion. The challenge with most P&S is that most don't go much wider than 24mm ( Full-frame ) so getting pictures like I did in the heli is more limited.

These days I'd likely bring two Nikon V1s with a 6.7-13 and a 10-100 zoom. Buy them on ebay and sell them after the trip ;)

Good luck!

Hi,

We are going on a helicopter glacier dog sledding tour also and need some advice on lenses as well. I will be bringing my A6000. I have 3 lenses for this camera: 10-18mm, 16-50mm kit, and 18-200mm. If I can only take one lens, which do you think would work the best? I'd like to get similar types of pictures as chipmaster (helicopter, approach to dog sled camp, pictures of the kids on dog sledding, views of the glacier, etc.).

Thanks!

Hi,

We are going on a helicopter glacier dog sledding tour also and need some advice on lenses as well. I will be bringing my A6000. I have 3 lenses for this camera: 10-18mm, 16-50mm kit, and 18-200mm. If I can only take one lens, which do you think would work the best? I'd like to get similar types of pictures as chipmaster (helicopter, approach to dog sled camp, pictures of the kids on dog sledding, views of the glacier, etc.).

Thanks!

You shouldn't have any problem taking two, for the flight up I'd start with the 10-18 on the camera and the 18-200 in your pocket and swap out once you get the wide. Or balance with your smarpthone/cheap P&S. Lighting is good and focus speed shouldn't be a problem in most conditions. Pay particular attention to exposure as bright exterior with dark helicopter can fool the exposure system and you will likely need to adjust exposure up a 1/2 to 1 stop.

Have a good time!

You shouldn't have any problem taking two, for the flight up I'd start with the 10-18 on the camera and the 18-200 in your pocket and swap out once you get the wide. Or balance with your smarpthone/cheap P&S. Lighting is good and focus speed shouldn't be a problem in most conditions. Pay particular attention to exposure as bright exterior with dark helicopter can fool the exposure system and you will likely need to adjust exposure up a 1/2 to 1 stop.

 

Have a good time!

Thank you, chipmaster! That's exactly the advice I was looking for. I'm still learning how to use this sweet camera, and can use all the advice I can get :)