camera vs smartphone

Fantastic pictures! If I could get anything remotely that nice I would thrilled. I'm not really interested in the technical aspects of photography and know I won't take the time to learn enough to to make a DSLR a worthy investment for me. I have spent the last few days now researching cameras, specifically bridge cameras in the ultra zoom category. The optical zoom is my main priority because that is the purpose of me getting a new camera for this trip. It is clear that a bridge camera will not provide the image sharpness of a DSLR, and I'm ok with that trade-off. For me, pictures are just something to refresh my memory of past experiences and not really anything I would print and frame, or probably show to anybody else for that matter. I've read so much the last two days, my head is spinning trying to balance budget, optical zoom length, megapixels, etc., so if anyone has a ultra zoom bridge camera that they have used and can recommend I would love some advice. Right now I'm leaning towards the Nikon CoolPix p610.

Fantastic pictures! If I could get anything remotely that nice I would thrilled. I'm not really interested in the technical aspects of photography and know I won't take the time to learn enough to to make a DSLR a worthy investment for me. I have spent the last few days now researching cameras, specifically bridge cameras in the ultra zoom category. The optical zoom is my main priority because that is the purpose of me getting a new camera for this trip. It is clear that a bridge camera will not provide the image sharpness of a DSLR, and I'm ok with that trade-off. For me, pictures are just something to refresh my memory of past experiences and not really anything I would print and frame, or probably show to anybody else for that matter. I've read so much the last two days, my head is spinning trying to balance budget, optical zoom length, megapixels, etc., so if anyone has a ultra zoom bridge camera that they have used and can recommend I would love some advice. Right now I'm leaning towards the Nikon CoolPix p610.

Yeah I just kinda sorta understand the basics of camera settings but I understand not wanting to make it the focus of the vacation (pun not totally intended :p ).

You can get beautiful pics with a DSLR but there are several potential things in the negative column also such as cost, convenience & portability just to name a few.

An option to help compliment your photos is talk to passengers on your cruise that have a nice camera and ask them if they would be willing to share any of their pics with you via email or social media after the cruise. If they are not professional I would say there is a decent chance. I have shared many photos with other passengers, butlers, concierges and other crew over the years. I do not make money with them and do it for a hobby. I just ask the people I share with to not sell them and if they put them out on social media to give me credit.

Be thick skinned when approaching photographers as it seems some are very passionate about their photos and may be offended that you want them to just give you their photos. Don't worry about them and just move along to the next. You will see several cameras with long lenses on your cruise ship. You can engage them in conversation and possibly get a feel if they are the kind of person willing to share.

I hope this helps.

Fantastic pictures! If I could get anything remotely that nice I would thrilled. I'm not really interested in the technical aspects of photography and know I won't take the time to learn enough to to make a DSLR a worthy investment for me. I have spent the last few days now researching cameras, specifically bridge cameras in the ultra zoom category. The optical zoom is my main priority because that is the purpose of me getting a new camera for this trip. It is clear that a bridge camera will not provide the image sharpness of a DSLR, and I'm ok with that trade-off. For me, pictures are just something to refresh my memory of past experiences and not really anything I would print and frame, or probably show to anybody else for that matter. I've read so much the last two days, my head is spinning trying to balance budget, optical zoom length, megapixels, etc., so if anyone has a ultra zoom bridge camera that they have used and can recommend I would love some advice. Right now I'm leaning towards the Nikon CoolPix p610.

You might want to think about something in the line of a mirrorless system like the Sony A6000. You can get the cam and 2 lenses (an 18-55mmvand a 55-200mm) for about 850$ total. It combines the ease and compactness of a point and shoot with the power of a dslr. There is a full auto mode which does a nice job, but you can also set it in full manual mode and learn more techniques. The size also makes it ideal to bring since they are so compact. I have a full frame DSLR and an A6000 and am bringing both

My experience exactly! My 600mm lens sits in the drawer on the ship - except when I am doing wildlife photography. I sometimes don't even take my medium telephoto, just the iPhone.

 

An option to help compliment your photos is talk to passengers on your cruise that have a nice camera and ask them if they would be willing to share any of their pics with you via email or social media after the cruise

Thanks, that's a good suggestion!

You might want to think about something in the line of a mirrorless system like the Sony A6000. You can get the cam and 2 lenses (an 18-55mmvand a 55-200mm) for about 850$ total. It combines the ease and compactness of a point and shoot with the power of a dslr. There is a full auto mode which does a nice job, but you can also set it in full manual mode and learn more techniques. The size also makes it ideal to bring since they are so compact. I have a full frame DSLR and an A6000 and am bringing both

Thanks, I'll check it out. Being completely clueless, I have no idea what those lens ranges equal compared to point and shoot cameras. The ability to be able to really zoom in on wildlife is my main priority, the wide angle/landscape & scenery shots I would feel completely comfortable using my iPhone camera for my purposes. Would the 55-200mm lens be adequate for long range wildlife photos?

If you want to capture any wildlife pics then a DSLR with a long lens is a must. I have a Canon 70D (crop sensor DSLR) and a 100-400 lens. I got my best pics last May out of our 7 Alaska cruises.

 

Here is what you can get with a DSLR & long lens:

 

 

wow, those pictures are very nice

Yes, I also have a 100-400mm IS lens. It takes half of my camera bag space. LOL. This year, I will try to shoot pictures using the binoculars as the primary lens for my smartphone.

Thanks, that's a good suggestion!

 

 

 

Thanks, I'll check it out. Being completely clueless, I have no idea what those lens ranges equal compared to point and shoot cameras. The ability to be able to really zoom in on wildlife is my main priority, the wide angle/landscape & scenery shots I would feel completely comfortable using my iPhone camera for my purposes. Would the 55-200mm lens be adequate for long range wildlife photos?

It's a true zoom lens with better optics than a point and shoot. You'll get better resolution and sharper images with this than a point and shoot.

Many times, a point and shoot uses a digital zoom rather than a true optical zoom, which will degrade quality. With something like this, you get SLR performance with point and shoot ease.

Here are a few things I've taken with an a6000 (albeit with a different lens set)

https://500px.com/photo/118753071

https://500px.com/photo/110789029

https://500px.com/photo/76240177

https://500px.com/photo/110108447 (This actually used the kit lens that came with it)

https://500px.com/photo/110007065 (Same kit lens)

https://500px.com/photo/88246855 (Same lens)

https://500px.com/photo/76837269 (Same lens)

Yeah I just kinda sorta understand the basics of camera settings but I understand not wanting to make it the focus of the vacation (pun not totally intended :p ).

 

You can get beautiful pics with a DSLR but there are several potential things in the negative column also such as cost, convenience & portability just to name a few.

 

An option to help compliment your photos is talk to passengers on your cruise that have a nice camera and ask them if they would be willing to share any of their pics with you via email or social media after the cruise. If they are not professional I would say there is a decent chance. I have shared many photos with other passengers, butlers, concierges and other crew over the years. I do not make money with them and do it for a hobby. I just ask the people I share with to not sell them and if they put them out on social media to give me credit.

 

Be thick skinned when approaching photographers as it seems some are very passionate about their photos and may be offended that you want them to just give you their photos. Don't worry about them and just move along to the next. You will see several cameras with long lenses on your cruise ship. You can engage them in conversation and possibly get a feel if they are the kind of person willing to share.

 

I hope this helps.

Need pictures, why do you need them from your specific moment. Google is a good source as is searching flickr and 500pix. Want to show somebody what you saw or will see I find public domain so easy. Let someone else lug their 10lbs and 10K of equipment thru the airport ( don't feel bad it is their hobby ) use it :D

Bring a selfie stick and an iPhone, and post it on social media... after all it's all about telling the world you were there ;)

Need pictures, why do you need them from your specific moment. Google is a good source as is searching flickr and 500pix. Want to show somebody what you saw or will see I find public domain so easy. Let someone else lug their 10lbs and 10K of equipment thru the airport ( don't feel bad it is their hobby ) use it :D

 

Bring a selfie stick and an iPhone, and post it on social media... after all it's all about telling the world you were there ;)

I'm sorry but grabbing pics from the internet to explain your vacation is nowhere close to what I would ever want to do. I want pics from the actual cruise/vacation I was on. I wouldn't mind if someone else took them but I want to show the actual whale or glacier calving I saw. WAYYYYYYYY different in my book. Otherwise just tell someone you saw a whale and don't bother taking a pic from the internet. I think most people know what a whale looks like.

I guess I just have a lot more sentimentality than you. You don't mind a sterile explanation of your vacation and there is nothing wrong with that. I just like a personal connection to my actual experiences. I don't look at a picture of a bear and think, "oh, that is pretty much exactly like my experiences when I saw a bear".

To each their own but I hope no one takes your advice to use very far removed images to explain or relive their wonderful cruise/vacation to Alaska.

I only bring 3 lenses, 1 camera body and my iPhone. Far from 10k in cost. The long lens is a little heavy but when you are using it you aren't walking around town. I know my focus is looking for a shot to take and not the weight.

I'm sorry but grabbing pics from the internet to explain your vacation is nowhere close to what I would ever want to do. I want pics from the actual cruise/vacation I was on. I wouldn't mind if someone else took them but I want to show the actual whale or glacier calving I saw. WAYYYYYYYY different in my book. Otherwise just tell someone you saw a whale and don't bother taking a pic from the internet. I think most people know what a whale looks like.

 

I guess I just have a lot more sentimentality than you. You don't mind a sterile explanation of your vacation and there is nothing wrong with that. I just like a personal connection to my actual experiences. I don't look at a picture of a bear and think, "oh, that is pretty much exactly like my experiences when I saw a bear".

 

To each their own but I hope no one takes your advice to use very far removed images to explain or relive their wonderful cruise/vacation to Alaska.

 

I only bring 3 lenses, 1 camera body and my iPhone. Far from 10k in cost. The long lens is a little heavy but when you are using it you aren't walking around town. I know my focus is looking for a shot to take and not the weight.

I can't like this enough!

I take pictures to capture the world the way I see it...not to remember how others saw it.

I'm taking my new DSLR in July. Spent a fortune on a new Nikon D3300 with a 55-300 zoom lens. I just need to figure out how to use the damn thing now lol

I'm taking my new DSLR in July. Spent a fortune on a new Nikon D3300 with a 55-300 zoom lens. I just need to figure out how to use the damn thing now lol

I'm very much a novice but besides learning about composition of the photo the 3 main things are aperture, shutter speed and ISO.

Youtube and the internet in general has tons of great information. For photo composition look up the "rule of thirds". It helped me tremendously in my photo composition.

You might look into open box at Best Buy. I got the A6000 with two lenses for $600 and I can ntr tell the difference than brand new and comes with Best Buy full warenty.

I can't wait for my Alaska cruise and will be taking my DSLR with an assortment of lenses, and a tripod. My smart phone will be used for an occasional picture to post to Facebook, nothing else. I imagine I'll fill up a 32GB card easily (and will have extra cards on hand), shooting in RAW.

The photos posted in this thread are amazing!