Using phone camera

Unfortunately (for them) there a lot of people that spend the money on a DSLR camera and just set it to Auto mode. While most DSLRs in Auto mode will take fantastic pictures, knowing how to use the camera to it's fullest will allow you to capture in better pictures.

I agree, which is why a bridge camera makes more sense for many.

The Panasonic FZ200/300, while an older camera, shoots at a constant f2.8 across the focal range, has a decent EVF but “only” a 24x zoom (still equivalent to ~600mm).

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If you're treating the Alaska cruise as a once in a lifetime deal (and FYI the excursions are priced that way) you shouldn't cut corners on the camera.

Not taken with a phone camera...

If you're treating the Alaska cruise as a once in a lifetime deal (and FYI the excursions are priced that way) you shouldn't cut corners on the camera.

I agree. Don't cut corners on your camera.

I, too, have a bridge camera, the Panasonic FZ1000. We also have Canon and Nikon DSLRs, but we both wanted cameras for travel that had great zooms and didn't require changing lenses. Our zooms go to 400mm optical, but with very little decrease in quality, will go to 800mm digital. I have even gotten some quite decent photos while zoomed to 1600mm digital. I took this one in Denali while zoomed to 800mm.

We have also traveled with only our cellphone cameras. However, for Alaska, we will definitely take our bridge cameras.

We have found many videos on YouTube on how to use our particular camera (and also oodles on the FZ200 that Herfnerd recommended). I'm sure every there are some out there for every camera brand. Check them out.

I took my Canon Powershot and also my IPhone 7+ to Alaska and got some great shots with both. I love the panoramic feature on the IPhone for mountains and glaciers and the sports feature on the Canon for moving wildlife, such as whales and puffins.

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I openly recognize that I'm on the upper end of the spectrum, but the only way I'm not taking three DSLRs and at least four lenses to Alaska is if we have a kid.

I had three different DSLRs in Alaska last summer, each with 2-3 lenses, carefully planned as to which system would give best results under various circumstances. Mostly it worked out. I also had my iPhone that I used for shots of food in the MDR, various beers ashore, group pictures, and other informal stuff. I would have an anxiety attack if I had to limit myself to a phone camera, not even a single DSLR! If the OP relative in question is “an intrepid photographer “, I do not see how anything less than a good DSLR is reasonable.

Some of my Alaska shots... http:// http://photos.stanhalpin.com/p145359574

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I just bought a Nikon D3400 DSLR specifically for our cruise next year. I’m already blown away by the difference in picture quality from my phone and I don’t have a clue what I’m doing with it. It came with an 18-55 mm and a 70-300 mm lens. My brother is an actual photographer and I’m going to see if he can find me a longer zoom as well.

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I just bought a Nikon D3400 DSLR specifically for our cruise next year. I’m already blown away by the difference in picture quality from my phone and I don’t have a clue what I’m doing with it. It came with an 18-55 mm and a 70-300 mm lens. My brother is an actual photographer and I’m going to see if he can find me a longer zoom as well.

 

 

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I would educate yourself on how to use it before spending the money and getting anything larger than that 70-300

I just bought a Nikon D3400 DSLR specifically for our cruise next year. I’m already blown away by the difference in picture quality from my phone and I don’t have a clue what I’m doing with it. It came with an 18-55 mm and a 70-300 mm lens. My brother is an actual photographer and I’m going to see if he can find me a longer zoom as well.

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The longer the lens, the less sharp the image is likely to be. Unless you buy and properly use a good sturdy (heavy, hard to pack, a nuisance to carry) tripod. If you are willing to invest a bit more in such lenses, I recommend instead using the funds to buy tours and excursions to destinations where you can get close to your wildlife targets.

This image was shot with a 50-135mm lens at 95mm. If I had some longer lens on the camera, I would not have been able to capture much of the bear's head in the shot.

I just bought a Nikon D3400 DSLR specifically for our cruise next year. I’m already blown away by the difference in picture quality from my phone and I don’t have a clue what I’m doing with it. It came with an 18-55 mm and a 70-300 mm lens. My brother is an actual photographer and I’m going to see if he can find me a longer zoom as well.

 

 

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That is the one I have too. I think I need a class!

We just bought a DSLR and took it on our last vacation and used it in Boston and I would take a picture and my husband would take the same one on his iPhone. And his were just as good if not better in most cases. So I am thinking about taking the camera back.

 

But because of the zoom feature, I am torn. We did not have the DSLR in Alaska and while our pics are OK, they aren't great. We are going to Hawaii in January and I want to photograph whales which I can't do with a point and shoot and the iPhone isn't great for that either. Plus I feel like we will go back to Alaska too at some point.

 

So yeah I have to decide in 90 days. If I do keep the camera, I will have to take class for sure. Another thing is I feel like I can frame the pictures much better with the iPhone than I can with the camera.

 

OP, if your mom has the camera and is experienced with it, I would take it. I consistently see pictures in Alaska trip reports that are spectacular and more often than not, they are taken with a camera, not a phone.

You bought a camera. You took it on vacation. You used it on vacation. You increased the shutter count which can be checked. Now you want to return it. Doesn't that sound a bit tacky and dishonest to you? When you return it, the store is not allowed to sell it as new but must sell it as an open box item resulting in a loss of of profit on the item to them.

Just think, based on your logic you can get a new camera for every vacation you take as long as you do not buy or perhaps I should say rent it w/o cost from the same store twice. Maybe should reconsider buying cameras and just rent one when you go on trips.

DON

I just bought a Nikon D3400 DSLR specifically for our cruise next year. I’m already blown away by the difference in picture quality from my phone and I don’t have a clue what I’m doing with it. It came with an 18-55 mm and a 70-300 mm lens. My brother is an actual photographer and I’m going to see if he can find me a longer zoom as well.

 

 

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If you are going to use the really long lens infrequently, you might consider renting. You will get exactly the lens that you need for your trip and not have to lay out a lot of cash for a lens that you will hardly use.

DON

If you are going to use the really long lens infrequently, you might consider renting. You will get exactly the lens that you need for your trip and not have to lay out a lot of cash for a lens that you will hardly use.

 

 

 

DON

Good idea. I don’t feel like I’d use it a lot at home. Most of my pictures subjects are my dogs 🤦*♀️. But they are ready and willing to let me practice. I was just taking some pictures of our deer about 100 yards from my house and this is as good as it got.

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Good idea. I don’t feel like I’d use it a lot at home. Most of my pictures subjects are my dogs 🤦*♀️. But they are ready and willing to let me practice. I was just taking some pictures of our deer about 100 yards from my house and this is as good as it got.

 

 

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Not bad. I don’t know what you did to the image before posting, so your results as seen in this image may be an artifact of the software you used. But nothing in the photo seems to be in focus. It could be that the lens doesn’t focus properly, but generally this is a symptom of camera shake. I.e., there was some small movement of the camera when you pressed the shutter. Buy/borrow/rent a good tripod, get a good tripod head and a good camera plate, set up to take many many photos of your hundred yard deer. Try delayed shutter release, remote shutter release, mirror-up vs. standard. Crank up the ISO so that you can use a decent shutter speed. (Clean up the noise in post processing.) I predict that your deer are going to be ready for submission to the next Bambi Beauty contest!

Not bad. I don’t know what you did to the image before posting, so your results as seen in this image may be an artifact of the software you used. But nothing in the photo seems to be in focus. It could be that the lens doesn’t focus properly, but generally this is a symptom of camera shake. I.e., there was some small movement of the camera when you pressed the shutter. Buy/borrow/rent a good tripod, get a good tripod head and a good camera plate, set up to take many many photos of your hundred yard deer. Try delayed shutter release, remote shutter release, mirror-up vs. standard. Crank up the ISO so that you can use a decent shutter speed. (Clean up the noise in post processing.) I predict that your deer are going to be ready for submission to the next Bambi Beauty contest!

Lol! I did nothing to it. That’s exactly how I took it. I assumed it was because of my hand shaking. Which I don’t notice but I guess when you’re taking a picture that far away it’s harder to focus without a tripod. I have considered a tripod, just need to find one that’s relatively portable because if it’s not, I know I’ll never use it. I’d like to find one that’s arca compatible so I can use the existing thingy that came with my camera strap.

What’s the best way to get a good zoomed in shot without a tripod? I’m assuming in Alaska I won’t have time to set up a tripod and that many of the shots I get will be spur of the moment without a lot of time to set it up.

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Unfortunately my mom sold her camera :( She said it wasn't very good, and I think she did this before we planned the trip. She does have the iPhone 8 plus, which I am getting as well, which has a great camera, for a phone camera. She does have a tripod she can use with it.

Lol! I did nothing to it. That’s exactly how I took it. I assumed it was because of my hand shaking. Which I don’t notice but I guess when you’re taking a picture that far away it’s harder to focus without a tripod. I have considered a tripod, just need to find one that’s relatively portable because if it’s not, I know I’ll never use it. I’d like to find one that’s arca compatible so I can use the existing thingy that came with my camera strap.

What’s the best way to get a good zoomed in shot without a tripod? I’m assuming in Alaska I won’t have time to set up a tripod and that many of the shots I get will be spur of the moment without a lot of time to set it up.

 

 

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A chain pod will help. Not as good as a tripod of course but better than nothing.

DON

Unfortunately my mom sold her camera :( She said it wasn't very good, and I think she did this before we planned the trip. She does have the iPhone 8 plus, which I am getting as well, which has a great camera, for a phone camera. She does have a tripod she can use with it.

It really isn't adequate for Alaska IMO if she cares about her pictures. She will really regret not having a real camera in Alaska (speaking of someone who has been to Alaska and has a new iPhone).

You really need a camera. Even if it is not a DSLR, point and clicks are still much better than iPhones and other phones. If she really is a photographer -- she would know this.

A chain pod will help. Not as good as a tripod of course but better than nothing.

 

 

 

DON

I can’t find a whole lot about what this is. Do you have one you recommend?

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I can’t find a whole lot about what this is. Do you have one you recommend?

 

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I am not the one who made that recommendation, he may have a specific example in mind. I do have a "strap pod" (not sure if this is what they call it) from Kirk. An Arca-Swiss compatible mount on a long nylon strap. Adjust, hold the camera so that it is in tension from the strap (you are standing on the other end) and the camera is a bit more stable.

To your earlier more general question of where to start. Providing a stable platform for your camera greatly increases the sharpness and clarity of your photos because you will avoid camera movement during your shot. A good way to get that stable platform is to use a) a good solid tripod, with b) a good ball head, and c) a solid connection to the camera from the head. There are many inexpensive flimsy tripods. They will do more harm than good. There are many tripods and heads designed for video. Note that video involves motion. A good video head could also be used for still photography, but most video heads are designed to facilitate smooth camera movements (like panning with the action on a sports field), and not necessarily designed to provide a rock solid stable platform for your still camera.

The three sources I have experience with are Manfrotto (Italian), Really Right Stuff aka RSS (U.S.) and Kirk (U.S.) I personally am a fan of the Kirk products. I use a Bogen/Monfrotto carbon fibre tripod, a Kirk ball head, and Kirk designed and produced camera plates (Arca-Swiss compatible) for my cameras and lenses.

We are travelers or we wouldn't be having this discussion on a Cruising web site. For us, there are interesting tradeoffs between tripod size, weight, and capacity. We would like something small and compact and light that will fit in our carryon [because if it is in the checked-luggage suitcase those long tubes will likely show up funny on a TSA scan and the your suitcase contents get tossed]. But so far nobody has produced a really really small really really compact lightweight tripod and bullhead combination that is capable of holding a reasonable size DSLR with a long lens attached. It helps if the long lens has its own tripod mount, that means that the camera/lens combination is centered on the ball head rather than the long heavy lens being cantilevered out in front causing its own stability problems.

Ultimately only you can decide what is an acceptable tradeoff for you. As I suggested before, practice and experiment. Get a "decent" tripod and head (i.e., not cheap, but not necessarily top of the line) and do a bunch of practice shots of the deer in your back yard. Note what happens when a stiff breeze comes up just as you take a shot. Note what happens when you push the shutter button rather than using a remote trigger. Decide for yourself what your tolerance level is for different forms of instability. Then forget all this stuff, take whatever you have, go to Alaska and enjoy that great setting and the wonderful wildlife. If you get a few good photos, that is a bonus.

Stan

I am not the one who made that recommendation, he may have a specific example in mind. I do have a "strap pod" (not sure if this is what they call it) from Kirk. An Arca-Swiss compatible mount on a long nylon strap. Adjust, hold the camera so that it is in tension from the strap (you are standing on the other end) and the camera is a bit more stable.

 

 

 

To your earlier more general question of where to start. Providing a stable platform for your camera greatly increases the sharpness and clarity of your photos because you will avoid camera movement during your shot. A good way to get that stable platform is to use a) a good solid tripod, with b) a good ball head, and c) a solid connection to the camera from the head. There are many inexpensive flimsy tripods. They will do more harm than good. There are many tripods and heads designed for video. Note that video involves motion. A good video head could also be used for still photography, but most video heads are designed to facilitate smooth camera movements (like panning with the action on a sports field), and not necessarily designed to provide a rock solid stable platform for your still camera.

 

 

 

The three sources I have experience with are Manfrotto (Italian), Really Right Stuff aka RSS (U.S.) and Kirk (U.S.) I personally am a fan of the Kirk products. I use a Bogen/Monfrotto carbon fibre tripod, a Kirk ball head, and Kirk designed and produced camera plates (Arca-Swiss compatible) for my cameras and lenses.

 

 

 

We are travelers or we wouldn't be having this discussion on a Cruising web site. For us, there are interesting tradeoffs between tripod size, weight, and capacity. We would like something small and compact and light that will fit in our carryon [because if it is in the checked-luggage suitcase those long tubes will likely show up funny on a TSA scan and the your suitcase contents get tossed]. But so far nobody has produced a really really small really really compact lightweight tripod and bullhead combination that is capable of holding a reasonable size DSLR with a long lens attached. It helps if the long lens has its own tripod mount, that means that the camera/lens combination is centered on the ball head rather than the long heavy lens being cantilevered out in front causing its own stability problems.

 

Ultimately only you can decide what is an acceptable tradeoff for you. As I suggested before, practice and experiment. Get a "decent" tripod and head (i.e., not cheap, but not necessarily top of the line) and do a bunch of practice shots of the deer in your back yard. Note what happens when a stiff breeze comes up just as you take a shot. Note what happens when you push the shutter button rather than using a remote trigger. Decide for yourself what your tolerance level is for different forms of instability. Then forget all this stuff, take whatever you have, go to Alaska and enjoy that great setting and the wonderful wildlife. If you get a few good photos, that is a bonus.

 

 

 

Stan

Ha! Good advice. I will definitely enjoy Alaska no matter what and so far from what I’ve seen with my current photos, even my out of focus deer look 100 times better than when I zoom in with my phone. And my still shots are 1000 times better than my phone. And even action shots are pretty great if it’s something I’m not zooming too far in on. I still have 9 months to learn a bit more on how to use it and find a tripod. I think I’ll make good use of the tripod even at home. My next task is to get a good shot of the fabulous sunsets we have off our front porch.

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Ha! Good advice. I will definitely enjoy Alaska no matter what and so far from what I’ve seen with my current photos, even my out of focus deer look 100 times better than when I zoom in with my phone. And my still shots are 1000 times better than my phone. And even action shots are pretty great if it’s something I’m not zooming too far in on. I still have 9 months to learn a bit more on how to use it and find a tripod. I think I’ll make good use of the tripod even at home. My next task is to get a good shot of the fabulous sunsets we have off our front porch.

 

 

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While a tripod is nice and I use mine quite a bit, I rarely used the monopod I brought with us a couple of months ago - just quicker for me to use the Op/Tech sling to stabilize my shots. There were a couple of people that set their tripods up when we entered Glacier Bay but they took up quite bit of space on the forward deck and they were crowded in - heard one guy complain that he couldn't get the shots he wanted because of that.

While a tripod is nice and I use mine quite a bit, I rarely used the monopod I brought with us a couple of months ago - just quicker for me to use the Op/Tech sling to stabilize my shots. There were a couple of people that set their tripods up when we entered Glacier Bay but they took up quite bit of space on the forward deck and they were crowded in - heard one guy complain that he couldn't get the shots he wanted because of that.

My previous comments probably make me seem to be a pure fan of tripods. But as in real estate, what matters most is location location and location. On board ship, basically never. The splayed out legs irritate others and can trip them. The tripod feet in contact with the deck can pick up the engine & propeller vibration and cause its own sort of unsharpness. Once or twice I have used a tripod aboard, with legs tightly together and feet resting on top of my shoe. On board a photo-tour bus or a scenic vista train, never. If the window is closed, I don't bother to shoot. If the window is open, then I rest the camera on a beanbag on the window sill. On the train I stand and handhold from the platform between cars. The tripod earns its keep when shooting seashores, waterfalls, Northern Lights, and scenic panoramas. And medium distance wildlife.

Stan

My previous comments probably make me seem to be a pure fan of tripods. But as in real estate, what matters most is location location and location. On board ship, basically never. The splayed out legs irritate others and can trip them. The tripod feet in contact with the deck can pick up the engine & propeller vibration and cause its own sort of unsharpness. Once or twice I have used a tripod aboard, with legs tightly together and feet resting on top of my shoe. On board a photo-tour bus or a scenic vista train, never. If the window is closed, I don't bother to shoot. If the window is open, then I rest the camera on a beanbag on the window sill. On the train I stand and handhold from the platform between cars. The tripod earns its keep when shooting seashores, waterfalls, Northern Lights, and scenic panoramas. And medium distance wildlife.

 

 

 

Stan

My reply was actually aimed more at Mountaineer who said they wanted to go look for one to get. I like mine - just not a cruise ship. Didn’t even use my monopod

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