Looking to lighten the load around my neck

[PCWalton1]

Hi,

I am hoping this is the right forum for this question. While on cruises I like to do live reports so I take a lot of pictures. My current camera of choice is a Nikon D5300 with a Tameron 18-270 mm lens. But the combine weight is about 2 1/2 pounds. I an blame it on age or lack of conditioning but by the end of the day it feels like a boat anchor when we are in the tropics.

 

So I am considering going more compact say a Nikon Coolpix D900. I was wondering if anyone else has gone this direction and how it worked out, what camera you changed to. Any advise would be welcome and I am not locked in to Nikon so recommendation on other brands are welcome too.

Thanks

[tommui987]

I went from a Nikon N70 to (eventually) a Sony 6300 and my neck and back thanked me.

 

Dave Pierce has a great article on the camera on his webpage

[pierces]

A few years ago, my camera bag lost about 20 lbs when I retired my DSLR and went to the Sony NEX/Alpha series cameras. I currently shoot with an A6300 with the trusty A6000 as a second body. Both cameras, about five additional lenses, a couple of tablets (one is a Surface Pro with keyboard), chargers for everything, a monopod, a mini tripod and lens/sensor cleaning tools all fit in an under-seat LowePro FastPack 350. The A6300 holds its own in performance and image quality against any APS-C camera and shoots really nice 4K video as well.

 

Here is the article Tom mentioned on the A6000: http://www.pptphoto.com/articles/a6000.html

 

Here are a couple of threads dedicated to both the A6000 and the A6300:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2319570

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2215195

 

A direct link to my A6300 first impressions post: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=49432507&postcount=20

 

And, finally, a link to a couple of galleries from trips shot exclusively with the A6x00 cameras:

 

http://galleries.pptphoto.com/paccoast2016

http://galleries.pptphoto.com/caribbean2017

 

No regrets and my neck and back are my friends again!

 

Dave

[ski ww]

I've got a harness like a shoulder holster so the weight is not on my neck. On some shore excursions we're out half a day, it's prefect. I got it from our local camera club. Other people I've talked to say they got something like it from a camera store.

Allan

[Turtles06]

I'm another refugee from a DSLR (Nikon) to the Sony a6000. For me, it was my knees. I love the a6000, it just "feels" right in my hands. It's a terrific camera, as others have already pointed out.

 

Good luck with your decision!

[wmjivey]

Yeah I went to the Sony mirrorless too after going to Alaska toting a big Butt lens all day. do not regret losing the weight

 

John

[pierces]

Yeah I went to the Sony mirrorless too after going to Alaska toting a big Butt lens all day. do not regret losing the weight

 

John

 

That's funny, John. That's was the last big camera/lens trip for me too.

 

Dave

[pengu1n]

Another option for lighter loads: micro 4/3 cameras. I have the Olympus EM10 mark ii and the very small Panasonic GM5 (about the size of a sony RX100.) There are pro lenses which are bigger, but I've stayed away from them. With a 2x crop factor, I have great reach with a 75-300mm lens, that weighs under a pound (and camera also less than a pound.)

[PCWalton1]

I've got a harness like a shoulder holster so the weight is not on my neck. On some shore excursions we're out half a day, it's prefect. I got it from our local camera club. Other people I've talked to say they got something like it from a camera store.

Allan

Thanks, i think I am going to try your option first. I just ordered a harness that puts the weight more on my shoulder and allows me to carry the camera at Mr side.

 

Thanks to everyone for the camera suggestions. Not sure right now I want to invest a grand or two into a whole new camera system but I am tempted .

 

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[Loonbeam]

I use a peak design Sling strap. It does an excellent job of helping with the weight of the D500 and Tamron cannon...

[Thepominlaw]

I too use the peak design sling straps, very good

 

 

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[janmcn]

I second the Peak Design sling straps which helped a lot with my heavy Canon 5D3 and 7D2 with various lenses, BUT...finally chucked all that this last year in favor of the Sony a6300 and haven't looked back. I love shooting wildlife and find the Sony 70-300 is fine for that (the 6300 is very fast focus) and the 16-70 is my walk-around lens. WOW...how much happier I am with the smaller kit! My body thanks me, and honestly, the photos I have gotten are outstanding. I do not earn an income from photography, it is just a hobby...so I realize I don't need to blow things up to 30x40, etc! Definitely easier to travel with!

[PCWalton1]

I use a peak design Sling strap. It does an excellent job of helping with the weight of the D500 and Tamron cannon...

 

I too use the peak design sling straps, very good

 

 

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Thanks, I ordered one of these. Going to try the low cost method first