What Camera to Bring?

[AnTyx]

Originally Posted by Wanderlost Moto

I have little experience in photography so need something easy to use, and I need it to withstand traveling on a motorcycle.

With that said what are you guys using? I'm looking at mid to high end point and shoots vs DSLR's for compactness and ease of use.

Honestly, at that level I would say just get a high-end cellphone and use its camera.

I've just recently gone through this - replacing my old Olympus TZ-1, which at the time I bought it, was an outstanding compact camera, with its 1-inch sensor offering significantly better quality than just about every pocket camera, nevermind phones. Then a year ago I figured out that my phone - a OnePlus 3, itself not the newest model at that time - had caught up, if not surpassed it.

The truth is that the quality of processing algorithms used by phone cameras is so high these days, that to get photos which are meaningfully better, you need to go for an advantage based on pure physics. That means: the physical size of the sensor (not the megapixel count!), and the physical size of the lens (and as a part of it, the ability to have genuine optical zoom).

In a truly compact camera these days, you are looking at a 1-inch sensor like my old Olympus; one step up from that is a Micro Four Thirds sensor, and one step up from that is an APS-C sensor. Above those are big DSLRs. Micro Four Thirds and APS-C sensors are also in mirrorless cameras - they have interchangeable lenses like DSLRs, but are physically smaller because there is less stuff inside the body. One advantage DSLR has over mirrorless is that the mirror protects the sensor while you are changing lenses - safer on the road and in dusty conditions.

What I ended up with is a Sony A5100, the entry-level mirrorless camera. It was cheap - under 500 euros with two lenses and an SD card, when ordered from America via a friend. It makes better photos than my phone, but anything below it would not. If I was choosing a model now, I would go slightly above in models - get something like the Sony A6300, for some extra features like a microphone input for video.

----

So realistically, if you don't want to just use your phone, you want a mirrorless APS-C or smaller DSLR camera with a wide-angle lens (from around 16-18mm up to about 50-60mm) and a telephoto lens (e.g. mine is 55mm-210mm), plus maybe a really good night-time lens, which will usually not have a zoom at all (both Nikon and Canon have cheap 50mm f1.8 lenses for this; for my Sony there is a slightly more expensive but very well-reviewed Sigma f1.4 35mm lens). If you go with a DSLR, your choice is Canon or Nikon - the difference between them is really just personal preference, I think Canon has slightly better availability/support around the world. If you go mirrorless, Sony's a5000-a6000 series cameras are the best cheap option.

[Wanderlost Moto]

Originally Posted by AnTyx

Honestly, at that level I would say just get a high-end cellphone and use its camera.

I've just recently gone through this - replacing my old Olympus TZ-1, which at the time I bought it, was an outstanding compact camera, with its 1-inch sensor offering significantly better quality than just about every pocket camera, nevermind phones. Then a year ago I figured out that my phone - a OnePlus 3, itself not the newest model at that time - had caught up, if not surpassed it.

The truth is that the quality of processing algorithms used by phone cameras is so high these days, that to get photos which are meaningfully better, you need to go for an advantage based on pure physics. That means: the physical size of the sensor (not the megapixel count!), and the physical size of the lens (and as a part of it, the ability to have genuine optical zoom).

In a truly compact camera these days, you are looking at a 1-inch sensor like my old Olympus; one step up from that is a Micro Four Thirds sensor, and one step up from that is an APS-C sensor. Above those are big DSLRs. Micro Four Thirds and APS-C sensors are also in mirrorless cameras - they have interchangeable lenses like DSLRs, but are physically smaller because there is less stuff inside the body. One advantage DSLR has over mirrorless is that the mirror protects the sensor while you are changing lenses - safer on the road and in dusty conditions.

What I ended up with is a Sony A5100, the entry-level mirrorless camera. It was cheap - under 500 euros with two lenses and an SD card, when ordered from America via a friend. It makes better photos than my phone, but anything below it would not. If I was choosing a model now, I would go slightly above in models - get something like the Sony A6300, for some extra features like a microphone input for video.

----

So realistically, if you don't want to just use your phone, you want a mirrorless APS-C or smaller DSLR camera with a wide-angle lens (from around 16-18mm up to about 50-60mm) and a telephoto lens (e.g. mine is 55mm-210mm), plus maybe a really good night-time lens, which will usually not have a zoom at all (both Nikon and Canon have cheap 50mm f1.8 lenses for this; for my Sony there is a slightly more expensive but very well-reviewed Sigma f1.4 35mm lens). If you go with a DSLR, your choice is Canon or Nikon - the difference between them is really just personal preference, I think Canon has slightly better availability/support around the world. If you go mirrorless, Sony's a5000-a6000 series cameras are the best cheap option.

This is extremely helpful to know. I have an iPhone 7 that I’ll be bringing with me for general internet connectivity when needed, gps usage and quick pic/vid taking but still want to have a camera that will give me more options and tools to play with.

I’ve been looking at the Sony A6000 but am on the fence as to whether I’d want I drop $800 on a camera and lenses. Maybe something in the A5000’s would serve me just fine as well.

Hmmm, if only money grew on trees.