Best DSLR camera for travel

[zoossh]

i am aiming to get this to work with my iphone, it should solve the handling issue of using a phone to shoot

https://sg.shp.ee/Sin6vRU

only thing is to improve grip rite?

 

[WW1 Flying Ace]

I went through the same process switching from nikon dslr and compromising on hand phones. Had hands on fuji xt20 borrowed from relatives and eventually settled on Sony aps-c mirrorless

if u stick to nikon with z mount, the adaptor is another 200gm thereabout but u can use your f mount lens.

I switch to Sony is simply because I’m not sure if I want to go back to heavy setup so I pick the lightest lens combo and Sony/3rd parties seems to have the most lens to choose from

I am in love with my a6400 / 18-135 kit lens combo. Can shoot anything and everything, no need for any other lens

 

[ninelives]

In a supermarket now.

For travelling I use a Peak Design CF tripod. Extremely compact folds to 39cm for given maximal height, stiff, light. Integrated ballhead however needs some getting used to, and cannot pan accurately..

There are many alternative Chinese knockoffs with improvements in the ballhead for a song.

i have pd cf tripod too

 

[WW1 Flying Ace]

I used to carry my FULL gear for my camera. All the lens and equipments. End up, i don't enjoy my travel at all.

Of coz, i m not a professional photographer, just an amateur hobby user. So, now wise up that just carrying a small compact camera will do and use a good iphone for all the pic.

Most important is enjoying the trips. The less you carry, the more mobility you enjoy. So far has been enjoy and safe throughout the whole EU.

Then all the camera and gear are in dry box for many yrs....sighsss

Dun need to go full retard lah. Just body + versatile travel zoom with wide aperture is good for travels. Can guarantee you the times you can use a flash while travelling is very rare, and tripods are more trouble than good - just tolong a Good Samaritan to help you take the peekture can liao. But always bring more storage cards and batteries .

 

[zoossh]

Generally strangers will react more to DSLRs. However with ultra wide angle or longer telephotos, strangers may not know they are in the picture. So far, there is seldom any issue of strangers reacting to handphone. In all cases, you need to minimize the sound so as not to attract attention. Of course kill the flash.

certainly something farther and less conspicious helps. but if it is a spontaneous shot, and the person see you taking photo, do u think they will react differently to different types of camera? maybe i am asking a very superficial question, but do you think the camera that you use, pose an image of how people being taken photo of, views you and react to you (hopefully not in a hostile, suspicious or negative manner)?

let's say versus a dslr/mirrorless or a handphone, u use the following...

1. fuji x100vi in silver
2. nikon zfc with silver top
3. leica
4. hasselblad
5. lomo

of cos all these are hypothesized. it will be hard to have someone using all or most of the above to tell if there is a difference.

 

[WW1 Flying Ace]

Exactly!

those who went through will completely understand the situation and problem!

rather than enjoying taking pictures you need to keep watch for rains and harsh weather which will cause damage to the lens and camera body!

personally I even witnessed a guy his cameras fall off from his hands and the camera fall off the cliff when a lady sudden tip off and her body hit his back…he was standing at the viewing gallery stage viewing blue mountain….

a 2 thousand plus gear gone in a few seconds…

Get a peak design wrist strap to chain the camera to your wrist for insurance

 

[zoossh]

I am in love with my a6400 / 18-135 kit lens combo. Can shoot anything and everything, no need for any other lens

i think shooting pattern can be very hard to predict. i used to love ultrawide, but my latest trip i used a lot of 85mm f1.8 and grew fond of it.

 

[reiser]

I went to read up randomly on Sony vs Nikon mirrorless and came upon a Reddit thread which disses Sony ergonomics, non-intuitive menu and colours.

I am particular about colours so I went to read up more on Nikon mirrorless. I saw some great reviews on and impressive images from Z5. However, it’s a full frame. I don’t know if it would be difficult to use a full frame, coming from a DX user.

Nobody used Nikon mirrorless here?

 

[coppee]

I went to read up randomly on Sony vs Nikon mirrorless and came upon a Reddit thread which disses Sony ergonomics, non-intuitive menu and colours.

I am particular about colours so I went to read up more on Nikon mirrorless. I saw some great reviews on and impressive images from Z5. However, it’s a full frame. I don’t know if it would be difficult to use a full frame, coming from a DX user.

Nobody used Nikon mirrorless here?

If you want light weight and color science, consider Fujifilm X-T series. Light due to APS-C sensor, with Fujifilm's own interesting color science technology.

Sony was the first to start going mirrorless, so you can find a lot of Sony and 3rd party lenses for Sony's e-mount.

...

Nikon FF are similar to DX. Just higher specs and your existing DX lens will not fill the FF sensor so it's not recommended to bring them over.

Don't get FTZ adapter unless you have a lot of nice and expensive legacy Nikon glass that you wish to keep using. Since you were using DX I would suggest you sell those if you wish to move to mirrorless.

For Nikon FF you can consider the Z5 you mentioned, or Zf (retro style) if you have the budget. Zf is like "Z6 III" in retro style. Main downside of Zf is the lack of a proper native hand grip.
Z6 II for sports (a bit dated model)
Z7 II for landscape (a bit dated model)
Z8/Z9 if you earn $$$ from taking photos (^^)

Lens you can just carry a pancake 40mm f/2 for street photography.

Its best not to carry too many lenses when travelling.

IF you need more than one during your travels, the maximum you need is usually just 2 or 3.

For dedicated landscape photography, either 14-24mm f/2.8 S or 20mm f/1.8 S.

You can also use a all-in-one lens like:
Either 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR (pretty lightweight but average performance), or 28-400mm f/4-8 VR for more reach (heavier and more expensive)
There are other better S class zoom lenses but those weigh a ton...

Skip the TCs (teleconverters) too.

Other specialized lenses will be up to your needs.

If you are unsure consider renting or borrowing cameras from friends to try out.

Good luck.

 

[keithlin]

how's Sony's E10?

 

[cpuer]

only thing is to improve grip rite?

looks like it

 

[beano]

I am in love with my a6400 / 18-135 kit lens combo. Can shoot anything and everything, no need for any other lens

Can take bokeh?

 

[zoossh]

looks like it

Let us know after u tried it

 

[reiser]

If you want light weight and color science, consider Fujifilm X-T series. Light due to APS-C sensor, with Fujifilm's own interesting color science technology.

Sony was the first to start going mirrorless, so you can find a lot of Sony and 3rd party lenses for Sony's e-mount.

...

Nikon FF are similar to DX. Just higher specs and your existing DX lens will not fill the FF sensor so it's not recommended to bring them over.

Don't get FTZ adapter unless you have a lot of nice and expensive legacy Nikon glass that you wish to keep using. Since you were using DX I would suggest you sell those if you wish to move to mirrorless.

For Nikon FF you can consider the Z5 you mentioned, or Zf (retro style) if you have the budget. Zf is like "Z6 III" in retro style. Main downside of Zf is the lack of a proper native hand grip.
Z6 II for sports (a bit dated model)
Z7 II for landscape (a bit dated model)
Z8/Z9 if you earn $$$ from taking photos (^^)

Lens you can just carry a pancake 40mm f/2 for street photography.

Its best not to carry too many lenses when travelling.

IF you need more than one during your travels, the maximum you need is usually just 2 or 3.

For dedicated landscape photography, either 14-24mm f/2.8 S or 20mm f/1.8 S.

You can also use a all-in-one lens like:
Either 24-200mm f/4-6.3 VR (pretty lightweight but average performance), or 28-400mm f/4-8 VR for more reach (heavier and more expensive)
There are other better S class zoom lenses but those weigh a ton...

Skip the TCs (teleconverters) too.

Other specialized lenses will be up to your needs.

If you are unsure consider renting or borrowing cameras from friends to try out.

Good luck.

Have to rebuy lenses? Oh dear.

 

[WW1 Flying Ace]

Can take bokeh?

18-135 is a travel zoom and is going to be a compromise. You need to open the aperture wide open, use only the smallest zoom range (18) and stick close to your subject.

Otherwise if you want a strong bokeh effect, suggest you go with the new Sony 11f1.8 prime lens. Wide and cheaper for a super wide prime

 

[Zorroh]

certainly something farther and less conspicious helps. but if it is a spontaneous shot, and the person see you taking photo, do u think they will react differently to different types of camera? maybe i am asking a very superficial question, but do you think the camera that you use, pose an image of how people being taken photo of, views you and react to you (hopefully not in a hostile, suspicious or negative manner)?

let's say versus a dslr/mirrorless or a handphone, u use the following...

1. fuji x100vi in silver
2. nikon zfc with silver top
3. leica
4. hasselblad
5. lomo

of cos all these are hypothesized. it will be hard to have someone using all or most of the above to tell if there is a difference.

A few months back I was under a HDB block and saw a woman using a handphone to take pictures of people doing Taichi. One of the people shouted at the woman to stop and to delete her pictures. I was quite surprised by the hostile reaction.

Generally people may respond negatively if they think you are intentionally and specifically taking pictures of them, for particular purpose, e.g. commercial. The worst is to use a DSLR with vertical grips, followed by DSLRs. Cameras that are more fun looking (e.g. leica fuji rangefinders, lomo, etc) are less intimidating. Shorter wide angle lenses versus an 85 f1.2 will be less conspicuous.

Because handphones don't have a lens sticking out, people usually will give you benefit of doubt, unless you are obviously pointing your handphone at them and clicking.

Street photography is fun so if you are fast and don't look suspicious or threatening, people will accept it. Of course you can also ask them for permission, especially if you want to do portraits of them.

I am just a casual photographer and not professional so my advice may be wrong. My friend is quite good at street photography and you can consult people like them. This is one of his photography books. https://www.amazon.com/Street-Photography-Portraits-Strangers-Hours/dp/1312664266

 

[RyanJ]

Can take bokeh?

Bokeh technically refers to the aesthetic quality of rendering of out of focused areas better appreciated with a thin depth of field.

A larger sensor , a larger aperture lens, a telephoto focal length, a greater distance between the subject and background will give more "bokeh" effect.

Try use the tele end of the zoom and have the subject some distance from the background.

i have pd cf tripod too

Pd camera strap is pretty good too.

Thinking of getting another one for my A6400 so I dun need to always swap.

 

[reiser]

Which are the reliable shops to buy cameras and lens at? Shops with good salespeople who can advise you which camera to get.

My experience with D90 was with a Harvey Norman salesguy who gave me good advice. He spent about an hour explaining to me patiently the difference between DX and FF and why I should get a DX and not a FF, and why I should get a D90 then.

Is there a store where someone can offer such good and professional sales service?

 

[Zorroh]

Which are the reliable shops to buy cameras and lens at? Shops with good salespeople who can advise you which camera to get.

My experience with D90 was with a Harvey Norman salesguy who gave me good advice. He spent about an hour explaining to me patiently the difference between DX and FF and why I should get a DX and not a FF, and why I should get a D90 then.

Is there a store where someone can offer such good and professional sales service?

You can find all photography information at Clubsnap https://clubsnap.com/ but too bad this site is mostly defunct nowadays, except for buy sell.

10-20 years back, the most reliable shops are, (in no order of merit) TK Photo (Funan), Cathay (Peninsular), Alan Photo (Funan, SLS), MS Colour (AMK), trustworthiness depending on the sales person.

 

[lampano]

now invest in a better hp cam cos can meitu instantly easier