Travel Photography - Can't carry around the SLR anymore

I have a Canon EOS 500D and love it but find that I hardly carry it around when I am travelling due to the size if it. Is there a pocket camera that can give me photos close to the quality that I get from the Canon 500?

I don't mind if I don't get all the SLR features, I use my camera for photographs on the go and love the way that with a SLR you can zoom into a object and blur out the back ground. I don't really use the exposure, sports modes or adding longer range lens.

What camera would you recommend?

Ever tried the macro setting on a point-and-shoot? It allows you to focus on a object nearby while blurring out the background.

Alternatively, if you like the features of a SLR but want something compact, you might want to consider a micro four thirds system like the Olympus Pen or Panasonic Lumix.

I have a Canon EOS 500D and love it but find that I hardly carry it around when I am travelling due to the size if it. Is there a pocket camera that can give me photos close to the quality that I get from the Canon 500?

I don't mind if I don't get all the SLR features, I use my camera for photographs on the go and love the way that with a SLR you can zoom into a object and blur out the back ground. I don't really use the exposure, sports modes or adding longer range lens.

What camera would you recommend?

I'm more of a Nikon guy, but the G12 and S95 both seem to be fairly well regarded on these fora, depending on what exactly you're looking for.

Good luck.

The Canon S95 is hands down the best pocket size point and shoot ever made. Read some reviews for more info. G12 is also good, but a decent amount bigger.

The Canon S95 is hands down the best pocket size point and shoot ever made. Read some reviews for more info. G12 is also good, but a decent amount bigger.

I'm another big fan of the S95; two other options are the Panasonic Lumix LX5 (rather in between the S and G in size and price, and has a bit over S95 in the features department...)

Alternatively, if money is no object, Micro-4:3s might be the way to go.

The Canon S95 is hands down the best pocket size point and shoot ever made. Read some reviews for more info. G12 is also good, but a decent amount bigger.

The S95 looks quite good. Will go through the reviews. Certainly more compact. ^

I had the same issue as I was lugging my DSLR around and it was a pain. I switched recently to the Sony NEX-5 and loving it. I have both lenses (16mm and telephoto) and they pack down really small. I use a Tom Bihn Co-Pilot (http://www.tombihn.com/page/001/PROD/500/TB0967) to carry the camera, lenses, and flash and it takes up an extremely small portion of the bag.

The quality of the NEX-5 photos is really good and the photo options rival those of my DSLR. I just returned from a trip and posted pictures using the camera on my Flickr (http://www.flickr.com/photos/matthewhauler/sets/72157626479281871/) account. Another great feature of the NEX-5 is that you can purchase the adapter rings that will allow you to use the Canon lenses with the Sony body. So if you already have some of the larger telephoto lenses that Sony doesn't offer, you can use the adapter ring to fit your lenses.

I picked up a S95 last year for taking pics on vacation when I don't feel like lugging the 5DII around, it takes great pics, can shoot RAW, and is small but still well built.

i went with the S95 and love its features and photo quality. and this is from a long-time Nikon and Lumix fan. i too was looking for something to take along on vacations that would give me good quality, be pocketable and so I could do a day here and a day there without having to carry the slr. it's great.

i went with the S95 and love its features and photo quality. and this is from a long-time Nikon and Lumix fan. i too was looking for something to take along on vacations that would give me good quality, be pocketable and so I could do a day here and a day there without having to carry the slr. it's great.

Wow! Looks like the S95 is the clear winner then.

or if you want to save a few bucks and don't shoot video, the s90. (s95 main difference is that it can do 720p and stereo)

or if you want to save a few bucks and don't shoot video, the s90. (s95 main difference is that it can do 720p and stereo)

Also the controls are streamlined a bit, although that's unlikely to be noticeable to someone who hasn't handled both.

I'm amazed anywhere still has the S90 in stock; the S95 is a replacement. I'll also say a good grief to the pricing - I got mine six months ago, and it's gone up rather than down. Guess I'm glad I got it when I did!

Also the controls are streamlined a bit, although that's unlikely to be noticeable to someone who hasn't handled both.

I'm amazed anywhere still has the S90 in stock; the S95 is a replacement. I'll also say a good grief to the pricing - I got mine six months ago, and it's gone up rather than down. Guess I'm glad I got it when I did!

i have the s90 and some of the 'annoyances' canon fixed don't really bother me (but probably b/c i only use it when i'm lazy and don't want to lug the slr). but even some of the big shops still have them (adorama for sure). and a lot of canon products have gone up in price recently, not sure if it's earthquake related or not but its keeping me from making my next lens purchase.

or if you want to save a few bucks and don't shoot video, the s90. (s95 main difference is that it can do 720p and stereo)

The difference is only around $100. Is the photo quality as good as the s95? Is there really no difference? I have a HD video camera which I use for videos so I would really be spending the extra for nothing.

I just got a G12 because it has a viewfinder and manual override. It's a great camera!

Question for the pros: If lallyr wants to "zoom into a object and blur out the back ground" and see this effect while shooting, is the NEX-5 best?

Anyone looking for Canon cameras at rock bottom prices should search "Canon Loyalty Program".

The difference is only around $100. Is the photo quality as good as the s95? Is there really no difference? I have a HD video camera which I use for videos so I would really be spending the extra for nothing.

they didn't upgrade the sensor in the s95, but they did upgrade the IS.

When I decided that the DSLR was too large to carry around, I switched to a Micro 4/3 (Lumix GF-1).

With the pancake lens (not zoom, but takes great all-around photos, even in low light), it's a slightly-large pocket size camera. I still have the flexibility to switch to other lenses for photos of scenery. The lenses are smaller than comparable 35mm lenses of similar focal length (about 1/2 size).

Bought the S95. Thanks for all your help ^^

Question for the pros: If lallyr wants to "zoom into a object and blur out the back ground" and see this effect while shooting, is the NEX-5 best?

The effect you're describing is shallow depth of field. It's achieved by shooting the picture with a low aperture value. Apertures, or f-stops, are the numbers like f/2.0, f/2.8, f/4.0, etc. you see on the lens or in the camera settings. If you want to take pictures with shallow depth of field, you should pick a camera and lens combination with low aperture values and a reasonable user-interface for selecting them manually.

...........a lot of canon products have gone up in price recently, not sure if it's earthquake related or not .......

As retailers we are controlled by the manufacturers and distributors in more than simply accessibility to the products; discounts that we have previously been offered are being withdrawn on a daily basis as both Canon and Nikon struggle to recover from the earthquake and tsunami. In addition, with projected business being down for the foreseeable future, the ability of retailers to absorb the increased prices of Japanese imports will be severely reduced.
Many products are not purchased directly from the manufacturers, but from distributors; orders in process that retailers would have been expecting to be filled by incoming shipments, will be charged at the increased rates set by the manufacturer / distributor, not those rates which were effective when those orders were placed - even if the retailer honors the price of back-orders to customers.

Unfortunately, the Japanese Yen is at an all time high against the dollar (as it was following the Kobe earthquake in 1995), as Japanese businesses withdraw funds from overseas markets, thus increasing the cost of everything imported from Japan. Their debt to GDP ratio is already at a staggering 200%, and they will need to borrow heavily to rebuild. This will cause the Yen to rise, as will stagflation onset by decreased output and increased demand for food, energy and materials.
As this chart indicates: http://finance.yahoo.com/echarts?s=u...urce=undefined the US Dollar has become weaker mainly due to the Federal Reserve's QE2, in order to increase exports and decrease imports.

Retailers' overheads and running costs are fixed (unless employees are laid off). With projected business being down for the foreseeable future, the ability of retailers and distributors to absorb the increased prices of Japanese imports will be severely reduced.

Finally, the source of the funds plus financial and marketing agreements between retailers and the manufacturers / distributors are complex and can have a huge impact - which is the main reason why MAP agreements are so very powerful.

Helen Oster
Adorama Camera Customer Service Ambassador
Helen@adorama.com

The effect you're describing is shallow depth of field. It's achieved by shooting the picture with a low aperture value. Apertures, or f-stops, are the numbers like f/2.0, f/2.8, f/4.0, etc. you see on the lens or in the camera settings. If you want to take pictures with shallow depth of field, you should pick a camera and lens combination with low aperture values and a reasonable user-interface for selecting them manually.

Of course. Here's my point: if you want to see this effect while composing a shot, then you need to be looking through the lens. An SLR or NEX-5 would allow this, but a S95 or G12 would not.

I am considering the new panasonic micro four-thirds--the dmc-G3...since its not out yet, I can't take a look. One thing that interests me is that it comes with a decent focal length range with the "kit lens" and also has a 100-300mm zoom available (200-600 in 35mm parlance) that seems to provide near dslr performance with siginificant reduction in size and weight.

Was ready to go with Lumix lx7, but price has been going up. Saw new Olympus VR-320 last week. 14mp 12.5 zoom lots of auto and manual settings and very pocketable. Everything but gps. Selling for 149 everywhere.

Bought the S95. Thanks for all your help ^^


Source/price??

Try Panasonic's Lumix DMC-G1. It is a compact SLR with small body and compact lens. The pictures look pretty descent.

http://www.trustedreviews.com/Panasonic-Lumix-DMC-G1_Digital-Camera_review

Source/price??

Bought it while I was in UK for £299. That was the cheapest I found.

Bought it while I was in UK for £299. That was the cheapest I found.

Glad I buy my gear in the USA!!

Glad I buy my gear in the USA!!

How much is it there?

Was ready to go with Lumix lx7, but price has been going up. Saw new Olympus VR-320 last week. 14mp 12.5 zoom lots of auto and manual settings and very pocketable. Everything but gps. Selling for 149 everywhere.


Lumix LX7? Where did you see that? I have an LX3 and love it. If there's a LX7, I'd love to know to see if it's worth an upgrade.

suspect the OP meant zs7...

Lumix LX7? Where did you see that? I have an LX3 and love it. If there's a LX7, I'd love to know to see if it's worth an upgrade.

Bought it while I was in UK for £299. That was the cheapest I found.

Glad I buy my gear in the USA!!

How much is it there?

$ 384 USD is the lowest price I have seen online in the States.
I think lallyr got a good price.

The effect you're describing is shallow depth of field. It's achieved by shooting the picture with a low aperture value. Apertures, or f-stops, are the numbers like f/2.0, f/2.8, f/4.0, etc. you see on the lens or in the camera settings. If you want to take pictures with shallow depth of field, you should pick a camera and lens combination with low aperture values and a reasonable user-interface for selecting them manually.

Actually, the name of the effect itself is bokeh. It is acheived by shooting with a shallow depth of field (DOF), exactly as you described.

Here is a recent thread on Dgrin.com with tips for achieving a killer bokeh:
http://www.dgrin.com/showthread.php?t=197385

$ 384 USD is the lowest price I have seen online in the States.
I think lallyr got a good price.

319 @ BestBuy reported today.

319 @ BestBuy reported today.

That hurts! I was in USA just last week. Oh well.....

319 @ BestBuy reported today.

Thats cool.

Today its 399$ (plus shipping) on bestbuy.com

I wonder if the 319 was in a particular state. I have been tracking this camera ever since this thread mentioned it.

The Olympus E-PL2 or the E-PL1 are great micro four thirds cameras for replacing a SLR. You still get exchangeable lenses, and the portability more than compensates for the smaller format. The selection of lenses is also decent and reasonably priced.

The sensor size, while smaller than most DSLRs, are still larger than most other digital cameras, and some of the available lenses are very sharp. It's a great compromise camera as I find the SLRs a little bulky for every day shooting.

I have heard the Panasonic 4/3" cameras are also quite good, but I havent played around with them personally

We are headed to Europe for an extended trip in a couple weeks/ Plan to bring the SLR for those "must have" shots in locations liek Pompeii, etc. but will also carry a SD1400 for snaps.

If you are looking at the Canon S95, you might also want to look at the Canon SX30i. I've been shooting with several cameras from the Powershot family for the past 6 or 7 years now and really like the SX30. I got tired of carrying around of the lenses and paraphernalia but still wanted more than just the basic digital telephoto lenses. The SX30 has a 35x optical, 4x digital, 140x combined zoom and the stabilization is amazing. The price is around $379 to $399. It's not the fastest camera in the world (which is OK with me), since I rarely do any action shots, has more options than I care to play with some times, and it does great scenery and close up shots.

Very impressed with the S95 so far ^

Should I be using a specific SD card? A friend mentioned that I need a fast transfer one? Something along the lines of 60mb per second?

Very impressed with the S95 so far ^

Should I be using a specific SD card? A friend mentioned that I need a fast transfer one? Something along the lines of 60mb per second?

You want a Class 6 or higher (Class 10). There are also some ultra-high speed ones that are even faster than Class 10, but I don't think the S95 can actually use the extra speed. The cost difference is not normally that high between Class 6 and Class 10, so all else being equal the latter is the way to go.

Something like $15 for an 8gb (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VNKNEG/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=cubiclehermit-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399349&creativeASIN=B003VNKNEG) or $28 for a 16gb (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VNKNEQ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=cubiclehermit-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399349&creativeASIN=B003VNKNEQ)... save a whopping $1 on the class 6 16gb, and $0.50 on the 8gb. I got that exact transcend 16gb card with mine, works fine.

The choice of a couple of smaller cards or one big one is pretty much a personal taste thing. Convenience and the risk of losing the second card when not in the camera, vs. the risk of losing more photos if something happens to screw the card up. Personally, I go with one big one, but at 1x 16 or 2x 8 the cost is about a wash; 4x 4gb is a bit pricier.

Check out the recently released Olympus XZ-1 - a bit bigger than the S95, but smaller than the G12. F1.8-2.5 lens (28-114mm) and getting good reviews (http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/OlympusXZ1/) regarding "bokeh".

I like an optical viewfinder. Try the Nikon P7000. Good zoom range for a travel camera, aperture, shutter, full manual capable, RAW (not NEF) and JPeg. Photos to date have been very sharp. Some firmware bugs still need to be corrected. Check out the reviews.

suspect the OP meant zs7...

Thanks, jacknyoc, for catching my mistake. I was referring to the Lumix ZS7, a nice camera with a gps function, but has gone up in price about 30% since Christmas. A reverse of the usual rule of electronic devices.

You want a Class 6 or higher (Class 10). There are also some ultra-high speed ones that are even faster than Class 10, but I don't think the S95 can actually use the extra speed. The cost difference is not normally that high between Class 6 and Class 10, so all else being equal the latter is the way to go.

Something like $15 for an 8gb (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VNKNEG/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=cubiclehermit-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399349&creativeASIN=B003VNKNEG) or $28 for a 16gb (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VNKNEQ/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=cubiclehermit-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399349&creativeASIN=B003VNKNEQ)... save a whopping $1 on the class 6 16gb, and $0.50 on the 8gb. I got that exact transcend 16gb card with mine, works fine.

The choice of a couple of smaller cards or one big one is pretty much a personal taste thing. Convenience and the risk of losing the second card when not in the camera, vs. the risk of losing more photos if something happens to screw the card up. Personally, I go with one big one, but at 1x 16 or 2x 8 the cost is about a wash; 4x 4gb is a bit pricier.

If you can use an SDHC, check out the 32 gb class 10 Patriot LX card on Amazon for $42 after $10 mail in rebate. Free shipping. Good memory if you'll be doing video as well as stills.

If you can use an SDHC, check out the 32 gb class 10 Patriot LX card on Amazon for $42 after $10 mail in rebate. Free shipping. Good memory if you'll be doing video as well as stills.

S95 definitely can use SDHC. I can't find the $52 price on Amazon, but that's an excellent price on a 32gb card. Can you provide a link?

S95 definitely can use SDHC. I can't find the $52 price on Amazon, but that's an excellent price on a 32gb card. Can you provide a link?

Here you go:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002TABU5I/ref=asc_df_B002TABU5I1549678?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=pg-419-100-20&linkCode=asn&creative=395093&creativeASIN=B002TABU5I

Here you go:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002TABU5I/ref=asc_df_B002TABU5I1549678?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=pg-419-100-20&linkCode=asn&creative=395093&creativeASIN=B002TABU5I

Nice, thanks!

I'm thinking of picking up a Canon S95. $399 seems to be a pretty standard price. Has anyone noticed whether these go on sale often? I'm leaving for a trip in about 5 weeks, so I'd like to pick one up in the next few weeks, but I afford to wait if sales are likely.

Thanks to all the recommeneded the S95... ^^ Been using it for a week and its just what I wanted.

Can anyone recommend a good photo editing software to go along with this camera. Basically nothing to complicated, just wanna be able to play around with the photo's a little. Hopefully a freeware or a cheap one?

A lot of people swear by Picasa (http://picasa.google.com/intl/en/), which is a free editing program from Google.

My own choice is Adobe Photoshop Elements (http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshopel/), which retails in the US for about $80.

$399 seems to be a pretty standard price. .

Latest lowest street price:

http://www.need4digital.com/product.asp?itemid=cnpss95-de&l=Nextag

verify this has USA warranty...many at this price point do not.

Latest lowest street price:

http://www.need4digital.com/product.asp?itemid=cnpss95-de&l=Nextag

I've elected to leave my DSLR at home rather than deal with the extra (heavy) carry-on and the possible import/export issues (convincing customs that I didn't buy the equipment in Canada). But your question gave me a pretty good idea: My worst quality lens on my Canon 7D is also a super zoom (the non-L series 18-200mm) -- and it also produces photos that are better quality than any point and shoot I've used. What if I just take one camera body (the 18-200mm won't work on my 5DM2 anyhow) with the built-in (fill) flash and just one super-zoom lens? It isn't very heavy, it doesn't involve big white lenses that get customs agents concerned, and it takes HD video, and it gets me better quality stills than the a point and shoot. Plus I don't need to purchase another camera. I just need to prepare myself for photos that aren't as sharp as my L glass normally gets. Ok, then, so I won't print these enlarged to 20 x 30.

I guess my next trip up to YVR, I'm bringing my DSLR! Thanks, Flyertalk, for getting me thinking!

I picked up a S95 last year for taking pics on vacation when I don't feel like lugging the 5DII around, it takes great pics, can shoot RAW, and is small but still well built.

That's right. I've been using it for 8 months now and just love it. It's very compact and handy, yet it shoots amazing pics. You should definitely check it out.

A lot of people swear by Picasa (http://picasa.google.com/intl/en/), which is a free editing program from Google.

My own choice is Adobe Photoshop Elements (http://www.adobe.com/products/photoshopel/), which retails in the US for about $80.

I heard about Picasa but wasn't aware you could edit. Thought it was just for uploading.

I heard about Picasa but wasn't aware you could edit. Thought it was just for uploading.

Organize, crop, rotate, color balance, saturation, sharpness, redeye, bw/sepia stuff, all using non-destructive editing (original pictures don't get modified). Effective for simple editing while online hosting is a nice bonus. For free, Picasa is really quite nice. Does RAW with all major manufacturers as well.

Also does face recognition pretty well. I own photoshop and lightroom, but I keep picasa around for face recognition, quick edits, and integration with picasa online

Organize, crop, rotate, color balance, saturation, sharpness, redeye, bw/sepia stuff, all using non-destructive editing (original pictures don't get modified). Effective for simple editing while online hosting is a nice bonus. For free, Picasa is really quite nice. Does RAW with all major manufacturers as well.

Tried it and just what I needed. Quite handy. ^

Picasa is user friendly & gets most jobs done.
Should OP wants to advance to next level of photo editing, might want to check out GIMP (also free, but is a much more powerful tool). Download from gimp.org

i was gonna say... get the lumix gf2 or gf1

Have been using S95 for over 2 months and loving it. Happy with compact size and very nice photos for a point and shoot camera. Bought it at walmart.com for $368.54 plus tax and shipping. It gets sold out pretty fast there, but usually they get it back in stock fast. Ther reason I baught it at Walmart, so if I will not like it, I would have an effortless return to any store minus 0.97 shipping. However, it is a keeper :)

PS My wife also uses it in auto mode and so far she gets very good results.

Have been using S95 for over 2 months and loving it. Happy with compact size and very nice photos for a point and shoot camera. Bought it at walmart.com for $368.54 plus tax and shipping. It gets sold out pretty fast there, but usually they get it back in stock fast. Ther reason I baught it at Walmart, so if I will not like it, I would have an effortless return to any store minus 0.97 shipping. However, it is a keeper :)

PS My wife also uses it in auto mode and so far she gets very good results.

Just finished a 10 day trip with it, and I have to say it is still the best compact camera I've ever used and beats my XTi in a lot of ways.

My one annoyance - and it's taken a while to get there - is the internal flash; the pop-up mechanism hits my hand a lot when I turn the flash on (normally I keep it disabled) and it thinks it's jammed, requiring me to power-cycle the camera to reset it. Not sure what the advantage is supposed to be vs a non-pop up.

I just got my S95 in the mail today. I had an S90 around this time last year, but saw the S95 and sold my S90 on Craigslist. Took me awhile to get the S95 - I just used my old S80, but heading on a long trip soon so I wanted that S95.
There is a $359 plus shipping no sales tax (except MI, IN, OH) deal on the camera right now. It's not the cheapest price I've ever seen, but at this point you'd be hard pressed to do better if you need/want one. The authorized dealer is ABC Warehouse www.abcwarehouse.com

The Canon S95 is great, but will not come close to the 500D IQ, but it probably is good enough. If you want quality as good as the 500D in a small package the Fuji X100 is where it's at.