wco81

Maybe the OP like the ability to instantly upload pics?

Then he might find a camera with built-in Wifi with presets for uploading to Flickr and other sites to be useful.

Maybe also geotagging to a lesser extent since iPhone pics are geotagged.

Also the easy panoramas and HDR could be features he's gotten used to.

But yeah I wouldn't want to be stuck with a fixed lens.

FlyingSky

Thanks for the addtl. replies! It's funny - I just used my iPhone this morning to take a picture of the NYC skyline from NJ - the picture quality was great, and it got me rethinking this whole camera thing! So, my question is, what's your opinion on a GoPro? I'm not trying to change the subject of this thread or change my original interest, but since I use my iPhone for photography currently, would getting a GoPro be a suitable option as opposed to spending the big bucks to get a camera (while I already have a fairly decent easy to use one on my phone already?) Don't take this the wrong way - I've been looking at the GoPro for awhile now, just never thought about getting one, but it could serve me well on a variety of trips when I think about it, and easy to use. Plus, it shoots HD video and wide-angle pics and has wifi capability.

So, I could spend a little less than $400 for a GoPro, or $500 for an RX100. Decisions...

wco81

I don't think the quality difference of a GoPro from iPhone would be that great. It still has a fixed focal length camera?

As for videos, will it have image stabilized video like iPhone 6?

If you want to do action photography and get something like water proof cases or put it on a drone, then it may make sense.

But it won't drastically improve the image quality like the RX100 would.

Mike Jacoubowsky

Keep in mind that editing GoPro video output is a significant undertaking; lots of time spent by your computer rendering it, plus whatever editing you want to do. There's also the rolling-shutter issue that causes GoPro output to display a sort of waviness if there's vibration (not movement, but vertical in the vertical plane). Mounted to yourself, a GoPro can do pretty good stuff.

OK, I'll admit it, I also think it's the supreme dorkiness to be using one of those GoPro "sticks" to shoot video of yourself and your surroundings.

And finally, what if you shoot a lot of video and want to keep it? Ohmygosh you're going to fill up huge hard drives quickly!!!

Guess what it comes down to is whether the GoPro, or any other camera, fills a need you have. If you need (or would really like) a GoPro, for whatever reason, maybe you've just always thought it would be cool to have one 'cuz you've seen what other people have done, well then you just gotta go do it. That's a different scenario than a conversation here about what type of camera would be best to document your travels.

Then again, maybe it isn't!

Full disclosure requirement: I own an older GoPro Hero2 and a JVC X2 sports camera. Both are buggy as !@$%!@ and frequently lock up. Both have severe rolling shutter issues when mounted to the handlebar of a road bike. Both have a need for very bright days to get good pictures. And I literally have a couple of terrabytes of video that I'll never get around to doing anything with.
Or this- http://www.photographyblog.com/revie...x60_hs_review/

DeepUnderground

I have young kids and our vacations involve a cheap waterproof canon point and shoot, a fancy pants DSLR, an iPhone5, AND a go pro. Lot's of work some times (usually not though, I just take the one device that makes sense for the days' activity) but I make a nice 10 minute movie out of each vacation that we can watch over and over with the kids.

wco81

One option is to get a waterproof housing for the iPhone with one of the action mounts. They certainly exist though you don't have the same flexible mounting with the footprint of the iPhone.

However, my iPhone 6 Plus does get hot when I was using it heavily for videos, slow-mo, time lapse, panoramas, etc. in a short period of time. There's probably some post-processing going on after capture before it saves the files so the battery draw was pretty significant.

Certainly though smart phones are leading the way with "computational photography."

FlyingSky

Thanks all! I definitely have to make a decision - a camera with better quality than my iPhone or a GoPro I've always wanted to capture awesome videos of planes, etc. Will let you all know my decision!

gspurr

I recently went on Safari in Africa and I rented a nice $5000 telephoto lense for my rather basic Nikon DSLR camera for about $150 a week. It was totally worth it. I would seriously suggest renting before purchasing anything of significant value.

Kaphias

As I've been looking at cameras with a similar wish-list to yours, I thought I'd share my current list: Here

ssafro1

Great thread, very informative! I am in the exact same boat here. Doing more and more travel related photography (mountains, hikes, etc.) I am in the same place. I love my iPhone5. Its handy, takes decent pictures and what I really enjoy is the fact you can edit them on your phone and adjust brightness, shadows, etc. all from your phone. I also appreciate not having to carry an extra, heavier camera.

However, what I do not like is the picture quality (especially when zooming into something). I do a lot of hiking/day packing and I do not want to be carrying around a bunch of heavy lenses. Therefore, I too am contemplating the question of whether to get a camera. The RX1000 seems to get high marks.

FlyingSky

Learning a lot based off this thread! I went into Best Buy the other day and took a look at the RX100 (original model), WOW! It's small, light, seems to take great pictures. Haven't made an exact decision as of yet, but what a camera. Also, the Sony rep at Best Buy showed me a video he took with the RX100 which was played on a large Mac computer - amazing quality/sound! The only thing holding me back right now is price.

HMO

iPhones don't have real zoom. The "digital" zoom crops the image and resizes it. Your "zoomed" picture will have a lower resolution that the original one.

The pictures below shows the difference between real (optical) zoom and digital zoom, and how the processing is made in order to have a digital zoomed image.

FlyingSky

Awesome thanks!

Side note - a local RadioShack is closing and they have the following cameras on sale:
Canon ELPH 135
Nikon S6800
Canon SX600

These any good? Just asking due to close out sale-thanks!

chucko

Whatever you buy, first thing get a spare batt. Unlike the iPhone, you can swap a fresh batt for one that needs charging.

HMO

If his average usage is less than 200 pictures/day, I don't think an extra battery will be necessary ^