Do you still take camera's with you on trips

[harvyk]

Almost as a follow up to a news.com.au article about how iPhone can be just as good as a DSLR (not quite true). It got me thinking.

A few years ago a relatively expensive DSLR camera was a standard thing I'd bring on any trips. It took really good photos, however of course I couldn't post them straight to facebook like I do now. Not really a problem as back then I didn't have a Facebook account to worry about.

Yes back then my phone had a very basic camera with it, but it was really poor resolution, did not capture colour very well, and only had a few MB of memory so I couldn't store many photos anyway.

Fast forward to today, I now leave the DSLR at home and take photos solely with the iPhone. I tend to upload a majority of those photos straight to Facebook, and have no real intention of printing any of them out. It does also mean that my photos are always with me so I can show anyone who is interested at the drop of a hat.

So my general question is, do you still take expensive camera equipment with you when you travel, or is your phone now also your camera?

 

[trentusjuventus]

I guess it also depends where you are going and what you are doing. If I'm going to meet up with friends and family, and therefore mostly just taking 'happy snaps' or going somewhere that I've visited (and photographed) before, then sure the phone will do. However, I'm pretty sure that my phone's camera would not do justice to somewhere that I am traveling to primarily to see the scenery. The last place I also brought along my camera as well was when I visited Jordan/Egypt, the phone just would not have cut it.

 

[samh004]

I need a different option in that poll... I used to use my iPhone (solely) but have started taking my new mirrorless DSLR with me too. I find photos of food I'll generally go with my iPhone, perhaps even panoramas, but portraits and macro and whatever else is now going on my EOS-M.

 

[dk4]

iPhone, LOL - 2007 called, & they want their camera back.

I have been travelling with a Carl Zeiss 41MP camera phone for quite some time now, excellent stills and great quality HD video (1080p 60Hz with lossless digital zoom).

 

[MartinMemo]

Danasaurus on here travels with a GoPro - from what I have seen the quality is amazing for such a tiny camera. He even uses it at his gigs.

 

[trentusjuventus]

Phone is much better for 'not wanting to look like a tourist' type situations as well. That said, it is much more easily pick-pocketed as well.

 

[Pushka]

I have a brilliant little camera that takes HD videos that are crystal clear, and is also an underwater camera for when I snorkel or in water environments. Show me a phone that can do that?

Hubby uses the phone a lot - and I take the odd shot, but if I want a quality photo when travelling, it's got to be the camera. You can also easily add memory space to a camera on the go, not so the phone.

The places I travel I will always look like a tourist so there isnt much point trying to hide that with cameras.

 

[amaroo]

Panasonic Lumix in the pocket for OS holidays......phone for everything else.

 

[VPS]

Always take a camera but if you want to take photos of food (which I do) the iphone is a little more subtle

 

[Paddy55]

Have Canon 5d iii and an iPhone... iPhone great for quick snaps, especially those posted to social media. SLR especially good for fast action and low light situations.

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

Just bought a Sony Nex-3NL so I could have something nearly the size of a compact camera with a decent sized APS-C sensor. No matter how good the sensor and software, the bigger the sensor the better the pics you'll get.

I regret being in NYC a few years ago and having a coughpy compact with me. The pics are just not that good

 

[tgh]

Interesting how new age camera "lore" has evolved.
In my world it's all about the glass..and the pixels are not so important.
I do see the usefulness of my iphone for opportunistic happy snaps , but the basics of photography will never be met by an iphone because the laws of physics prevent it.

 

[DrA]

When I travel for work, I need to take publication quality photos to go into scientific reports. Which means taking a decent camera.

When I travel for fun, I'm usually going scuba diving somewhere...And I'm into underwater photography - which isn't practical using a phone. So I take 2 decent cameras (always have a backup in case my housing floods).

I do have my phone for random happy snaps, but I never travel without a good camera either.

 

[UP4014]

It's all about the optics, I always stick with a DSLR for anything I really need. Phone cameras, even the good ones, just don't allow the detail or clarity.

 

[Ewing]

I have a Panasonic Micro 4/3 camera. It's like an SLR but it's small enough to not be intrusive when travelling.

So yes, when I'm travelling and want a camera I take that with me. Most of the time I just take my iPhone though.

 

[DrA]

It's all about the optics, I always stick with a DSLR for anything I really need. Phone cameras, even the good ones, just don't allow the detail or clarity.

I normally just take a Canon G12 with me these days. As long as I can shoot in RAW and have the manual control, I'm happy. I had to stop travelling with my DSLR for work trips because they started weighing our carry on for the smaller flights.

 

[kamchatsky]

I have Panasonic Lumix LX5. It was the best non DSLR camera during its days when it takes amazing pictures at nights. It is superseded by LX7 but I still take my LX5 with me on trips because it took such nice photos.

 

[tgh]

The optics in compact camera's have come ahead in leaps and bounds, to the point where my dslr isn't packed when travelling.
In the past few years I have had ... Panasonic lx5 (good camera) to Olympus XZ1 ( better) to Panasonic FZ200.
The FZ200 is (was??) where it's at for a fair compromise travel camera , far too big but functionally very competent.

 

[RooFlyer]

Definitely take my Sony DSC-HX50 for all trips - great pic quality, medium sensor, versatile, huge zoom, fits in pocket.

But when at 'unique' places (ie overseas, likely to be once-only visits) I also carry my 2012 iPad mini with me (also fits in pocket) and I take a 'insurance' pics with it. That is, if something happens to camera or memory card, there is a backup. When I get home, the quality of the iPad mini pics, compared side-by-side with the Sony versions, is just cough.

And my phone is a phone, not a toy.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Got myself an EOS-M for the upcoming family trip next week. Not using a camera phone, because I'm not taking my phone with me.