DSLR vs pointshoot
April 7th, 2007 by coberned.I have another camera question. I really like photography and am still trying to figure out what type of camera I’d like to take. I have thought that it would be great to take a digital SLR but I wonder if it is practical. Do any of you use DSLR while abroad? The other type of camera I am thinking about is a standard point shoot. One that is fairly durable. What are your thoughts on this. This is going to be an amazing experience and I am looking forward to capturing it on film. Thanks for your imputs.
April 8th, 2007 at 8:27 am
The bigger and fancier the camera you have, the more you make yourself a target for theft. A mid-size or smaller non-SLR digital will be easier to carry, less likely to be stolen because you can conceal it better, and most of them have lots of manual controls for tweeking your exposures. And you can always use an editing program to further enhance your pictures to your liking. Depending on what country you’re going to, some parts of Africa can be very dusty. You could be spending a lot of money on a camera only to have it wrecked by dust. Finally, you’ll “blend in” better (a Peace Corps plus) in the local culture with a smaller, simpler camera.
September 12th, 2007 at 10:03 am
Yes, dust can be a major problem with DSLRs. It’s best to just have a single zoom lens with a good range unless you feel comfortable cleaning the sensor frequently.
I went with both, an ultra compact point and shoot that was always in my pocket and a DSLR that I would mainly use off-site.
The speed and quality of point and shoots have really improved in the last years, and often have a higher mega pixel count for a much lower price.
If you’re afraid of theft, make sure your equipment insured. You’ll be covered unless it just magically disappears.
Enjoy your assignment!