Re: Cameras. . . Again.
Posted: Tue Jun 18, 2013 11:51 pm
I used to carry a conventional 35mm with a wide and tele lens and talk about a pain in the butt. The camera and lens must have weighed in over 6 lbs and took up a lot of space in my pack. Changing a lens on a climb was out of the question so I often had to choose which one to carry. If I wanted to carry it on my chest for access I had to use a shoulder strap and harness device to keep it from banging around. As a result, I missed a lot of shots simply because my camera was stuffed in my pack. From that experience I learned what I really wanted in an outdoor camera.
1. No lens changing (the lens had to cover a wide range)
2. No lens caps (the lens has to have a built-in cover, period)
3. It has to be small enough to operate with one hand
4. A viewfinder is nice but not a necessity
5. Shoot in RAW format
6. Good battery life
7. Low light capability
8. Good image quality
After a lot of research and reading I settled on a Canon G12 and I couldn't be happier. I know the G15 is out but the G12 can be had for a real discount now. The G15 doesn't have the flip-out LCD display like the G12 and I use mine all of the time. Perhaps the best feature is the digital level that lets me know when I'm tilting the camera from level. The real sales clincher came when I read a camera review in Rock & Ice and they recommended the G12 as an entry level pro camera that is capable of taking magazine quality pictures. Prior to that article I wasn't aware that Canon even made such a camera. I even use mine like a scanner when my image is too large for my flatbed scanner and the results are very good.
Bob
1. No lens changing (the lens had to cover a wide range)
2. No lens caps (the lens has to have a built-in cover, period)
3. It has to be small enough to operate with one hand
4. A viewfinder is nice but not a necessity
5. Shoot in RAW format
6. Good battery life
7. Low light capability
8. Good image quality
After a lot of research and reading I settled on a Canon G12 and I couldn't be happier. I know the G15 is out but the G12 can be had for a real discount now. The G15 doesn't have the flip-out LCD display like the G12 and I use mine all of the time. Perhaps the best feature is the digital level that lets me know when I'm tilting the camera from level. The real sales clincher came when I read a camera review in Rock & Ice and they recommended the G12 as an entry level pro camera that is capable of taking magazine quality pictures. Prior to that article I wasn't aware that Canon even made such a camera. I even use mine like a scanner when my image is too large for my flatbed scanner and the results are very good.
Bob