Non-POV Camera Recommendations Around $500 or Less?

[alsg]

As I mentioned in my introductory post, I'm getting ready for an Allagash trip later this month. I want to bring a camera along. My requirements are $500 or less. And I am not interested in a GoPro or similar POV action camera (I had one and I wasn't wild for the ultra-wide angle look).

I am considering the Panasonic Lumix ZS70, which has a 24-720 mm (equivalent) zoom and 4K video and gets generally good reviews (for its sensor size). It seems almost ideal for me with one big drawback -- it isn't waterproof or even water resistant. That means I'd probably be forced to keep it in a dry bag in the canoe (even on flat water if it is just drizziling) and then miss a lot of shots.

Another possibility I am considering is Olympus TG-5, which appears to be the best of the waterproof types in my price range. But it's 24-100mm (equilvalent) zoom leaves a bit to be desired.

Anyone got recommendations pro of con for these cameras or others? Thanks!

 

[Canotrouge]

If I buy something this year, it will be the new TG-5. If what you do is paddling, I think a waterproof camera is a must... That said, I have a lot of friend who carry full DSLR and pelican cases and use it on the water and land... Just not in ww situation. And when the weather is crap... Just take picture when the weather is good!!

 

[Alan Gage]

I've been using a TG-4 for the last couple years. The lack of zoom is sometimes annoying but overall I've been happy with it. There are cameras with better image quality but they aren't water proof. I really like having a waterproof camera. I can keep it in my pocket all day when portaging and wading.

Alan

 

[yellowcanoe]

No Title

I've bee using a CanonSX 60 For two years. It's got 21-1300 mm equivalent so it's one of those superzoom bridge cameras It's cheap enough I don't worry much about it in the canoe but I do use a small Pelican box for it Not the greatest low light performer nor to you want to extend to 1300 mm(I stop at about 700 for handheld shots) It's great for catching eagles and moose and loons. Anything that goes to 650 mm ought to work I'm on my phone and don't have access to my eagle pics that are on my computer so I picked what I have already uploaded here Of course Photobucket ransomed the pics I do have stored there. Haven't gotten around to using Amazon Prime yet For the Allagash I think that a zoom would enhance your trip greatly as it's one of the premiere wildlife rivers. But watch out for sex crazed moose.

 

[Marten]

I too use a little Canon (SX130) and keep it in a small Pelican Case that sits inside a daypack at my feet. In the end how many shots taken in rainy conditions are worth viewing anyway. All my videos are taken with the little Canon.

 

[alsg]

Wow, yellowcanoe, that's a nice pic! If non-water proof zooms are in the equation, there are many mega zooms that all seem to be great options!

 

[yellowcanoe]

I actually have 2. I sent the first sx 60 to he bottom Juniper Run for 30 second full bath.
Then it did not work though I was able to get the battery and card out right away
Heartbroken I went to Best Buy to get another of the same model

I kept the dunked one six months later it worked perfectly and continues to do so
It has a lot of features in DSLRS full manual bracketing etc. ISO adjustable. Just with a smaller sensor so the images aren't pro grade.

 

[Glenn MacGrady]

Over the years I've used one waterproof and various non-waterproof cameras. The only advantage of the waterproof one that it was small enough to keep in a pocket of my life jacket. However, the VAST majority of my canoe trip photos were not taken from the canoe, and certainly not in the middle of a rapid or in rain storms, so I most recently decided to go back to a fully-featured but compact non-waterproof camera -- a Nikon Coolpix P7800.

I wanted a camera that was sophisticated and fast enough to provide high quality pictures on land, for for my semi-professional work in basketball gyms, and that could fit in a small Pelican box in a canoe. It has an f 2.0 lens that zooms from 28-200 (35 mm equivalent) and the digital zoom can double or quadruple that. 24 mm wide angle would be even better -- I don't think more than that is ever necessary for canoe trips -- and probably some newer zoom cameras have that.

I've never missed my waterproof camera at all, especially since the picture quality was so mediocre. I keep my P7800 in a small Pelican box in the canoe, with a small cloth, and wear neck lanyard that the camera clips into with a quick-detach clip so I can't drop it when I'm in the canoe. Obviously, I'm very careful about when I take the camera out and in what weather conditions.

Sometimes I have the Pelican box tethered onto a line. Other times I can fix it firmly to the canoe bottom onto a D-ring. I can get the camera out almost as fast as I could with the waterproof camera in a PFD pocket.

 

[Magnus919]

A word of advice from someone with way too many still cameras (digital & film)... go to Flickr, find the group for each camera you're interested in, and just look at the pictures people are posting. Each camera has its own look. Often it can be a matter of not getting lost in the specs, and just go with the camera that makes pictures that look like what you want.

That said, slightly above your proposed price limit, I'm a really big fan of the Ricoh GR II. I have the previous version, the Ricoh GR, and I love it.

 

[Cruiser]

I just bought a Sony HX80, just for that purpose. It isn't waterproof, but I have a little water proof case I use. This my second Sony and I have been impressed with them, obviously, I bought a second one.

I also take them along tripping (leaving Monday for Algonquin) ... the camera has full manual or full automatic, 30x zoom and auto macro mode .... so I can shoot that moose across the bay or get a full screen of an interesting little mushroom.

Certainly worth taking a look at ....


Brian

 

[frozentripper]

It seems almost ideal for me with one big drawback -- it isn't waterproof or even water resistant. That means I'd probably be forced to keep it in a dry bag in the canoe (even on flat water if it is just drizziling) and then miss a lot of shots.

Another possibility I am considering is Olympus TG-5, which appears to be the best of the waterproof types in my price range. But it's 24-100mm (equilvalent) zoom leaves a bit to be desired.

IIRC the TG-5 can take extra lenses which includes something telephoto... but switching lenses is maybe too much time spent fiddling around with gear if what you want is a no-nonsense rugged camera. Switching lenses probably also exposes the internals to water which could be a problem at a time when waterproofing is critical and photos need to be taken.

Olympus was one of the first manufacturers to get into compact waterproofs and maybe their experience is the reason they get good reviews? I'd probably upgrade to the TG-5 myself since I don't shoot much telephoto but my five-year-old TG-820 still does the job well enough for now.

I don't know how rough you are with gear, the latest little bit of abuse from me was last week, slipping and falling on the camera on a bad section of trail. It was in it's usual plastic bag inside the pants pocket when most of my weight came down on it... one of those inevitable oh-crap moments. Still works fine, unlike the scratches and bruises I experienced. Nothing has changed... maybe a less rugged camera wouldn't have made it. There have been splashes and rain as well.

I don't think I'm ever going to go back to something heavy and bulky like in the old days, the no-worries capability is great and picture quality is good enough for viewing on monitors. Not gonna be carrying heavy, clunky things around when these wonderfully lighweight compacts are available... amazing little gems of concentrated, compact capability at times.

I wouldn't want to spend too much money either, to get the newest new thing. Digital cameras are like computers, they become outdated tremendously fast and if you are going to keep up with the gearheads out there, you will have to keep spending piles of money as soon as the next greatest detail becomes available to the consumer market.

The photojournalist's "just make sure you're there ready to get the shot" might apply on canoe trips and in some hopefully survivable situations, the scene might be such that any camera at all will produce something good if it's there. When that happens, it's great to be able to start banging away with no worries. Time starts going by very fast and messing around with gear is not the best way to spend it... anyway... mine seems to work OK although who knows when somebody here will provide the next clues on where some great photos can be had...

 

[alsg]

Bunch of great responses and input here! Thanks, one and all!

I stumbled across another possibility, which, although a "bridge" camera and larger than what I wanted, ticks off a lot of my requirements. The Panasonic Lumix FZ300. http://shop.panasonic.com/cameras-a...lumix-point-and-shoot-cameras/DMC-FZ300K.html

It's a couple of years old, which, as frozentripper points out, is pushing being outdated, but it still gets excellent marks against newer cameras apparently because it features a really excellent lens that stays a constant F2.8 from 25-600 mm (equivalent). The kicker is that the body is "weather sealed" so it is at least splash resistant (probably won't survive a full immersion, but isn't going to be bothered by a little rain/wetness). Now, if only it ran on AA batteries ....

 

[Cruiser]

I tried posting this pic from the Sony last night, but it was too large for the board. It was shot from the deck, the bunny is about 50 feet away and looking very seriously at my garden ... from the fur to the capillaries in the ear, the detail is pretty good

The main feature that drew me to this one, was that 30x zoom, it will make a lot of the field pics a lot more doable .....


Brian

 

[Magnus919]

Sorry, Brian; the photo is not working. Looks like you're sharing it from a private Google album.

 

[yellowcanoe]

It's working for me and I don't have a google account
I can't think of any cameras that use AAs any more
The proprietary batteries give you a couple hundred shots.

 

[Magnus919]

No Title

It's working for me and I don't have a google account

Here's what I get (attached).

 

[alsg]

I can't think of any cameras that use AAs any more

This is about the only one, and it isn't very new and it's specs are only so so. http://www.nikonusa.com/en/nikon-products/product-archive/compact-digital-cameras/coolpix-l840.html

 

[Cruiser]

Magnus ... it isn't private, I have moved the photo to a shared folder and redid the link, hope it works for you now.

Brian

 

[Magnus919]

Magnus ... it isn't private, I have moved the photo to a shared folder and redid the link, hope it works for you now.

That fixed it. Thanks.

 

[sweeper]

I like the Lumix I have now and the 2 Olympus cameras before it, just make sure to get one that's waterproof.