6P Camera for vacations?

[icwhatudidthere]

Those night safaris can be really boring, just driving along in pitch black but then all of a sudden the guide slams on the brakes for one of these guys!

 

[dyastrab]

The 6P is better than the old power shot for an ordinary vacation. Safari is different from any other kind of trip. The animals are going to be at a safe distance away which is why you need a really good zoom lens. You don't want to walk up to a lion for obvious reasons and you can't walk up the the gazelles or gnus because they will run. Hippos like to spend their time on river bottoms with just their nose out of the water. You really can't get close to a hippo, a lion is a pussycat in comparison to a hippo. So in all case you want a big zoom and a good pair of binoculars. For any other kind of vacation the 6P is fine. The 360 and panorama modes are great for architecture or landscapes, and the normal video and snapshot modes are fine for taking pictures of the family.

My daughter just had a play in her school in a moderately well lit room. My 6P did better than the powershot for pictures that didn't require a zoom. I didn't attempt to use the 6P for the shots that were >20 feet away. Wish I would have for comparison purposes.

 

[anon(19759)]

DSLR!!!!! If you can afford that vacation, spend some coin on a decent DSLR for a trip like that. Sounds awesome, have a blast!

 

[hallux]

Better get a Big SD card for the camera also.

I'd get several smaller ones, best not to have all your eggs in one basket. I'd also find a solution for copying or backing them up nightly.

 

[worldspy99]

I have been on multiple game drives in South Africa and even if you weren't going on a safari, I would still recommend a DSLR or some of the newer mini DSLR cameras. Of course keep your 6P handy for when it is just too much work to get the camera out and take a picture. We always take our camcorder, DSLR and cell phone. I was just looking at the great photos and videos from our last trip to Singapore, Malaysia and China exactly this week last year....

 

[Tadrift]

I am going to be the odd man out here. I took a DSLR on vacation and I regretted it.

Truth is, a real DSLR will take better pictures. BUT, to get better pictures it requires you to set the shot with a lot of settings. I owned this DSLR and took many family event pictures. I knew in advance what kind of pictures I would need to set up for and studied the settings so I would be prepared. I stayed at a beach house with the family. Kids playing in the sand, surfing, boats, sunsets, etc.

Here is what happened. I spent so much time setting up the camera all the time that I missed great moments with the family and the vacation. by "I" I mean on personal level I missed out. In the end, about 50% of the pictures turned out worse then they would have with the 6p. The other 45% turned out slightly better and the last 5% were exceptional. I missed many great picture opportunities because I couldn't get the shot. Lastly, lugging all that gear, the camera, two lenses, covers on the camera to protect it, etc, that it became a burden and made be a bit grumpy. Lastly, when I got home the family kept recounting certain events that I couldn't recall, even though I was there. It occurred to me that although I was physically there, I was gone mentally and missed out on the human interaction.

So, if you are professional photographer and can instinctively know the settings and do it quickly. And you take a little less care (unlike me) in bringing the equipment out into weather and not stressing about it. Then go for it. I am no slouch when it comes to photography and I have even won a few photo contests. I owned the DSLR for about 2 years, so I knew the camera.

Yes, the DSLR can take better pictures. But I wouldn't recommend making it the primary camera of your trip. I would bring it on select special outings and then use the 6p the rest of the time. I will never again do a full trip and expect just to use the DSLR. It is the human experience that makes the trip and pictures are just a bonus. When you combine the two, you won't care that shots aren't perfect everytime and appreciate that you shared the moment and captured it.

 

[Hawgee]

I've got to chime in with a smile. I would prefer myself having the DSLR. More importantly knowing which ever you choose, there are no remnant's of bacon and egg's or what you had for dinner on or around the device you use.

 

[CoolBeit]

Here is what happened. I spent so much time setting up the camera all the time that I missed great moments with the family and the vacation. by "I" I mean on personal level I missed out. In the end, about 50% of the pictures turned out worse then they would have with the 6p. The other 45% turned out slightly better and the last 5% were exceptional.

A quick piece of advice - don't think so hard about the settings. I own a Canon and I put it on "P" and leave it there. Occasionally I will touch the exposure compensation while on "P," but I usually don't even worry about that. On even more rare occasions, I will change WB from Auto to Cloudy (when the light is REALLY bad on a particular day). Both Raw and JPG capture way more information than you think, so even if you need to do some tweaking in post, you'll be fine.

I have taken some pictures I'm really proud of with my DSLR - every single one of those pictures is good because of composition and light, and not because I did anything special with camera settings.

 

[RHChan84]

A quick piece of advice - don't think so hard about the settings. I own a Canon and I put it on "P" and leave it there. Occasionally I will touch the exposure compensation while on "P," but I usually don't even worry about that. On even more rare occasions, I will change WB from Auto to Cloudy (when the light is REALLY bad on a particular day). Both Raw and JPG capture way more information than you think, so even if you need to do some tweaking in post, you'll be fine.

I have taken some pictures I'm really proud of with my DSLR - every single one of those pictures is good because of composition and light, and not because I did anything special with camera settings.

I also use P or TV and go from there. Once in happy, I'll go to Manual mode and dial in my settings to keep it locked but this only works if you have constant light. Then once you change lighting, you change settings. But I've been doing this for years so I know if I'm at 1/2500 shutter speed outside and I step inside, I know to drop it down to 1/500 or do and go from there of adjust my ISO from let's say 100 to 1600 and keep my Apeature the same.

 

[Tadrift]

A quick piece of advice - don't think so hard about the settings. I own a Canon and I put it on "P" and leave it there. Occasionally I will touch the exposure compensation while on "P," but I usually don't even worry about that. On even more rare occasions, I will change WB from Auto to Cloudy (when the light is REALLY bad on a particular day). Both Raw and JPG capture way more information than you think, so even if you need to do some tweaking in post, you'll be fine.

I have taken some pictures I'm really proud of with my DSLR - every single one of those pictures is good because of composition and light, and not because I did anything special with camera settings.

If that is your approach, you are missing the point of having a DSLR. And you could get equal pictures to what you are describing with a S6, G4, or Note 5. And not have to carry around a large camera.

The point of having a DSLR is learn it to not just get "good" pictures, but to get pictures that you can't with a Point and shoot or Phone Camera. I am not saying that you have to mess with settings just because they are there and of course if you have great lighting and setting, sure put on P and a bit of tweaking and you will be fine in a lot of situations. Subjects, lighting, and settings are rarely great. Are you going to wait until a certain time of the day when your kids go out and play on the beach? DSLR are for difficult photographic situations and with the right settings/lenses it gives you the opportunity to get fantastic pictures that no other camera can offer. Reflections of light off water, sunsets, clouds, how close or far you get, it all plays into it.

No offense intended, but save the, I put it on P and my pictures are good because I know how to set up the shot for someone who knows better. It is a misconception to think that just because it is a DSLR it will automatically be better. I have won photo contests with my DSLR and I also take merchandise pictures for a living, but the price for those pictures is time to set it up right. Time on a vacation where there is price to pay in human interaction, which is why I don't recommend it, unless you just like to ignore your friends and family.

 

[crosspatch]

I'm no photographer, but I would venture to say that while the DSLR advice is good, it only really counts if the person who will be using the camera is competent. I could take better photos with my 6P and an inch of petroleum jelly on the lens than someone I know [COUGH]wife[/COUGH] ever could with a high-end DSLR.

 

[tomski808]

Just a thought. If your worried about the size of the DSLR maybe take a look at one of the Sony NEX cameras. I have a NEX 7 and absolutely love it. Pretty much DSLR picture quality with quite a bit of space savings, especially with a pancake lens on it.

 

[dyastrab]

I just got back from my ski trip. Wound up carrying both a canon powershot and the 6P. The powershot produced better zoomed photo's and video. But the 6P had better stills.

 

[nex6p]

Definitely a DSLR or a mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses. And learn to use it in manual mode to get the most out of your trip. Invest in a quality zoom lens (at least a 70-200mm plus a 1.4x or a 2x teleconverter). I include a wide angle lens as well for awesome landscape shots. Personally I'd go with a mirrorless camera such as the Fuji XT-1 to keep the weight down.

 

[stabbedintheface]

Don't get a DSLR. Get a Mirrorless.