Ideal lightweight camera for bushwalking is it the Pentax Q

[Tony]

I photographer friend of mine who I am always asking (annoying) advice on the ideal bushwalking camera sent me this link to a review on the The Pentax Q Digital Camera The Pentax Q Digital Camera Review – A pocket full of pixels! I have not finished reading ther review yet but the Pentax Q camera looks interesting as lightweight bushwalking camera.

I thought as there are a few photographers around on BA I would get their views.

Tony

[Drifting]

I used to keep up with all the camera advances, but I've wandered away from it, so take my input with a grain of salt.

From a size standpoint it's pretty awesome, but the lenses and overall image quality are not up to Canon or that other company... (Nikon something I think they are called). Also, I don't think there are any weather seals on the new 3/4 cameras. So if you want something a step above a point-and-shoot, but are not looking for the semi-pro/pro image quality some folks want in their work, they are awesome. But if you are looking to produce absolutely top-quality stuff, then IMHO Canon and Nikon are still the best choices in DSLRs. It's really a question of lens quality, even over sensor quality.

It all comes down to portability vs quality, and what the individual is looking to get out of their back country experience.

Having said all of that, if I didn't have a trio of bodies already and a swag of professional lenses, I'd look twice at the pentax, or other 3/4 format cameras. But I'd still rather use a Canon...600 I think they are on now, for a small camera, or the 1100, and a 5DII for a bigger camera. Adam or others will be able to tell you about Nikons of choice.

Considering what happens to cameras when you bushwalk with them, I'd personally go for an older, refurbished Canon 500, 50D or even a 40D if you can get one. The 40D and 50D has some weather seals. I use a prehistoric 30D and have absolutely no complaints, though after 5 years and something in the order of 150,000 shots the AF seems to be slowing down.

EDIT/PS: I take it all back for climbing-based activities though.

[Tony]

Hi Drifting,

Many thanks for your considered reply.

I am aware that if I want quality photos that a DSLR is the only way to go, but DSLR's are heavy and bulky and I am looking at lightweight camera system, more in the point and shoot style, (though with the quality of the photos in the photo comp lately I might have to get a DSLR).

At my work we have 4 old Nikon D100's and 4 Nikon D300's, and many old (sadly now not used) Nikon F2's, F3's, the D300 is a brilliant camera and I would not hesitate to buy one or something similar if I thought it was suitable for the type of bushwalking that I do.

I am a bushwalker that likes to do a bit of photography, not a photographer that likes to go bushwalking. I want a camera that I can hang on my pack or belt like I do with my current very cheap P&S.

Tony

[photohiker]

The pentax brings a lot of SLR-like capabilities to play with, and its enticingly small, but at the end of the day it has that tiny sensor 1/2.3" size - 6.17 x 4.55 mm. This is not a step up from P&S where the higher end of the range have 1/1.7" (7.49 x 5.52 mm) or 1/1.63" (7.89 x 5.81 mm)

Not saying it wouldn't take some great photos mind...

[ILUVSWTAS]

Im with Tony. I am a bushwalker that likes taking a few photos. I recently bought a Panasonic DMC-ZS7. It weighs a whopping 200grams, and I like to think I have been getting some outstanding results with it.

[polas]

Check Sony NEX. Small with very good picture quality and HD video. I don't have one as I always haul my SLR with me but I would definitely consider it. I use sigma DP1 when I have to travel very light as it has SLR picture quality but as all sigmas the camera has it's problems. A lot of my friends use NEX and they love it.

Pawel

[Nuts]

Some of the enthusiast level P&S are great image wise. Here's a shot of the guard dog from my Nikon P7000, the Panasonic LX5 and (most likely) Canon P95 are just as detailed. The p7000 is a bit big for a pocket but does fit a flat pouch.

[Tony]

Check Sony NEX. Small with very good picture quality and HD video. I don't have one as I always haul my SLR with me but I would definitely consider it. I use sigma DP1 when I have to travel very light as it has SLR picture quality but as all sigmas the camera has it's problems. A lot of my friends use NEX and they love it.

Pawel

Hi Pawel,

I have checked the Nex's out, nice camera but the lenses are quite big, I would be worried about damaging them, the Sony lenses are also very expensive, the Pentax lenses are relatively cheap.

Tony

[Tony]

Im with Tony. I am a bushwalker that likes taking a few photos. I recently bought a Panasonic DMC-ZS7. It weighs a whopping 200grams, and I like to think I have been getting some outstanding results with it.

Hi ILUVSWTAS,

Nice camera, and yes you are getting some outstanding results with it, I am unable to find it on the Panasonic site, I suspect it could be called the DMC-TZ10 now.

Tony

[Tony]

Some of the enthusiast level P&S are great image wise. Here's a shot of the guard dog from my Nikon P7000, the Panasonic LX5 and (most likely) Canon P95 are just as detailed. The p7000 is a bit big for a pocket but does fit a flat pouch.

Hi Nuts,

Very nice photo, it looks like you are guarding the dog.

Tony

[Nuts]

Just for fun just hand held and a bit hard to see without direct comparison but if you don't print fine art I would rate this along side my Nikon D90 and 2.8 lenses. Others have said that the image quality is similar to the D200 (slr) sensor in testing. The lens is great, as was the LX5 pretty impressive for small cameras.

[Stibb]

Im with Tony. I am a bushwalker that likes taking a few photos. I recently bought a Panasonic DMC-ZS7. It weighs a whopping 200grams, and I like to think I have been getting some outstanding results with it.

Hi ILUVSWTAS,

Nice camera, and yes you are getting some outstanding results with it, I am unable to find it on the Panasonic site, I suspect it could be called the DMC-TZ10 now.

Tony

It's the same camera but with different names depending on where you buy it. I bought mine at B&H (USA) for less than half the price you pay here. I wanted a GPS for automatic geotagging and it works great (although as with all gps it has it's known issues). Being a compact (ie small sensor), I'm really happy with mine. It has been through some weather, salt water spray and octopus ink but nothing that couldn't be fixed.
I can't help myself drooling over a GH2. Manual focus is one thing I would really like...

[Drifting]

Hi Drifting,

Many thanks for your considered reply.

I am aware that if I want quality photos that a DSLR is the only way to go, but DSLR's are heavy and bulky and I am looking at lightweight camera system, more in the point and shoot style, (though with the quality of the photos in the photo comp lately I might have to get a DSLR).

At my work we have 4 old Nikon D100's and 4 Nikon D300's, and many old (sadly now not used) Nikon F2's, F3's, the D300 is a brilliant camera and I would not hesitate to buy one or something similar if I thought it was suitable for the type of bushwalking that I do.

I am a bushwalker that likes to do a bit of photography, not a photographer that likes to go bushwalking. I want a camera that I can hang on my pack or belt like I do with my current very cheap P&S.

Tony

Then I reckon the Pentax is for you!

[polas]

Hi Pawel,

I have checked the Nex's out, nice camera but the lenses are quite big, I would be worried about damaging them, the Sony lenses are also very expensive, the Pentax lenses are relatively cheap.

Tony

You can get small pancake lens for it but overall it is not a cheap set. Cutting edge technology is always pricy

On a cheaper side I had one of the small waterproof lumix cameras and hated the IQ. But I'm nuts about the quality

www.dpreview.com is great if you want to check some sample images and read reviews.

[hikingoz]

I own an olympus tough camera for bushwalking. It's waterproof and a little bit rugged but the cycle of settings is very frustrating and I havn't been really happy with the image quality.

A bit of research led me to the Canon Powershot S95 as a semi professional compact non DSLR type camera. It has manual control. Apparently is good in low light. Not crazy expensive either. I might have bought this camera if I hadn't been given the olympus already. http://www.canon.com.au/For-You/Digital ... S95-Camera

[andrewbish]

I am looking for a good p&s camera too. Good bushwalking features for mine are:
- compact and light
- take good landscapes
- can take macros
- quick to startup, focus and shoot
- can handle low light
- can handle glare/bright light
- tough
- waterproof
- can shoot decent HD (and mic)
- able to use spare batteries

I have heard good things about the Coolpix P7000 (~$350) and the Olympus XZ-1 (~$450 - see review here: http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/OlympusXZ1/page12.asp)

Andrew

[Nuts]

( The P7000 isn't waterproof. I like the viewfinder, remote shutter, optional wide angle lens, sync with my Nikon flash etc but tbh would have kept the LX5 otherwise for a simpler setup (though it has annoying slide on/off and flash buttons which catch in a pouch), great jpegs, like the panorama function on it. A bushwalking mate has the Olympus, another nice one in the same category, seems happy with it. I carry the Panny FT-3 waterproof P&S and it's very handy but still not many options and while the images are a lot nicer than the previous old Oly 'tough' camera it replaced, still not great..)