Choosing a Digital Camera for Hiking
The “great outdoors” can provide spectacular photo opportunities, so it’s definitely worth considering a digital camera for hiking.
But what to buy? The answer depends to some degree on the type of hiking you do - day hikes or longer treks - and whether you want to take just scenic shots or also pictures of the wildlife, including birds.
Weight and size are always factors when hiking, so in most cases a compact digital camera that is comfortable to carry and easily accessible will be the answer.
If you want to take pictures of wildlife, then you’ll need a longer or more powerful lens, which means more weight and bulk.
But for most scenic photography, a lightweight, compact digital camera in the four-to-six megapixel range should be fine. You want something that can be carried in a jacket pocket or held in a small case attached to your belt.
Features to Look Out For
There’s a huge assortment within this category, so here are four features that are recommended when choosing a digital camera for hiking:
1. 3x Optical zoom lens
This provides wide angle to short telephoto - roughly equivalent to a 35-105mm lens on a 35mm amera. The 35mm semi-wide angle will allow you to capture expansive vistas, while the 105mm will allow you to zoom in on more specific subjects, including your hiking companions.
2. Camera with an optical viewfinder
Many compact digitals don’t have a viewfinder, so you have to use the LCD screen on the back of the camera when composing and shooting.
In bright light it can be a problem seeing your subject clearly in the LCD, particularly if the sun is behind you. It’s also more difficult keeping a camera steady when holding it away from your body than holding it snugly against your cheek. Using the viewfinder instead of the LCD will also save battery power, something you want to conserve when out in the backwoods.
3. Image-stabilized lens
Although this is not essential and is more important on digital cameras with ultra-zoom lenses, it’s a nice addition to have on your camera when hiking.
If you’re even slightly out of breath or panting when you pause to take that marvellous shot of the valley below, you’re going to attle to hold a camera perfectly steady. An image-stabilized lens will eliminate camera shake and ensure a crisp, sharp picture, rather than the blurry ones caused by unsteady hands.
Certainly if you choose a camera without a viewfinder, then an image stabilizer becomes more crucial. It’s difficult enough keeping a camera steady when holding it away from you to frame your shot and this is even more so if you’re carrying a heavy backpack or standing on rough, sloping terrain.
4. Macro mode
Most compact digital cameras will have some form of macro mode, some better than others. Macro is useful to have when outdoors as ou’ll occasionally want to take close-ups of flowers, plants, and insects.
Here are a few suggestions for compact cameras that are suitable for hiking, selected because they have some or all of the features above, and also because they’ve received positive reviews:
* Canon PowerShot SD600 Digital Camera - 6MP, 35-105mm lens, stainless steel body, slim profile, weighs 4.9oz
* Canon PowerShot SD700 IS - similar to SD600, but has a 35-140mm lens with image stabilizer.
* Sony Cyber Shot DSC-T9 - 6MP, 39-114mm lens. Less than an inch thick, will fit comfortably in your pocket. No optical viewfinder, but has SteadyShot image stabilization, weighs 5.6oz.
* Casio Exilim EX-Z850 - 8MP, 38-114mm lens, feature-rich, slim profile, weighs 4.6oz
* Ricoh Caplio R3 - 5mp, 28-200mm lens, no viewfinder but excellent zoom range plus image stabilizer, small and light, 1cm macro mode, weighs 4.8oz
If you’re interested in getting shots of wildlife and birds while on trail, then one of the digital “ultra zooms” is your best bet, although they’re heavier and bulkier than compacts. Again, there are many to choose from, but the Panasonic Lumix range is recommended, as are ultra zooms from Canon, Olympus, and Sony.
Digital SLR
For highest quality photos, you’ll need a digital SLR (single lens reflex) camera. Although these have come down in size and price, they’re still larger than fixed-lens cameras, and more expensive.
With a digital SLR you have the option of carrying additional lenses, which is great for getting the very best shots, but comes at the cost of extra weight, bulk, and the care required in protecting lenses from knocks, dust and moisture.
If you do carry extra lenses, take extreme care when changing lenses in the field as dust can settle on the camera’s sensor, something you want to avoid if at all possible.
An option is to take your digital SLR with just one lens, like a zoom in the 28-105mm category, rather than a selection of lenses. Whether you opt for this, or take a body and selection of lenses, you’ll need a way of carrying the gear.
A camera hanging round your neck, swinging about as you walk, is okay for short distances but not recommended for hikes longer than a ouple of hours. A traditional camera bag slung over the shoulder is also not ideal for hiking, so you’ll want to look at a camera backpack if you’re carrying an SLR body plus lenses.
These are ideal for the photo enthusiast, but not much use if you need also to carry essentials like food and clothing in a normal backpack.
Bad Packing Mistake
If you do store any camera gear in your conventional backpack, don’t make the mistake I once did. I was carrying an Olympus OM1 35mm camera with standard lens and stowed it mid-way down my pack.
As we were about to set off - it was still early and chilly - I was allocated some communal foodstuffs to carry. This, including a tub of margarine, I foolishly stowed at the very top of the pack. Of course once it became hotter the margarine melted, tipped over and seeped its way downward, soiling everything and wrecking my camera.
If you’re going to be overnighting or on trail for a couple of days, make sure you have enough camera memory. Also, try to avoid looking too ofen at your masterpieces on the LCD, as this will rapidly drain your battery.
A digital camera for your hiking trips is certainly not an essential, but you’ll seldom find better opportunities for taking memorable pictures than those presented by Nature as her rich tapestry of colors, textures and patterns unfolds before you.
See also Digital Camera 10x Zoom for more about compact cameras with powerful 10x zoom lenses
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W230 is W-Series opening price point camera, and combines point-and-shoot ease-of-use with a host of advanced features in a sophisticated, compact body. A 12.1 megapixel image sensor and Carl Zeiss 4x optical zoom lens offer crisp, clear images at high resolution. Intelligent Scene Recognition automatically detects scene conditions and adjust for best camera settings. Face Detection capture faces with natural skin tones, while Smile Shutter technology capture a smile the moment it happens. In addition, Optical SteadyShot image stabilization helps prevent blur without affecting image quality, and HDTV compatibility offers a great way to view and share photos in high definition.The DSC-W230 offers a step up in features and capabilities from the Cyber-shot S-Series models, with a professional-quality lens, optical image stabilization, and a powerful BIONZ image processor that allows for advanced Face Detection, Smile Shutter technology, Dynamic Range Optimizer, and Intelligence Scene Recognition.
The 7.2-Megapixel Cyber-shot(R) W120 features innovative Smile Shutter technology, which photographs smiles as they happen. A Carl Zeiss 4x optical zoom lens provides high quality close-ups, while Sony’s Double Anti-Blur solution gives you crisp, clear images. The advanced Sony Super HAD(TM) (Hole Accumulated Diode) CCD design allows more light to pass to each pixel, increasing sensitivity and reducing noise. Because an off-center subject can make your shot more interesting, a 9-point auto focus measures the focus at 9 precision points instead of 5 giving you greater creative freedom to compose your image. The large, bright 2.5″ TFT LCD display makes it easy to compose shots, check results, and read menus in sharp natural color, even in bright sunlight. Face Detection technology automatically controls focus, exposure, color, and flash to help reveal faces in shadows, make skin tones look more natural, reduce red-eye, and eliminate harsh facial glare, so your photos bring out every expression on every face in every shot. Super SteadyShot(R) Image Stabilization compensates for shaky hands and minimizes blur with optical sensors that detect camera movement and send correcting signals to a stabilization lens. Aperture Range - Auto (F2.8-F14 with ND Filter) / Program Auto (F2.8-F14 with ND Filter) Shutter Speed - Auto (1/4 - 1/1,600) / Program Auto (1 - 1/1,600) Flash Modes - Auto, Forced On, Forced Off, and Slow Synch Movie Modes - MPEG VX Fine with Audio (640×480 at 30fps), MPEG VX Standard with Audio (640×480 at 16fps), Presentation (320 x 240 at 8fps) Scene Modes - Auto, Easy Shooting, Program Auto, Movie, High Sensitivity, Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Soft Snap, Landscape, Beach, Snow, Fireworks, and Smile Shutter Operating System - Microsoft 2000 Professional, Me, XP Home and Professional, Macintosh OS 9.1, 9.2, OS X (10.0-10.4)
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980 detects faces and capture them naturally And has digital image stabilization and High ISO (3200) to prevent blur, specially on low light. Also comes with seven scene selections to adjusts settings to shooting conditions
Whatever your family’s idea of adventure, the STYLUS TOUGH-6000 is ready for action. So durable, it’s even shockproof up to 5 feet, extra protection against accidental drops and rough handling. A revolutionary system of waterproof seals and gaskets keeps water out so you can take pictures as deep as 10 feet underwater and in the winter boldly enter that winter wonderland without worrying about your camera. The STYLUS TOUGH-6000 is winterized to perform at below-freezing temperatures. And even if your chilled to the bone and shaking like a leaf Sensor-Shift Image Stabilization compensates for camera shake to keep your shots steady while Digital Image Stabilization captures crisp, clear images in any situation. Aperture Range f3.5 (W) / f5.1 (T) 5 Steps Brightness Adjustment xD-Picture Card compatibility plus comes with an adapter for microSD memory cards
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W220 combines point-and-shoot ease-of-use with advanced features in a sophisticated, compact body. Smile Shutter technology allows you to capture a smile the moment it happens, and the Carl Zeiss 4x optical zoom lens, Optical SteadyShot image stabilization, and 12.1 megapixel resolution deliver crisp, clear images.
Be it for movie or still images, the thin Nikon Coolpix S550 offers an enthralling experience with pictures of incredibly fine detail. Sleek, easy to use, the S550 has image stabilization and a long 5x zoom range. Go for Coolpix S550. It makes sense. Internal Memory - Approximately 52MB for immediate picture taking Storage System - JPEG - JPEG-baseline-compliant; can be selected from Size priority and Optimal quality, AVI, WAV / File System - DCF 2.0, DPOF, EXIF 2.21 Image Stabilization - Electronic Movie Modes - Movie with sound, Time-lapse movie, Stop motion movie White Balance - Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent, Incandescent, Flash, White Balance Present Play Functions - Full frame, Thumbnail (4 or 9 or 16 segments), Zoom, Slideshow, Shooting data, Auto image rotation, Sound playback Hi-speed USB 5x Optical Nikkor Zoom Lens Specification - Equivalent with 35mm format picture angle - 36-180mm, f/3.5-5.6 Autofocus System - Contrast-detect TTL AF with AF-assist illuminator / Maximum Autofocus Areas/Points - Auto (9-area automatic selection), Manual (99-area manual selection) Exposure Modes - Auto, Scene; Scene Modes - Face-priority AF, Portrait, Landscape, Sports, Night Portrait, Party/Indoor, Beach/Snow, Sunset, Dusk/Dawn, Night Landscape, Close Up, Museum, Fireworks Show, Copy, Back Light, Panorama Assist, Smile Power sources - Rechargeable Li-ion Battery EN-EL11 (supplied), AC Adapter EH-62E (optional) Battery life - Approx. 200 shots with EN-EL11 battery (based on CIPA standard) Unit Dimensions (W x H x D) Approx. 90 x 53.5 x 22 mm (3.6 x 2.1 x 0.9 in.) excluding projections; Weight Approx. 120 g (4.2 oz.) without battery and SD memory card Includes Supplied Accessories - AV/USB Cable UC-E12, Strap AN-CP14, Rechargeable Battery EN-EL11, Battery Charger MH-64, Software Suite for COOLPIX (Supplied accessories may differ depending on country or area.)
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W290 camera combines style with power and intelligence. The W290 comes in 4 sophisticated colors and has a stylish look. With the W290 taking great pictures is now easier than ever. The iAuto mode goes beyond the traditional auto mode, thinking and working for you; recognizing scenes, lighting conditions, faces, and automatically adjusts camera settings resulting in clearer images, and faces with more natural skin tones and less blur. The W290 also features HD Movie mode, recording in 720p for capturing your precious moments on video. Compose, review, and share your memories on the large 3.0¿ (230k pixels) LCD.
The Coolpix L20 is a great camera for beginners just getting started in digital photography. Easy to use and fully featured the Coolpix L20 will delight it’s users with great pictures, fun features and a huge 3.0-inch display at a surprisingly affordable price.
The 7 Megapixel A730 is a point shoot digital camera that makes it easy to use right out of the box through a simple, intuitive user interface. A 3x optical zoom, 4.8x digital zoom captures close-up shots you can review on a vibrant 2.5-inch LCD screen. Its sleek and stylish camera body hosts features like in-camera panoramic stitching, red-eye removal, face-tracking, electronic stabilization and MPEG4 movie recording. All this is powered by 2x AA batteries with an SD/SDHC memory cacrd slot that is expandable up to 4GB. JPEG Exif 2.2 Still Image, MPEG4 Movie, G.711 Mono WAVE Audio File Format Shooting Modes - Auto, Macro, Movie, Scene (Sport, Kids Pets, Party/Indoor, Foliage, Snow, Beach, Fireworks, Aquarium), Portrait, Night Portrait, Landscape, Anti-Handshake TTL 9-Point Focusing AF, Spot AF, AF Assist Light (On/Off), Face-Tracking, AF Method Artificial Intelligence AE (Ai AE), Center-weighted Average, Spot (Fixed to center of frame) Light Metering Method ProgramAE (AE-lock available) Exposure Control Method 4-1/2000 Second (Manual 30 seconds) Shutter Speed Approximately 2.1 fps (Large/Fine Mode) Continuous Shooting Single Photo, Index (4/9/16 thumbnails), Slide Show, Movie (Slow-Motion possible), Zoom (1x-8x), Audio, Histogram Display Playback Modes AWB, MWB (Daylight, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, Fluorescent H), Preset White Balance Control Auto, Red-Eye Reduction, Forced Flash, No Flash, Slow Synchro, Red-Eye Reduction+Slow Synchro Internal Flash 0.3m-4.6m Wide, 0.3m-2.7m Tele Shooting Range SD SDHC (up to 4GB supported) Memory Card Slot 2x AA Alkaline Battery takes up to 100 shots, AA NiMH Batteries takes up to 400 shots Dimensions - Approximately Width 3.6811 x Height 2.4016 x Depth 1.122 inch Weight - 120 grams (Body Only)