Backpacking Camera

[nickn]

Hello all,
I have a bit of a dilemma. I am going on a backpacking trip into the heart of Mammoth mountains in California. Its about a 7 hour backpacking trip in to our location and 10 hours out. So...Long hike. Our destination has a beautiful 300' waterfall that has really only been seen by a handful of people in the world. I hiked down here 2 years ago and I only brought a old point and shoot because of space limitations. The pictures were not what I wanted them to be. This year I want to bring my Nikon D3x but I simply do not have the space for it.

My question to you guys is which camera do you suggest i bring. It needs to be Small lightweight, have a manual mode, and pack a punch. I really want to do this place justice but I am at a loss on gear selection. I am already bringing a GoPro for video, so I don't need that option.

Thoughts?

[dlambert]

Go back and look at the photos you took last time -- specifically, look at the EXIF for them. Figure out whether you need a lot of zoom or not, and then go from there. There are some really nice compacts w/ larger sensors, etc., that might work well (Canon's G-series springs to mind), or you could even look at a 4/3 camera (rent?), which will tend to be smaller, especially if you can get by with a pancake lens or something.

Make sure you've got some sort of tripod solution, too. Worst case, you can steady the camera on a rock or something, but I've used a trek-pod while hiking, and I like it a lot.

[nickn]

Originally Posted by dlambert

Go back and look at the photos you took last time -- specifically, look at the EXIF for them. Figure out whether you need a lot of zoom or not, and then go from there.

Mostly I am going to need a low f-stop. Also a polarizing filter would really help to get rid of the haze coming off the waterfall.

See Link for Examples
https://picasaweb.google.com/1078071...LGiL6qkPvz3QE#

I was thinking the Leica M9

[dlambert]

The first picture in that set seems to show a lot of grain on the left -- I can't tell if that's mist from the waterfall or ISO noise, though (shouldn't be, at 125). Anyway, the second shot is a really tough shot because of the lighting -- you're really fighting uphill to shoot into the sun like that.

I think you're going to see as much improvement just by working with the light a little better as you will with better equipment -- you'd have trouble controlling the dynamic range on that second shot even with a really good camera, I believe. The second shot also shows that the flash fired -- were you trying to fill-light the trees & rocks in the foreground?

Looks like a killer setting for a shoot -- have fun!

[OsmosisStudios]

If you want a good compact, the Samsung EX1 is probably your best bet. Short zoom (23-72) but fast aperture (f/1.8 on the wide end), fantastic higher-iso noise contorl, small, sturdy, and with tons of features. The screen on it alone is worth the money (which is great: it's cheap for it's class)

[nickn]

The noise is the mist. Unfortunately the first time I did this hike I did not bring my own camera and just used an old point and shoot with no manual modes. Camera was terrible. This year, knowing what I am hiking into, i have a shoot all set up. I planed out a much better location for a shoot. I didn't go through the effort (forging a rushing river, free-climbing up another mountain) last year since the only camera we had wouldn't even take a decent picture with proper lighting.

Samsung EX1 - looks like a good camera, How durable is it?

[OsmosisStudios]

its a mostly metal body, but its still a compact camera.

Frankly, if you have the opportunity, I'd be dragging your D3x, a solid tripod, and a tilt-shift lens with me.

[3bayjunkie]

for realz suck it up and bring the SLR. If you really want good shots, you will find room>

[ravncat]

I`ve found I can wear a dslr with the blackrapid strap while having a backpack, and a couple of lens pouches on my belt or camera waste strap gives me pretty good versatility for low weight coupled with backpacking stuff

Weight is a concern - the samsung and micro 4-3rds options are good for weight and quality - but they all have narrowed dynamic range, especially compared to a d3x (or even a d3)