The question of what camera gear to get for general motorcycle travel comes up periodically and can be a difficult question to tackle. Let's take a real quick look at the pro's and cons of the two major types of camera available to day: DSLR and Point N Shoot (PnS).
- PnS -
Most people just beginning photography will look for a camera that is a) cheap b) easy to use and c) produces good pictures. Let's make it clear right now that no matter how much money you want (or don't want) to spend, you will never find a camera that will magically do it all. Like motorcycles, cameras are machines and have limitations; learning to work within those limitations and setting realistic expectation will help maximize the value for your dollars.
PnS cameras have gained a lot of quality in recent years while loosing a lot in sticker price. Some of the best and most affordable come from the Canon line-up and are good place to start your shopping query.
These small but convenient and usually user friendly cameras have several benefits. Because of it light weight and small size, you'll be more likely to take it with you on a ride as it can fit into pockets, are easy to retrieve and carry around. As a result, PnS cameras get a lot of use and are just about ideal for generqal photography and "record shots" ("I was there" pictures").
Most current PnS cameras will have at least 8 mega pixels (which is plenty) and take colorful relatively sharp images right out of the box but be sure to charge your battery first before using the camera! Battery life on PnS cameras often range from less about 100 to 200 shot with standard batteries and may dramatically drop if using the built in flash.
Since these small units have become quite inexpensive in the past couple years, they are also less intimidating to use in rugged environments where anything from vibrations, dust and moisture may destroy a cameras tiny sensative electro-mechanical elements. If you drop a 200 dollar camera, while the body may no longer work, you pictures should still be readable and you've only lost 200 bucks.
- DSLR -
200 bucks is 200 bucks and nobody likes to loose their equipment for various reasons but the much more expensive alternative type of camera is the DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex). DSLR's main disadvantages are their price, size and weight.
While prices for entry level DSLRs have also dropped recently, unlike a PnS, you're paying for not only a camera body but lens too. Lenses for a DSLR can easily exceed the cost of the body. This extra expenditure of money is troublesome at first but good glass on a camera is like good tires on your bike. It doesn't matter how good the camera "sensor" (what replaced film) is, if your glass is soft and doesn't focus correctly, then you'll never fully utilize your camera body. A good lens alone can cost anywhere from 500 to 5,000 dollars so you can guess that the glass in a 200 dollar PnS won't be the best around.
A DSLR's extra electronics and motors take up space and add extra weight as well. This may be the biggest disadvantage for motorcyclists looking to capture their rides. A DSLR with a lens can't simply fit in your pocket and usually requires the addition of a whole new bag and will dramatically change your packing routine. Some people keep their DSLR kit in a tank bag or on the rear seat while other's in a lockable rear case. Any way you slice it, extra time and effort is needed to get your camera ready for action.
So what is the advantage of DSLR's? It comes down to power and flexibility. No PnS will come close to the clarity, resolution and opreating speed of a properly set-up DSLR. DSLR's have superior sensors, beter metering, more sensitive and faster focusing mechanisms and a long list of other advantages that won't be listed here. So when does this become important?
- Choosing which Camera is Right for you -
IMHO, the most important factor to consider when buying a camera is not the amount of megapixels or the zoom magnification factor but to ask yourself: "What do I want to do with these pictures?"
If you're looking at posting your ride reports on the web and making small prints for family photo albums then a PnS will be perfectly suitable and easy to use. If you're looking to use your images in larger print, possible publication or in a professional realm, then your best option is to learn how to properly use a DSLR.
If you have very little, or no photographic experience you'll need to learn the technical and artistic aspects of photography no matter what camera you buy. What makes a good picture only minimally depends on the hardware. Much of what makes a good image comes from developing a "photographic eye" which means you see the world like a camera sees it, learn to understand your subjects in order to better predict their behavior and become sensitive to the many powerful but often un-recognized qualities and characteristics of light such as color, intensity and angle.
If you're looking into getting a new camera, I suggest not only looking a specs and reviews in magazines or web pages but shopping around and putting them in your hands. Pay careful attention to teh tactile impression you get of it. Is it easy/comfortable to hold for YOUR hands? Is it well built? Then examine how it operates. Listen to the shutter (if it has one) and play with the menus. Are they easy to navigate? Is the shutter -lag responsive enough for you?
It's easy to get caught in a gyre of this or that camera because camera X has this features but camera y has those. None of them will have it all! Trust your instinct and buy. After you buy, use. Push the limitations of your camera but work withing them. DEvelop your "photographic eye" and skills, eventually - maybe six months or six year later - you will know if you've outgrown the camera and then it's time to start looking at new cameras again!
Trust your instincts...take good pictures.
CC
