Cameras on the Slopes
Feb 08, 2007 · 12:06 PM · permalink
This morning, Lou Dawson has a nice discussion of his prefferred digital camera rig for skiing—the Canon A6XX line. He makes some good arguments in regard to usability (slightly larger = easier to use with gloves) and points out both the highs and lows.
I really like my Casio Exilim EX-Z750. It’s now a couple of years old, but the features packed into this little champ are remarkable:
- Bright, 2.5" LCD
- 3X optical zoom
- 7MP CCD
- Shutter priority, F-Stop priority, and full manual modes
- Exposure times up to 60 seconds
- Takes 640 X 480 movies limited in time only by you SD card
Full Casio Exilim EX-Z750 Specs.
As you can see from the photos, it’s getting pretty battered—but that’s one of the things I’ve been most pleased with. I’ve beat it up pretty bad, gotten it wet, droppped it on all kinds of surfaces, and still, it keeps going.
As an all-around camera, it’s served me really well, but I have to admit, it’s not ideal on the slopes—or perhaps I haven’t figure out how to use it to get good photos—you can see for yourself on my personal Flickr photo set. If the light is just right, then snow photos can be quite nice, but more often than not, I end up with flat, burned-out snow and washed-out, dead sky. And, Lou has a good point: the Z750’s small form is hard to use with gloves.
I have been considering a new camera purchase. I love the quality and versatility of the Canon SLRs, such as the EOS Digital Rebel XT, but worry that it would be too cumbersome on the slopes.
How about you? How do you shoot on the slopes, and what do you shoot with? Share your photos!
Comments
I have a Canon SD400 that I love. I guess it takes decent pictures in the snow, and I haven’t really made an effort to do anything special. Previously I had a Sony DSC-something, and the Canon blows it out of the water.
My Canon is the perfect size for fitting in a pocket, which is my number 1 concern when picking a camera for quick snapshots. If I have to dig around my bag and then fumble with a camera case, I’m far less likely to actually take pictures. My Canon fits in my coat breast pocket, pants pocket, or the hip pockets on my backpack.
I really think Lou is making a mistake with that big Canon A640. There may be some additional features on A640 (I have no idea) but I’m sure they they don’t get used very often and you therefore need the manual for the rare times you want to use them. He also mentions that he likes the AA batteries. Again I must disagree here. My SD’s battery is smaller, lighter, and last probably as long. And when I spent a couple weeks at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, I purchased 2 extra batteries on eBay for pretty cheap and I was good to go. Also, flip out screen: Cute feature, but not terribly useful. (The exception being self portraits or over the head shots. Who wants a perfectly composed self portrait anyway?)
Typically you get more optical zoom with the larger “compact” cameras, but that falls under the “so what” category for me. 3x is plenty for me in nearly every situation, and I would argue it’s plenty for just about everyone else.
I like the idea of shutter and aperature priority modes, but I must admit that it’s been a long time since I’ve messed with them on my SD400. I’ve come to the realization that when I’m on an adventure I’m not Annie Leibovitz trying to capture an image of an aging rock star. I’m just trying to capture a memory for myself and maybe a blog and a simple point and shoot is going to be just fine.
On the other hand, I now have a Canon Rebel XT. I love having a SLR again (my last one was a Canon AE1). Now the SLR is where I really want all the fun features. I actually do use them there a lot and I spend more time composing pictures and it makes me remember why I like photography. I’ve taken it on one ski trip, and it stays in the pack a whole lot more than the point-and-shoot because it takes more work to get out.
If you have the means, I think having a compact camera to complement a SLR is the way to go. However, that gets really expensive. You need to evaluate your needs and your photography style. For me, the small camera is a must-have. The SLR is a “someday-maybe” type of item.
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